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SECTION 4: FAMILY LIFE AND BEING CARED FOR
There are important promises in the UNCRC about family life and being cared for. The UNCRC says:
- You should never be hurt, abused or neglected by someone who looks after you.
- You should be brought up by your parents if possible. They should do what's best for you. The adults in your family should listen to your opinions; and you should listen to them.
- Your family should have enough money to make sure you are healthy and looked after properly.
- If your parents don't live together you have the right to stay in touch with them both, unless this might harm you.
- If you and your parents are living in different countries you have the right to get back together and live in the same place.
- You should not be separated from your parents unless they cannot care for you, or they are mistreating or neglecting you.
- If you cannot be looked after by your family your carers must respect your religion, culture or language.
- If you have to live away from your parents your situation must be looked at regularly and you should have your say about where you live.
- You should be protected from sexual abuse. Nobody should do anything to your body that you do not want them to do, like touching you or taking pictures of you or making you say things you don't want to say. If you have been harmed or abused you should get the help you need to recover.
The Government recognised that some young people live in circumstances which mean they and their families need extra help. This section is about what the Government did in the past
5 years to keep its promises to those young people.
The Government has done a lot about getting better at PROTECTING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE FROM BEING HURT, ABUSED OR NEGLECTED. The Government produced information and advice for professional people to help them get child protection right. They also got young people involved in producing Protecting Children and Young People: The Charter which explains what young people want from helping agencies. If you Google the full name you will get the link to the charter.
Young people must also be safe from harm when they get involved in sports clubs and activities and the project called Child Protection in Sport Service helps to do this.
If you have A WORRY OR QUESTION ABOUT FAMILY LIFE OR BEING SAFE you can phone ChildLine on 0800 1111. If an ADULT HAS A WORRY OR QUESTION ABOUT THE CARE OR SAFETY OF A YOUNG PERSON they can phone a new 24-hour helpline called ChildProtectionLine on 0800 022 3222. The Government gives money to provide these services.
There are nearly 10,000 SOCIAL WORKERS in Scotland. The Government has increased the training they get about child protection. There are also 1 MILLION OTHER ADULTS WHO WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE. The Government introduced new checks so that adults have to get approval to work with young people. Because some people should not work with young people there is also a list of people barred from doing so.
The Government also identified that when a parent or carer has a PROBLEM WITH DRUGS OR ALCOHOL it can affect their children. A report called Hidden Harm talked about what life can be like and what help families need. The Government has told professional people that while it is important to help parents they must also be better at protecting children and making sure they are properly cared for.
The Government recognised that to be a witness in court can be difficult. Especially if you have been hurt or abused by someone and you have to give evidence. In these circumstances young people are called VULNERABLE WITNESSES. The Government has made a law which will help if you have to be a witness. If you are in such circumstances you should ask for more information about this from ChildLine or the Scottish Child Law Centre. Contact details on the inside back page of this booklet.
The law is clear about the RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTS, including when they are not married. The Government also wants parents to take responsibility if their child is behaving in ways that are anti-social. If a parent won't take up help they can be made to do so with a PARENTING ORDER.
To help improve things for young people who have to be LOOKED AFTER AWAY FROM THEIR PARENTS the Government set up the Care Commission and supported the Fostering Network to make sure homes and foster placements are as good as they should be.
Some young people are kept in SECURE ACCOMMODATION if they are likely to hurt themselves, or someone else, or run away. At any one time there are usually about 80 young people in secure accommodation in Scotland. There are standards about this kind of care which the Government says are being met.
About 440 children and young people are adopted in Scotland every year. The Government did a lot of work about improving ADOPTION in Scotland. It decided that the most important thing to be considered is what is best for the child, and that adoption should be done quicker. There is a new Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 which explains how it will now work.
When adults hurt or abuse another adult in the family it is called DOMESTIC ABUSE. It can happen in any kind of family and may affect up to 100,000 children and young people in Scotland every year. The Government supports Women's Aid to help and support women and children affected by domestic abuse. It also set up new work to see how helping agencies can be better at tackling domestic abuse. There is advice and support if someone is hurting you or someone else at home at www.donthideit.comor phone ChildLine on 0800 1111 for a CONFIDENTIAL chat.
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