The Promise

Participation and feedback

Ongoing participation and engagement with care experienced children, young people, families and professionals is a foundation of our work to keep the promise in Midlothian. We do so in many ways and are always looking to widen the ways we listen to people.

Our participation groups

Our wee voices - Hawthorn Family Learning Centre
Our 'Champs' - 6 High school groups
Our 'original champs'
Our Kids Group (5-12 years) - Foster families
Family group - Edge of Care team
Family group decision making - Social Work
Voices - Midlothian House
Our Voices - Residential houses
Children and Family Teams
Who Cares? Scotland
CAPS (Advocacy at Hearings)

Feedback

Care Experience week 2025

This year the theme of Care Experience week was Children’s Rights. The annual event brought all corporate parents in Midlothian together to remove barriers and stigma and recognise the strengths and achievements of wee ones, children and young people.

To mark this special occasion Midlothian Council launched a new initiative to help care-experienced young people feel safer and more connected to the professionals who are supporting them.

This excellent idea came from the existing Midlothian Champions Board. They highlighted they often know very little about the social workers and other professionals making decisions about their lives. Having personal details such as likes, dislikes, and hobbies would help build trust and make them feel more comfortable. The existing Champions board created a list of prompts to help staff create a biography, the idea that these will be shared with children, young people and their families in advance of first meetings as way of introduction.