Carly Elliott will join Forces Children Scotland after nine years at Who Cares? Scotland.
A charity helping children and young people from serving, reservist and veteran families has announced its new deputy CEO and policy lead.
Forces Children Scotland revealed this week that it has appointed Carly Elliott as to the positions to help drive their ambitious plans forward to reach and support greater numbers of children and young people across Scotland.
Ms Elliott will join the charity’s team in August having spent the past nine years at Who Cares? Scotland as director of policy, passionately championing a lifetime of equality, respect and love working with care experienced people across Scotland.
The position has been created for the policy expert, whose departure from her previous job was confirmed on social media, claiming that Who Cares? Scotland will “always have a special place” in her heart.
Ms Elliott said: “It’s clear that Forces Children Scotland value meaningful, creative participation of children and young people in both the work of the organisation and in influencing wider society. This is something I feel extremely passionate about and so I was eager not to let an opportunity to work for such an organisation pass me by.
“I have worked with some young people from Armed Forces families in the past but the vast majority of my experience comes from working with the care experienced community and with children in conflict with the law.
“Themes of identity, community and the experience of stigma run strongly throughout all of these communities and I feel passionate about creating space for young people to explore this and influence the change they want to see in their world.
“Forces Children Scotland’s new strategy arrives as Scotland progresses towards incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, bringing with it significant opportunity to realise the right to be heard for all children.
“This is an exciting time for children’s rights and I’m looking forward to bringing my experience of enabling participation to help implement this new strategy and ensure Armed Forces children are heard by those in power – locally, nationally and internationally.”
The news has been welcomed by those at Forces Children Scotland.
Laura Falconer, chief executive officer for Forces Children Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Carly to Forces Children Scotland as our new deputy CEO and policy lead.
“This key new role has been created to strengthen our policy and influencing work and help us achieve our new vision.
“Carly brings a wealth of experience in human rights law, policy and influencing which will prove vital in realising what we set out to achieve over the next three years.”
