Care Experienced Week 2023
Care Experienced Week 2023 took place from the 22nd to the 29th of October. Find out how we celebrated this year.
This care may have been provided in many different settings, such as:
Living with a relative who is not your mum or dad
With the help of social work
Living in a residential home or school
living with foster carers
Living in a secure accommodation
Living with adoptive parents
Let our members tell you why the different elements of the vision are important to them:
Former Member of Scottish Parliament,
Aileen Campbell reflects on Care Day 2016.
Glasgow City Chambers have lit up their building using the Who Cares? Scotland tartan to mark Care Day 2016.
Former Director of Influencing, Claudia MacDonald reflects on WC?S’s relationship with the Scottish Government in 2016.
Watch this video to find out what our new logo stands for.
Through relationship-based, Independent Advocacy, we support Care Experienced people of all ages to have their rights met.
By listening to what Care Experienced people tell us, we further develop our evidence-base which supports our asks of decision makers with the ability to bring about positive change.
In bringing Care Experienced people together, we create spaces for fun, friendship and belonging, as well as opportunities to engage with influencing opportunities.
Through our membership offer which promotes a positive sense of care identity, we provide additional opportunities and build an engaged community of Care Experienced people.
By delivering our work in communities across Scotland, we create care aware communities which can support everyone to thrive.
Who Cares? Scotland is a membership organisation with over 3,700 Care Experienced members, of all ages and experiences, from all over Scotland. Our members are at the front and centre of our work and ensuring they feel well represented, valued and connected is of the utmost importance and key to our participation and influencing work.
We strive to provide advocacy that helps young people feel respected, included, listened to and understood. We’re independent to any care services a young person receives – this is crucial because we want young people to be supported and understood with no conflict of interest. We've also set up The Helpline to support Care Experienced people by providing lifelong advocacy throughout Scotland. We can support, signpost and offer choice when you feel there is nowhere else to turn.
We understand the importance of connecting with people who have similar or shared experiences, which is why we support and resource safe and valued local, regional and national spaces, bringing members together to build peer relationships, explore their identities and shape the world around them. We offer a wide range of groups, activities and events for Care Experienced people across Scotland.
We support and empower individuals to develop as representatives who can speak on behalf of our membership. We gather members together, invest in them, and support them to elevate their collective voice. Our members help to shape and inform Who Cares? Scotland’s decision-making processes as well as having the aspiration to positively change Scottish culture to ensure a better future for Care Experienced people
Care Experienced Week 2023 took place from the 22nd to the 29th of October. Find out how we celebrated this year.
To mark Black History Month, Care Experienced writer Leah Flint has written a blog sharing her experience growing up as a mixed race child in a white foster family and offers 3 pieces of advice on how we can all be better allies to the black community.
Talented Who Cares? Scotland member unveiled as the first designer behind new brand with the John Lewis Partnership.
Carmel, who grew up in kinship care and has been a member of Who Cares? Scotland for many years, will now take up the role of Chair following a robust internal recruitment process.
Our new Fundraising and Partnerships Manager Lucy writes about her plans to take on the Edinburgh Kiltwalk.
Two members of the NRB Marissa and Amie went to Manchester to attend a two-day conference which explored the emotions and experiences in the history of care. Here Marissa shares what the Compassion and Care conference was like.
In May, our members were invited to take part in our media club. They were offered a copy of ‘Ginger and Me’ by Elissa Soave to read before joining a Q&A session online with the author. Check out what they thought of the book here.
Comms & Events Manager Katie MacMillan writes about the Summer Meet Up, our first residential members event in over 3 years.
The Kitchen Depot, a Kitchen supplier based in Hillington, has donated a new kitchen to our Renfrewshire Youth Space in Paisley.
Andrea, a teacher from Kirkcaldy has raised over £5,000 for Who Cares? Scotland and Mary’s Meals by taking on Africa’s tallest mountain.
To mark Refugee Week 2023, 21-year-old Sudanese refugee, Kadim has shared his thoughts on why there are so many refugees, the challenges they face and what needs to change to make the world a safer, more equal place to live for everyone.
This week the Scottish Government held a debate on education, following publication of the report of the National Discussion on Education. While we welcome the report, we would like to see more focus on Care Experienced learners in the recommendations.