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Open Letter to First Minister of Scotland

    In Scotland, according to PAR (Parents Advocacy and Rights), many councils are cancelling direct contact between children in care and their parents and siblings. Many councils are ceasing all contact with immediate effect, indefinitely. PAR has sent an open letter to Nicola Sturgeon asking for these practices to be ended and for case by case decisions to enable children’s rights to contact and the duty of local authorities to ensure this happens, saying:

    This could be in the parents’ home if that is where children are used to seeing their parents, or it could be in the garden of a residential home or foster home, or in a park or other public space. If necessary, it could take place under social distancing, 6 feet apart, where children are old enough to understand this. If it has to be virtual via FaceTime or Skype or WhatsApp then social workers must take responsibility for providing parents and children with the resource to make this happen. Parents with no money, no smart phone, no wifi at home can’t just be left to make the arrangement. Please fund this.

    Read this powerful argument for change here