Why do sibling relationships matter?
For those of us working with care-experienced children and young people, the importance of sibling and sibling-like relationships is clear. We understand the belonging, identity and safety that those connections can give brothers and sisters, and we recognise the damage that can be done when those relationships are not protected and prioritised.
Whilst the need to actively support sibling relationships within the care system is increasingly recognised in legislation, policy and practice, there remain many barriers to brothers and sisters living together or spending regular, quality time together.
Coorie House
After supporting sibling relationships in his role as a Social Worker, Michael Scanlin (DCEO, Rossie Young People’s Trust) saw clearly the challenges posed by a lack of appropriate environments for siblings to be together. He recognised the need for spaces where children and young people could spend time together as a family, in an environment designed around their need for normality, privacy and fun. After spending some time at the incredible STAR project in Fife and picking the brains of its founder, Karen Morrison, Michael was clear in his aim to bring a similar space to Rossie. Some years — and a successful funding bid to Corra — later, Coorie House was born.
Designing around ordinary siblinghood
As the Project Coordinator, being trusted with a blank canvas felt like both an incredible privilege and a huge responsibility. However, with sibling relationships at the heart of the house, it came together quite quickly. More than anything, we wanted to create a home that offered young people the chance to be brothers and sisters in the most natural, authentic way possible. Whilst the house is a deliberately open space, it has areas similar to those you might find in a typical family home: kitchen, dining area, living room, playroom.
Michael has been clear from the outset that fun should be one of the main drivers behind Coorie House and we hope that is felt throughout the building, whether that’s in a hot air balloon lampshade, woodland wallpaper animal hunt or the ever-popular trampoline in the garden! However, we also recognise that sometimes visits with family can be challenging and this understanding has also informed the design of Coorie House; a comfy sofa that you soak into, a rotating arts and crafts storage to reduce the push and pull of sharing, fidget toys and sensory aids. These small details create an environment that helps children and young people feel comfortable, regulated and more able to enjoy their time together.
Opening the doors
Seeing the hypothetical come to life, with real siblings, spending real time together, has been an incredible experience. We have baked, we have buried each other in the sand pit, we have been bug hunting and we have baked some more! Watching siblings learn to play chess together or create their own imaginary games whilst cuddled up on the sofa has affirmed what we already knew; that spaces like Coorie House are an essential part of fulfilling the Promise and demonstrating that we truly care about those relationships that matter the most.
Watching our volunteers put all their training and skills into practice and welcome families to Coorie House has been the culmination of months of their hard work and dedication to the project. From picking fence paint, to designing gallery walls, to pouring coffees, our group of volunteers have been invested from the start and we feel incredibly lucky to have started Coorie House with such a strong group at the helm.
Feedback from each visit has been overwhelmingly positive and we are enjoying the chance to reflect and build on the thoughts and experiences shared with us.
What next for Coorie House?
Opening Coorie House was never going to be the end of the work. Creating the space is one thing; making sure that children and young people across Scotland have the opportunity to use it is another. As we continue to receive an increasing number of enquiries and referrals, we are also working on building awareness of Coorie House and developing relationships with local authorities and other referrers. Alongside this work, we are continuing to develop the outdoor space, with our very own Coorie House Crazy Golf course in the offing!
Ultimately, we believe children and young people across Scotland should have access to spaces that recognise the importance of their sibling relationships and give them the opportunity to simply enjoy being brothers and sisters. Coorie House hopes to turn what we know about the importance of these relationships into something tangible: a place where they are not only protected and prioritised, but given the space to flourish.
We would love to chat further with anyone who is interested in learning more about the project or would like to come and see the space. If that’s you, please email Cara.Jamieson@rossie.org.uk or visit www.rossie.org.uk
Thank you to Cara Jamieson, Coorie House Co-ordinator for writing this blog.