Understanding and Interpreting Children's Agency in Scotland
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: College of Arts
Abstract
This project will produce a history of the Scottish child welfare system from the Children Act 1948 to the Children Act 1989. It will privilege children's contemporaneous experiences and post-care recollections, an approach made possible by the testimony gathered by the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, which often presents alternative narratives to archival records. It will research cultures of care in children's homes, foster care and approved schools, how children experienced them, and will seek to understand how our current historical moment is shaping the production of memories of the past.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Lynn Abrams (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Amanda Gavin (Student) |
| Description | Care Experienced History Month |
| Organisation | Who Cares? Scotland |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | I was a member of the global steering group for Care Experienced History Month and helped to deliver a programme of events for Australia, New Zealand and Canada. I produced written content for the CEHM website, supported other members of the group with historical expertise and advice on accessing archives and delivered a public lecture as part of the CEHM programme in Scotland. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Who Cares? Scotland coordinated the steering group, facilitated meetings and funded the website etc. Each member of the steering group brought their own expertise and had a diverse range of personal and professional backgrounds. |
| Impact | Global Perspectives of the History of Care Before 1800 blog series; Public Lecture: A History of Everyday Life in Scottish Children's Homes, 1945 - 1970; Written content for Australia Care Experienced History Month. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Talk given to the Care Inspectorate |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I was invited to speak to the children and young people's team, the complaints team, fostering and adoption team and strategic inspection team as part of their training on 'lessons to be learned' from the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. I spoke on failings in the historic system of inspections, the challenges of accessing children's perspectives in inspection reports and some of the practices relating to children's emotional wellbeing, or mental health - a priority area for the Care Inspectorate. I received very positive feedback and my presentation prompted a discussion on potential changes to current inspection practices. Some feedback examples: 'very thought provoking especially your comments about inspection reports being written by adults for adults, and that "no evidence of abuse is not evidence of no abuse." 'hugely powerful and a reminder of the importance of listening to the importance of young people. And of the importance of inspectors getting to know young people and being able to hear their voice.' 'I will need to hold onto the power of this presentation as we reflect and develop all our Promise work - and, perhaps even more importantly, our day to day regulatory activity.' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |