Policy and influencing
Our work extends beyond delivering the intandem mentoring programme. We are committed to amplifying the voices of those we support — young people, parents, kinship carers, and our partner charities. By actively listening and engaging with their experiences, we strive to drive the systemic change necessary to create a more supportive environment for those who need it most.
We are fully committed to ensuring that all young people experiencing care, or on the edges of care, have the resilience, confidence, and support they need to thrive in life.
To make this a reality, we need practices, policies, and systems that genuinely work for the children, young people, and families we support. Unfortunately, feedback from our partner organisations, as well as from families themselves, often highlights that these systems are often not functioning as they should.
We are dedicated to amplifying the voices of those we work with—children, young people, kinship carers, parents, mentors and partner organisations —helping them share their experiences and perspectives. This feedback is critical in driving the changes needed to improve the system and create a better, more supportive future for those we support.
Influencing Policy: Amplifying Voice
Over the past year, we have actively amplified the voices of those we work with by contributing to key Scottish Government public consultations. Here are our blog posts and responses to each consultation:
- Developing a Universal Definition of 'Care Experience': Sharing insights to help shape a clear, inclusive definition of care experience.
- Children’s Hearings Redesign: Providing feedback to ensure the system better serves the needs of young people.
- 'Moving On' From Care into Adulthood: Responding to the consultation to improve the transition from care to independent living.
- Care Leavers Payment: Offering input to ensure financial support meets the needs of young people leaving care.
By participating in these consultations, we ensure that the voices of children and young people experiencing care are heard, helping to shape policies that directly impact their lives
Influencing Change: Supporting Kinship Families
intandem supports a growing number of young people living in kinship care, and as we build a relationship and trust with the family to facilitate the mentoring relationship, we often find kinship carers are also needing support.
In response, we took action and organised a Kinship Learning & Collaboration Event in April 2024, followed by a follow-up event in June 2024. These events brought together key stakeholders from across sectors to improve communication and collaboration around the support available to kinship families.
There is strong momentum and a genuine desire to improve the support system for kinship families. We are committed to ensuring that their voices are heard, and we are actively working to influence decision-makers and drive meaningful change.