30 September 2019
Ministers and States Members will today meet a group of young adults with experience of care, as part of a visit organised and hosted by the Centre of Excellence for Looked After Children, Who Cares? Scotland and Jersey Cares.
It follows a commitment made by Jersey’s former Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, who led a delegation of officials and young people, with experience in the Island’s care system, to meet representatives of the Scottish Government and voluntary organisations in March 2018.
That visit was organised in response to the recommendations made by the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry.
This weekend, a group of young adults with experience of care from Scotland will share their experiences and meet Ministers, States Members and those working with children and young people.
This trip has been organised and coordinated by the Centre of Excellence for Looked After Children, Who Cares? Scotland and Jersey Cares, which is a new charity that has been set up following the visit to Scotland in March 2018.
Jersey’s Children’s Minister Senator Sam Mézec said: “We learned so much from our Scottish friends during that visit and I am looking forward to welcoming the group to Jersey.
“We were inspired to see how challenging stigma, ensuring the care-experienced voice is heard and that children in care are loved is at the heart of reforms to care in Scotland. We are determined to improve our services in Jersey so that every young person can thrive and feel loved.”
Senator Gorst said: “The Independent Jersey Care Inquiry encouraged us to stay connected to other jurisdictions and actively participate in learning from how others have developed effective responses to the needs of children and young people in care. The purpose of this visit is to share our experiences to identify best practice and discuss approaches to improvement in our services for children.”
Jersey Cares, who have organised the #JerseyScotlandCares return-leg, said: “We are pleased to host the return visit of Scottish friends, in a visit coordinated by the Centre of Excellence for Looked After Children, Who Cares? Scotland and Jersey Cares. This follows a successful trip we led back in March 2018, with the then-Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst. During that visit, Senator Gorst said that ‘showing the way to transform care is by listening to people with lived experience, acting because we have listened and ensuring that children are loved’.
“We are pleased and heartened that a wide range of people in Jersey will join us for the day and evening sessions. These will be to learn about the steps Scotland is taking to transform care with love, listening and learning at its heart.”
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