Laws will be strengthened to help keep siblings who are in the care system together
Charities have welcomed plans aimed at keeping siblings who are in care together.
At a conference organised by Clan Childlaw and Siblings Reunited (STAR) in Glasgow, the Minister for Children and Young People, Maree Todd MSP announced that there are plans to make improvements to the law for brothers and sisters who are in the care system.
The law is to be strengthened in relation to keeping brothers and sisters together, where it is in their interests to do so, when they are placed in local authority care.
The changes will also result in siblings being on an equal footing with parents in relation to promoting personal relations, meaning that there will be a duty on local authorities to take steps to promote personal relations and contact between brothers and sisters when a child is in care.
This announcement comes a year after the launch of the Stand Up for Siblings campaign, a collaboration made up between a number of child welfare, children’s rights and legal organisations and academics within Scotland including Clan Childlaw. The groups believe that more can be done to protect the rights and promote the wellbeing of siblings and are working together to influence the law, policy and practice.
Alison Reid, principal solicitor at Clan Childlaw, said: “We are delighted with this announcement. It is progress in the right direction and will allow brothers and sisters in care more of an opportunity to develop and maintain good relations which have the potential to last a lifetime.
“However, this is just the start. We will continue to drive forward change in both law and practice to make sure siblings have the rights they need to participate fully in decisions that affect them, particularly in relation to children’s hearings as well as in permanence and adoption proceedings.”
Dr Christine Jones, of University of Strathclyde and co-founder of Stand Up For Siblings, said: “These proposals represent real progress towards protecting the rights and promoting the wellbeing of brothers and sisters in care.
“We created Stand Up For Siblings as we believe that if we all work together, we can make a real difference to the lives of children and young people and can influence the law, policy and practice around this issue.
“We will continue to work together to take forward and build on this exciting development and invite others to join us in this work.”
