Stories of Change: Frequently asked questions
Part of: Stories of Change
Frequently asked questions
If you’re looking to submit a story of change to The Promise Scotland, the information below can help answer any questions you may have.
About stories of change
What is a story of change?
Stories are at the heart of the promise.
The individual stories of care experienced children and families formed the bedrock for the Independent Care Review— and keeping the promise means implementing its conclusions in full.
Stories of change are about the work that's now happening to keep the promise. They look at how people across Scotland are:
- working together to drive change, and
- uncovering learning and practice that can be useful for others to know.
Who are stories of change for?
Stories of change show people working to #keepthepromise what others have already learned. They highlight practical knowledge that can be learned from and used across Scotland.
They seek to:
- shine a spotlight on great practice and change journeys, showing impact for children, young people, their families and support networks where possible.
- support those delivering change and highlight where connections and collaboration can affect greater change,
- uncover how change is happening and where,
- celebrate hope and positive impact while understanding where further change is needed,
- recognise where things have gone wrong and where there are barriers to change, so that we can learn how to do better.
What are some examples of Stories of Change?
Between 40-60% of parents with a learning disability have their children removed. The promise made clear that with the right support parents with learning disabilities can and do become good parents. In 2022, Shared Lives Plus received funding from The Promise Partnership Fund to help provide this support and enable more parents to realise their right to a family life.
The promise made clear that parents with care experience often face stigma at the early stages of becoming a parent, and more support is necessary to break down these barriers.
The Village is a model of how online communities can play a role in keeping the promise.
A community which is led by people with care-experience, it provides a welcoming space for Scotland’s:
- care-experienced parents, and
- care-experienced parents-to-be.
The promise outlines the need for Scotland to be the best parent it can be to the children it has responsibility for, which includes ensuring the workforce, carers, and the community “act, speak, and behave like a family”.
In their efforts to #KeepThePromise, Clackmannanshire Council wanted to change not only the language they use that could be harmful, but the culture around using that language.
This required listening to the voices of the care experienced children, young people, families, and carers who would be most impacted by these changes.
Submitting a story
What kind of stories is The Promise Scotland looking to hear about?
The Promise Scotland is looking to hear about any story about a collective journey towards keeping the promise.
But your story must be about something that’s happened in Scotland.
And it must be a collective story of change. It can be a story about any group of people— whether they’re an organisation, team, or something else. But it can’t just be about a single individual.
Areas of focus
The Promise Scotland is particularly interested in stories which relate to at least one of its four areas of focus:
- Keeping families together wherever it is safe to do so: early help and support for families
- A good childhood: Making sure children who cannot live with their family have all they need to thrive
- Moving on: making the transition into adulthood
- Increasing opportunities: education with a specific focus on ending formal and informal exclusions.