Helping separated siblings Stay Connected in Aberdeenshire

Barnardo’s Scotland partners with local Council on new mobile service to help siblings separated by family circumstances and by the care system stay in touch 

The leading children’s charity Barnardo’s Scotland is working with Aberdeenshire Council on a new initiative to help siblings who don’t live together to meet up regularly. Separation due to family circumstances and / or through the care system can have a devastating impact on children. The new Staying Connected scheme aims to ensure that separated siblings can come together regularly to share experiences and have fun, developing and nurturing relationships.  

Photo by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič

The service will use venues in the heart of local communities as safe meeting places, with space for the carers of the siblings to meet separately while such family time is going on. Staying Connected workers will also be provided with resources that can be taken to any location across the county and used to provide neutral, nurturing and creative experiences for the children involved. 

It is the first time that Barnardo’s Scotland has been involved in a service of this kind. In the past year, the charity has supported more than 11,500 children, young people, parents and carers in Scotland through some 150 specialised, community-based services and partnerships.  

Much of the work in Scotland undertaken by the charity and others like it is underpinned by ‘The Promise’ to improve the outcomes for children across the country, which was introduced following the independent care review in 2020. The Promise includes a commitment to care-experienced children and young people in Scotland that they will grow up loved, safe and respected.  

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, says: ‘Although our priority focus will be on cherishing and protecting relationships between siblings, we are aware that doing so alongside promoting carers’ relationships can present additional opportunities, including the potential for separated siblings to live together in the future. By providing a mobile resource across Aberdeenshire, we’re helping children maintain crucial family bonds, while also supporting the relationships between carers.’ 

Leigh Jolly, Head of Children’s Services at Aberdeenshire Council, adds: ‘Supporting brothers and sisters to stay connected when it is not possible for them to continue living together is a significant part of the promise we make to children and young people living in Aberdeenshire. Aberdeenshire spans a large area, and this presents challenges in bringing siblings together. A mobile resource will enable us to respond to such need. Providing this service avoids the use of social work buildings, which will avoid potential triggers of difficult memories.’ 

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