Young people living in foster families in Scotland say that their voices are rarely heard in decision making about their lives, according to a new publication from leading charity the Fostering Network Scotland.
Forgotten Voices will be presented to children's commissioner Kathleen Marshall on Wednesday 16 July. It is a unique collection of thoughts, ideas and opinions from fostered children and young people, as well as from the sons and daughters of foster carers. They all say they wish their views were taken into account more when decisions about their lives are being made.
The young people involved in the project are aiming to highlight the difficulties children and young people in care face in terms of education and stability, and to ask the children's commissioner to add her voice to theirs as they campaign for change.
Alison Boswell, from the Fostering Network Scotland's young people's project, said: "Forgotten Voices gives young people with experience of foster care a chance to be heard. Too often what they want gets overlooked in favour of convenience. For example, young people are often told that they are moving on to a new foster home with no consultation and very little notice, and all their possessions are shoved into a bin liner to take with them. If things are to improve for young people in care, they must be listened to.
"It is great to have this opportunity to meet with Kathleen Marshall as she has such a good track record in representing young people in Scotland."
Sons and daughters of foster carers say they want more support and training to prepare them for a change in the family dynamics when their parents start fostering. They say they often have to grow up more quickly than their peers because they have much more to cope with, such as sharing their parents and developing an early understanding of the challenges and difficulties some children experience.
Christine, a foster carer’s daughter who contributed to the publication, said: "When your parents start fostering there are loads of adjustments to make, both for the sons and daughters and the foster children. To make it work for everyone it is really important that the adults involved listen to and take on board what these young people say, how we feel and what we want. But more often than not we are ignored.
"I hope Forgotten Voices will help highlight this, and that Kathleen Marshall will add her voice to our calls for change."