The care of our young people must rise to a new level - Gordon Vallely

Person-centred support for looked-after children will continue after the lockdown, says Gordon Vallely

Gordon Vallely, Residential Manager, Spark of Genius, member of the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the life of every looked-after child in the country. It is not only an unprecedented public health emergency, but also a challenge to our society and our economy that we have arguably not seen in our lifetime.

However, in what are already difficult circumstances for these children and young people, are the restrictions placed on our society and economy simply a challenge or do they also provide an agent for change?

The Covid-19 restrictions have created a situation from which no-one is exempt. Our children and young people generally have been greatly impacted, often having little awareness of what is happening. According to recent research from The Prince’s Trust, more than four in ten young people say the Covid-19 crisis has increased feelings of panic and anxiety.

A further 32 per cent say they are “overwhelmed” by feelings of panic and anxiety on a daily basis while 69 per cent feel like their life is “on hold”.

The impact has been felt most heavily by the most vulnerable in our society, this group including looked-after children and young people.

Even more so now we must rise to the expectations of The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, whose aim is to make Scotland the best place to grow up in by putting children and young people at the heart of planning and delivery of services and ensuring their rights are respected across the public sector.

This means fulfilling our role as corporate parents, forming warm and meaningful relationships with looked-after young people and providing a safe, nurturing environment to support and allow them to achieve their aspirations. The care of our young people must rise to a new level, embracing further the expectations set within the care sector.

We could argue that residential childcare staff now play multiple roles during these times with our young people, fulfilling/enhancing the role of a parent. If we are to ease children’s fears and help with their wellbeing during the current crisis, it is crucial that in the same way as parents communicate to their own children at home about Covid-19 and the restrictions it imposes day-to-day, the same information and support is required to be provided to our looked-after children. Such action will support and helping them navigate a way through these difficult times

The opportunity is also presented to establish a more meaningful relationship as we safeguard our young people. By using risk as an enabler, a simple example of planning a local walk within the social distancing guidelines exposes young people to the restrictions placed on society. This provides a safe environment to explore and educate our young people.

On one such walk staff presented simple questions: “Count the cars that pass as we walk?”, “Stand in the social distancing markings at the queue for the supermarket, how far are we apart?” The young people experienced the supermarket at the early stages of the restrictions, with shelves often bare or with limited stock on display. On the return journey everyone was holding each other’s hands as a family during the walk. By gaining a greater understanding of the issues we are all facing and sharing this experience with our young people, they will feel safe and secure and should bring staff and young people closer together, being good parents and enhancing relationships.

In addition, restrictions due to Covid-19 do result in a disruption to children’s education and contact with families and friends. Staff need to ensure that these restrictions are explained and that they do not happen unnecessarily, engaging with both young people and family/friends. However, there is still a great amount of anxiety and stress among young people, therefore it is important that people continue to be connected to others. The use of Zoom meetings for schooling, facetime for contact with family and friends are gradually becoming the norm and it is important that all our young people have the opportunity of access to the technology to support these methods of contact.

In summary, it has been a number of weeks since the lockdown in the UK and we have now had time to adapt and adjust to what might be our new normal. The beginning was difficult, however things are starting to settle into routines.

Creating environments that enable warm and meaningful relationships and ways of working during this lockdown period will continue after it through a continued person-centred support to young people. Indeed, these relationships may become even stronger.

Gordon Vallely, Residential Manager, Spark of Genius, member of the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition