Our experience
Action for Children delivers an innovative portfolio of community support, family finding, residential care and education.
We provide a range of services for children and young people in care and on the edge of care (see familiy support). We also provide residential services for disabled children and young people, for those who are leaving care or homeless, and a variety of foster care placements – ranging from emergency and short term through to long term, remand and shared care.
Action for Children also has a long tradition of adoption work, and we were one of the first approved adoption agencies. Our services address the specific needs of black and minority ethnic families.
We believe
Wherever possible, children should live with their birth families. Where this is not possible, they should have access to the highest quality services so that care is a positive experience. For this to happen, the child must be at the centre of the system, and services designed to improve the outcomes of every child or young person who enters the care system.
Outcomes should be much more than crude measures such as educational achievement. Outcomes should be broadened to include ability to live independently (including literacy skills), reduction in challenging behaviour and improvement in emotional wellbeing.
That giving children and young people security and stability is the key to creating these positive outcomes. That is why we focus on providing children and young people with consistent, high-quality people and services.
Key partners
Key documents
- Action for Children’s work with children in care – the value of therapeutic treatment (2008)
- Action for Children – Supporting Families – Children on the edge of care (2008)
- NCH – Fostering solutions for young offenders (2008)
- NCH second reading briefing: Children and Young Persons Bill
- NCH’s responses to Care Matters: Time for Change (this includes a service user’s investigation on bed and breakfast accommodation, Barely a Bed) and Care Matters: Time for Change
- Close the gap for children in care (2005)
- NCH Scotland’s response to the Scottish Executive’s consultation on the Foster Care and Kinship Care Strategy (2007)
- NCH Scotland, “Where’s Kilbrandon Now?”; the inquiry into the future of the Scottish Children’s Hearings system (2004)
