LEADING children’s charity Barnardo’s has unveiled a new service that aims to ensure siblings separated in the care system unite regularly.
Partnering with Aberdeenshire Council, Barnardo’s have created Staying Connected, a mobile service that aims to transform venues in local communities into places where young people can come together to share experience’s and have fun.
The service involves Staying Connected Workers having resources that can be taken to any location in Aberdeenshire to provide a neutral, nurturing and creative experience for children to meet with their siblings.
Venues are being selected to provide a space for the carers of siblings to meet separately while family time is taking place, and thereby promoting the development of their relationships with each other.
The service was officially launched at Stonehaven Town Hall on November 19, and is the first time that Barnardo’s Scotland has been involved in a service of this type.
Martin Crewe, director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “Although our priority focus will be on cherishing and protecting relationships between siblings, we are aware that doing so alongside promoting carers’ relationships can present additional opportunities, including the potential for separated siblings to live together in the future.
“By providing a mobile resource across Aberdeenshire, we’re helping children maintain crucial family bonds, while also supporting the relationships between carers.”
Aberdeenshire Council’s head of children’s services Leigh Jolly, said: “Supporting brothers and sisters to stay connected when it is not possible for them to continue living together is a significant part of the promise we make to children and young people living in Aberdeenshire.
“Aberdeenshire spans a large area, and this presents challenges in bringing siblings together. A mobile resource will enable us to respond to such need.
“Providing this service avoids the use of social work buildings, which will avoid potential triggers of difficult memories.”
In the past year, Barnardo’s has provided essential support to more than 11,500 children, young people, parents and carers in Scotland through 150-plus specialised community-based services and partnerships across the country.
