Care Day is celebrated in Moray with procession in Elgin
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CELEBRATIONS for Care Day in Moray on Friday were kicked off by care-experienced young people.
Despite Storm Otto's influence, youngsters led a procession through Elgin town centre as part of the international celebration of the care-experienced community.
The windy conditions did, though, force the cancellation of plans to raise Moray’s Care Day flag – designed with input from local youngsters – at Moray Council's headquarters.
Bev McKeown is a board member at Moray Champions Board, which has been the driving force behind Care Day 2023.
Moray Champions Board is a group of care-experienced young people supported by a multi-agency team from the council, advocacy group Who Cares? Scotland, Police Scotland and volunteers.
Bev said: “Every young person should be celebrated here in Moray. National Care Day has grown over the years and every year it is a day that our young people look forward to.
"We will continue to celebrate our care experienced young people and will continue to have the voices of those young people heard.”
Through this year’s event theme ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover, embrace our stories instead’, the Champions Board wants to address the stigma children and young people can face while in care and beyond.
Moray Council's civic leader, Councillor John Cowe (Independent, Heldon and Laich), welcomed Care Day as an opportunity to bring partners together to recognise the achievements and resilience of those who have experience of care.
“We want Moray to be a place where care-experienced young people are proud of themselves and their successes and can enjoy the positive future they deserve," he said.
"That means we all have a role to play in helping to break down the stigma that still surrounds looked after young people.
“We continue to work closely with the care-experienced community and local and national partners to put children and families at the heart of everything we do, ensuring that every child grows up loved, safe and respected, and able to realise their full potential.”
Following the procession, the Champions Board held a Care Day reception in Elgin.
Children and young people who were or are cared for by foster carers, kinship carers or have experience of residential care, along with the people who care for and support them, came together to connect and share their stories.
Chief social work officer and head of service, Tracy Stephen, added: “We are immensely proud of our care experienced young people in Moray and Care Day is an opportunity for us to stop and recognise how amazing they all are and celebrate all that they achieve.
“We need to continue to be a committed family to our looked after young people and recognise the barriers care experienced people frequently find in their way, and do all we can to help overcome them.
"We have a brilliant group of young people supporting our Champions Board and it is up to all of us to help them continue that great work.”
Moray's MSP Richard Lochhead attended the event.
He added: “I was delighted to join the procession to mark Care Day in Moray and to meet with the and celebrate some of the care-experienced people from our local communities.
"It is a very sad reality that care experienced young people still face stigma and having to put up with negative stereotypes about who they are and what they can achieve – that’s why it is so important we raise the voices of people with experience of care.
“I was touched to hear the stories of some of Moray’s care-experienced young people, who all deserve every bit of support required to ensure they can overcome the barriers they face and achieve their full potential.
“The Scottish Government is committed to working with partner organisations to bring about transformational change for all children and young people that come into contact with the care system, and that love and relationships will be at the heart of that."
Moray Champions Board welcomes new members aged 16 plus who have experience in care. Email promise@moray.gov.uk to learn more.
