Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 02 November 2011
02 Nov 2011 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Looked-after Children
I could talk about this subject for hours but, in case the Presiding Officer is concerned, I assure her that I will stick to my six minutes.
National adoption week means a lot to me as, 29 years ago, my wife and I adopted our first child: our daughter Marina. I always laugh at soaps or films that show couples adopting a child in a few weeks, as that is simply not true. After an application and seven years of waiting, my wife and I finally had a baby girl in 1982. I remember the number of visits that social workers made to our home and what we had to go through, and the time that was spent discussing with our social worker our intention to adopt a baby.
After 30 years, it has not got any better, especially as we know that more than 15,892 children are now looked after by local authorities. The number of looked-after children has increased every year and is now at its highest since 1982, which was the year we adopted our daughter.
More than 9,000 children are cared for away from their home. More than half of those children have experienced two or more placements; 30 per cent have experienced three or more placements; and 6 per cent have had six placements. There were just 466 adoptions in 2007, and 218 children who were ceasing to be looked after were adopted. Nearly 70 per cent of those were no-relation adoptions.
Statistics show that children are becoming looked after for longer periods, which is totally unacceptable, as it creates uncertainty and potential long-term social and emotional problems. We must do better, but we cannot—as some people try to do—start the blame game. Social workers are complimented when they get it right and slated when they get it wrong. I know that they have a hard job, but there are so many children in care that we must examine the reasons why they are there. Can we do better for them?
I will make an observation from several cases that I have personally dealt with over the years. In one case, I backed a couple to the hilt. Officials said that they had masses of evidence, but I told them that I did not believe what they were saying, as there was other evidence to support the family. In the end, I and many of the friends who stuck with the couple were proved right one year later. Social work got it wrong on that occasion, and the children in question are now back with their parents, where they should have been all the time.
Another case that I am dealing with involves a father who wants to provide a decent home for his child but who, due to circumstances that I will not go into, will not be allowed to do so. His daughter will go into the system and become a statistic like all the others. His young child is in care, and the visits when he gets to see her are irregular because social work cannot agree to his request for more regular visits. He is constantly on the phone to the social work department, and its time is used up in answering his phone calls and e-mails. I share his frustration, as any agreement that we try to make is a problem for the department due to legal requirements.
When children are taken into care, there should be a clear intention to return them to their family or to any family member as soon as possible, depending on the circumstances. Children should be cared for, not put into care. They should be adopted as soon as possible, depending on individual circumstances and legal requirements, and the agreement of the birth parents. In response to Gil Paterson’s point, I have been there, done that and got the T-shirt. Putting kids into care should be a last resort. Our children deserve better, and we cannot let them down.
I support the Government’s intention to reduce the time that is needed to find a permanent home for looked-after children. I would encourage the many hundreds of couples out there who I know want to give a child a good home to apply to adopt or foster a child. It changed my life and my wife’s life. We applied, and we were very happy to get our daughter. We applied to adopt another child but, like many other couples in similar circumstances, we were blessed after three years with the birth of our son. We were lucky, but many people have not been lucky. We now have a lovely daughter and son, who are both a credit to my wife and me.
15:35
National adoption week means a lot to me as, 29 years ago, my wife and I adopted our first child: our daughter Marina. I always laugh at soaps or films that show couples adopting a child in a few weeks, as that is simply not true. After an application and seven years of waiting, my wife and I finally had a baby girl in 1982. I remember the number of visits that social workers made to our home and what we had to go through, and the time that was spent discussing with our social worker our intention to adopt a baby.
After 30 years, it has not got any better, especially as we know that more than 15,892 children are now looked after by local authorities. The number of looked-after children has increased every year and is now at its highest since 1982, which was the year we adopted our daughter.
More than 9,000 children are cared for away from their home. More than half of those children have experienced two or more placements; 30 per cent have experienced three or more placements; and 6 per cent have had six placements. There were just 466 adoptions in 2007, and 218 children who were ceasing to be looked after were adopted. Nearly 70 per cent of those were no-relation adoptions.
Statistics show that children are becoming looked after for longer periods, which is totally unacceptable, as it creates uncertainty and potential long-term social and emotional problems. We must do better, but we cannot—as some people try to do—start the blame game. Social workers are complimented when they get it right and slated when they get it wrong. I know that they have a hard job, but there are so many children in care that we must examine the reasons why they are there. Can we do better for them?
I will make an observation from several cases that I have personally dealt with over the years. In one case, I backed a couple to the hilt. Officials said that they had masses of evidence, but I told them that I did not believe what they were saying, as there was other evidence to support the family. In the end, I and many of the friends who stuck with the couple were proved right one year later. Social work got it wrong on that occasion, and the children in question are now back with their parents, where they should have been all the time.
Another case that I am dealing with involves a father who wants to provide a decent home for his child but who, due to circumstances that I will not go into, will not be allowed to do so. His daughter will go into the system and become a statistic like all the others. His young child is in care, and the visits when he gets to see her are irregular because social work cannot agree to his request for more regular visits. He is constantly on the phone to the social work department, and its time is used up in answering his phone calls and e-mails. I share his frustration, as any agreement that we try to make is a problem for the department due to legal requirements.
