Pictured: members of the Falkirk Champs board and councillors
Falkirk councillors have unanimously agreed to recognise care experience as a protected characteristic.
Agreed at a meeting of Falkirk Council on Wednesday 28 June, the decision makes Falkirk the third local authority in Scotland to do so, and the first to involve care experienced young people in the decision making process through the Falkirk Champs board.
Keeping the Promise
Through a motion raised by Councillor Siobhan Paterson (Upper Braes), Falkirk Council agreed to recognise collective responsibility as corporate parents, and reaffirmed commitment to The Promise – that Scotland’s children and young people will grow up loved, safe and respected.
It means that care-experienced people will be recognised and considered in the Council’s impact assessments – the way we evaluate how our work affects people – in the same way as other protected characteristics, such as age, disability, pregnancy and beliefs.
And in the same motion, councillors agreed to continually and proactively seek out and listen to the voices of care experienced young people when developing new policies.
"Powerful, heard and supported"
After the decision, one of the young people involved said:
“I felt really nervous and out of breath, you can hear it in my voice. I was speaking for so many other voices but I felt powerful, heard and supported. I’ve been told by many how it’s an amazing achievement and I appreciate it but it doesn’t feel as good as when the care experienced adults and friends in my life tell me how much this means to them.
“One person even told me how the changes Falkirk Champs are helping to make “heals my inner child ". I think that statement alone made me realise how much of a big deal this actually is.”
And another added:
"I was very excited for this day, history in the making, I'm glad. I'm proud of [the] Falkirk champions board and its members for working hard to make this happen and for presenting when the day came, and for all changes made outside of this one.
"I can't thank 17 year old me enough for agreeing to join [the Falkirk] Champs and I'm proud of continuing to be a member and proud of all future change we will make together as Falkirk Champs."
Councillor Siobhan Paterson, who raised the motion, said:
“I was absolutely thrilled to receive unanimous support from Falkirk Council to recognise care experience as a protected characteristic.
“Not only will we now be able to offer protection, but I hope that we can start to dismantle the barriers and discrimination faced by the Bairns of Falkirk who have been disadvantaged through no fault of their own.
“It was an honour to be able to share my platform with the Falkirk Champs. As the first group of Scottish young people to come forward and speak in support of this kind of motion, I know they will inspire many more to follow suit.
“I hope that in our decision, Falkirk Council can contribute to the national campaign to achieve equality for care experienced individuals.”
Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council, said:
“We are fully committed to keeping The Promise in Falkirk, ensuring our young people grow up loved, safe and respected.
"We recently appointed a Partnership Promise Coordinator and I look forward to working with them and the team along with the Falkirk Champs Board to fully implement the terms of The Promise, developing services that will deliver the very best care and opportunities for our care experienced young people.
“This motion means that care experienced people will be protected from discrimination at every point of the work we do as a council, and it was an honour to support it.”
What does it mean to be care experienced?
The term care experienced refers to anyone who has been or is currently in care from a looked after background at any stage of their life, no matter how short.
They may have been looked after in foster care, kinship care, residential care or at home with family, being supervised by social work services.
Why is it so important to add care experience to the list of protected characteristics?
Through no fault of their own care experienced people are:
- almost twice as likely to have no internet at home
- likely to earn three quarters of the salaries of their peers
- more than twice as likely to have experienced homelessness
- over twice as likely to have no and less than half the chance of having a degree
- over one and a half times more likely to experience severe multiple disadvantage
- over three times as likely to have not had a full time job by age 26
Source: The Promise Scotland (https://thepromise.scot)