Charity is calling for greater support to keep siblings together in foster care
A leading charity has uncovered evidence that more than a third of siblings in Scotland are being separated in foster care.
Action for Children, a fostering and adoption agency, made a Freedom of Information request to all local authorities in the UK and found that in Scotland 302 children who were placed in foster care between April 2013 and March 2014 were separated from one or more siblings.
The charity warned splitting siblings can ignite feelings of loss and abandonment which can affect emotional and mental health.
It also increases the risk of unstable foster placements and poor performance at school, as well as further problems in adulthood, such as difficulty finding a job, drug and alcohol addiction, homelessness or criminal activity.
The charity is calling for the problem to be urgently addressed, not just in Scotland but across the UK.
The figures are being backed by an Action for Children poll in which children separated from their siblings in foster care were asked how the separation made them feel.
Nobody wants to separate brothers and sisters, but there simply aren’t enough foster carers in Scotland who can look after siblings
All respondents said they were “upset and angry”.
Carol Iddon, director of children’s services at Action for Children Scotland, said: “For many children, being taken into care can be a confusing and upsetting time; add the distress of being split up from your brother or sister into the mix and the impact will last a lifetime.
“Nobody wants to separate brothers and sisters, but there simply aren’t enough foster carers in Scotland who can look after siblings. By arming ourselves with a pool of dedicated people who can provide a loving and caring home to groups of children we will avoid breaking more young hearts in the future.
“We know that in some cases children can be so badly hurt by what has happened to them before going into care, including severe neglect and abuse, that they need one-to-one support. In the vast majority of cases, however, siblings benefit hugely by staying together and that's why we need more foster carers to help them."
Clare Simmons was separated from her younger sister at six years old when both entered foster care age.
Now 18, she says she feels “bitter” and depressed about having to rebuild relationships with her own sister.
“You just accept it at that age,” she said. “But it’s only when you get older, when you get out the system you realise it is wrong.
“I thought it was a punishment – as if I’d failed as a good child. I actually still have these feelings, and feelings that make me bitter and angry It created mental health issues for me and still does. But I’ve never been given any answers.”
The charity is calling for people with a spare room who can provide a secure and loving home to all children who have had traumatic experiences to get in touch on 0845 200 5162.