Scottish Drugs Forum
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25 February 2008
KINSHIP carers across Scotland are being invited to help set up a new organisation to give them a stronger voice and help influence national politicians and policymakers on issues affecting thousands of people looking after the children of relatives.
A meeting is being held on 17 March in Glasgow to elect a steering group to take forward the proposal, which has been put forward by three Glasgow-based kinship care groups, West Glasgow Grandparent Carers Support Group, Kinship for the Future (North) Group and the New Fossils Grandparents’ Group.
This group would be open to all kinship carers and differs from the existing Scottish Network for Families Affected by Drugs (SNFAD) because SNFAD deals with issues wider than kinship care and also focuses on families affected by drugs problems.
The organisers of the 17 March meeting – who hope that a founding conference could be set up later in the year - say:
“We feel that it is crucial at this time for kinship carers across Scotland to link up some of the common campaigns that we are all involved in and share ideas on future campaigns.
“Any new Scottish group or network would not replace any current organisations but would hopefully assist us all to have a stronger voice and help us influence national politicians and policymakers. We think that any new group or network must be run by kinship carers and be democratic. The steering group should be as representative as possible with hopefully carers from all areas of Scotland.”
The meeting also aims to provide information to kinship carers on the recent proposals from the Scottish Government on the proposed introduction of kinship care allowances and how they will be implemented.
Representatives from the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council Social Work Services have been invited and there will be a speaker, from Notre Dame School in Glasgow, who works with children who are cared for by relatives.
The meeting will take place on Monday 17 March between 10am and 2pm in the UNISON Office, 4th Floor (lift available), 18 Albion Street, Glasgow (just off the Trongate, near Glasgow Cross). Lunch will be provided.
You can download a flyer for the Scottish meeting of Kinship Carers on 17 March in Glasgow here.
Anyone interested in helping with planning of the meeting should get in touch with Brian Smith, a Glasgow City Council Social Work Services community worker supporting New Fossils Grandparents’ Group, tel 0141 565 0100 or email Brian.Smith@sw.glasgow.gov.uk