When children are taken into care, there should be a clear intention to return them to their family or to any family member as soon as possible, depending on the circumstances. Children should be cared for, not put into care. They should be adopted as soon as possible, depending on individual circumstances and legal requirements, and the agreement of the birth parents. In response to Gil Paterson’s point, I have been there, done that and got the T-shirt. Putting kids into care should be a last resort. Our children deserve better, and we cannot let them down.
I support the Government’s intention to reduce the time that is needed to find a permanent home for looked-after children. I would encourage the many hundreds of couples out there who I know want to give a child a good home to apply to adopt or foster a child. It changed my life and my wife’s life. We applied, and we were very happy to get our daughter. We applied to adopt another child but, like many other couples in similar circumstances, we were blessed after three years with the birth of our son. We were lucky, but many people have not been lucky. We now have a lovely daughter and son, who are both a credit to my wife and me.
15:35
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-01197, in the name of Angela Constance, on reducing the time needed to find a permanent home for looked-a...
The Minister for Children and Young People (Angela Constance)
SNP
Thank you for your generosity, Presiding Officer.As I am sure we are all aware, this week is national adoption week, which aims to raise awareness of the ben...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
The Parliament welcomed the steps taken by the Government to ensure that kinship carers receive the same benefits as foster carers, but that has not been imp...
Angela Constance
SNP
As Ms Grant is well aware, local authorities are best placed to make decisions about financial support for kinship carers and children at local level. That i...
Gil Paterson (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
SNP
I know that the minister is aware that I adopted a daughter, so I have some knowledge of this issue. Does she agree that time still requires to be taken in p...
Angela Constance
SNP
I am sure that Mr Paterson agrees that we can achieve thorough and timely assessments. I can imagine how adoptions, which birth parents often contest in the ...
Hanzala Malik (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
One of the issues facing minority communities, particularly visible minority communities, is that adoptions are not taking place within those communities—chi...
Angela Constance
SNP
That is an example of the type of work that we hope is evident in the adoption and permanence plans that local authorities will have to provide to me by Apri...
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the debate and the chance to discuss improving Scotland’s adoption service and the opportunities and life chances of some of Scotland’s most vulner...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
There is no greater responsibility than bringing up children—and no greater responsibility for the state than ensuring that children who, for one reason or a...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I mention to members who will take part in the open debate that we have a little bit of time in hand, so if they wish to take interventions, I will ensure th...
Stewart Maxwell (West Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I begin by putting on record my admiration for the work that is done by all those people who are involved in caring for looked-after children in Scotland. Al...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The member should wind up.
Stewart Maxwell
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer.Are we searching for the perfect outcome for children when the reality is that no child is brought up, even by their birth paren...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to speak in a debate on an issue that is close to my heart, and I am encouraged by the cross-party agreement in the area.I want to ...
Annabelle Ewing (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP)
SNP
I hear what the member says, but I understand that the Scottish Government funds the national advice and support service for kinship carers and that consider...
Claudia Beamish
Lab
I thank the member for that helpful intervention. I completely accept that point, but when we consider the range of services that the Midlothian group and pe...
Annabelle Ewing (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, am pleased to speak in this important debate on reducing the time needed to find a permanent home for looked-after children. As has been said, the st...
Richard Lyle (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I could talk about this subject for hours but, in case the Presiding Officer is concerned, I assure her that I will stick to my six minutes.National adoption...
Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I add my support for Monday’s launch of national adoption week, which I am sure every member will support. I also acknowledge the foster carers, kinship care...
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
I refer members to my entry in the register of interests. The fact that I am a member of Aberdeen City Council will come up in my speech.When I joined Aberde...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
Last week, members discussed how we can best raise the ambition and attainment of our children and young people. It is not surprising that much of that debat...
George Adam (Paisley) (SNP)
SNP
As Kevin Stewart did, I declare an interest as a councillor, but with Renfrewshire Council. As with other issues that we have discussed, I never really thoug...
Jean Urquhart (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
As other member have done, I welcome the debate and the minister’s clear commitment to changing for the better the lives of some of our children. I also ackn...
Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
SNP
I have taken part in similar debates in previous sessions of the Parliament, and the issue does not seem to move on. Jean Urquhart mentioned that we have to ...
Jean Urquhart
SNP
I agree with that. That is the point that I had hoped to convey, so I am sorry if it did not come across.Yesterday, the Education and Culture Committee heard...
Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, declare an interest. I am a councillor and for four years—until May this year—I was on Renfrewshire Council’s adoption panel.During my time on the pa...
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I declare my interest as a corporate parent, as an elected member of North Lanarkshire Council.The SNP Government has demonstrated its commitment to all of S...
Graeme Pearson (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
It is with trepidation and some humility that I speak in this debate. Trepidation because the subject matter is very important to us all—it is heartening to ...
Derek Mackay (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP)
SNP
The member makes some interesting points. In a spirit of consensus, Mary Fee, George Adam and others have complimented Renfrewshire Council on its leadership...