Survivors chose the name Future Pathways to emphasis how lives are moving forward
A fund providing vital support for people who have experienced in-care abuse has been renamed.
Future Pathways is the new title for Scotland’s In Care Survivor Support Fund, with the name having been chosen by survivors.
Over 160 survivors across Scotland and beyond have already received vital help and support via fund since it opened in September 2016.
The new name reflects a focus on supporting people to move forward with their lives.
Head of Future Pathways Flora Henderson said: “We are extremely grateful to everyone who helped us choose our new name and logo, which we are confident reflects our work in helping people who’ve experience abuse or neglect in care to find their own pathway to a positive future.
“Over 160 survivors have already registered with us, but we know there are many, many more people out there who have had similar experiences and who could really benefit from our help and support.”
She added: “We want to use this announcement as an opportunity to encourage survivors to come forward and access support them to lead happy, healthy and independent lives.”
Future Pathways works with survivors to identify the right support for them, and the types of support that have been provided so far include access to education and work, psychological trauma support, access to personal records, housing and benefit advice as well as access to health and wellbeing support.
John Swinney MSP, deputy first minister, said: “I am delighted that Future Pathways has been engaging with survivors in the development and launch of their new branding and website. I am looking forward to hearing more about the implementation of the Fund and difference it is making to survivors."
Positive feedback has already been received from many survivors who have registered with Future Pathways.
David Whelan, spokesperson for FBGA (Former Boys and Girls Abused in Quarriers Homes) said: “Former residents of institutional abuse were seeking additional support and help as there were real gaps in current services and their needs were not always met. FBGA along with other victim-survivors campaigned for such an integrated one-stop survivor centred service for many years.
“Victims-survivors in conjunction with the Scottish Government and others also helped shaped, form and design Future Pathways, and the feedback from service users to date has been overwhelmingly positive.
“FBGA as a victim-survivor campaign group fully support Future Pathways in understanding the needs of those abused in the past care system and have no hesitation in referring former residents to the service. We recommend the service to everyone and thank Future Pathways for delivering a high quality victim-survivor centred service to those in need.”
