We believe that every child and young person should feel, and trust, that their rights around family life are respected and upheld.
That means that we want to help you be heard and respected when your family is changing. We have created a safe, fun space for you to visit and speak to adults who can help you and your families.
Children’s human rights
Everyone, including children and young people, have human rights which is a list of things and freedoms that all people need to live safe, healthy and happy lives. These rights are really important and apply to everyone around the world. Governments around the world must honour all human rights and they can’t take them away from anyone, including children and young people.
Children and young people have additional rights to adults. This is because you need extra protection and are not as independent as Adults. These additional rights include things like:
- Children should not be discriminated against.
- Children have a right to life.
- Children have a right to education.
- Children have a right to play.
- Children can have a say in matters that affect them and their views should be taken into account.
- The decisions made about children should be in their best interests.
We think that your rights are really important. Which is why we make sure that all our work is grounded in the principles and provisions in the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), as well as the Children (Scotland) Act 2020, the Promise and the Getting It Right for Every Child Framework (GIRFEC).
At Family Journeys, we must respect and protect your rights when planning our services and making decisions with your families and caregivers. So, we use SHANARRI ‘child wellbeing outcomes’ to help us identify goals and hopes for you and your families:
SHANARRI child wellbeing outcomes:
- SAFE: Consistent and positive contact with parents/siblings/carers
- HEALTHY: Emotional and developmental needs met
- HEALTHY: Improved family relationships
- HEALTHY: Reduction in impact of trauma/bereavement/loss
- NURTURED: Experiences love, emotional warmth and attachment
- NURTURED: Well developed sense of identity and belonging
- ACTIVE: Positively engaged in play
- RESPECTED: Involved in the planning and decision making process
- INCLUDED: Listened to and views taken seriously
Once we have identified your hopes and goals we review these outcomes approximately every 12 weeks. This helps us to identify where things are getting better and sometimes where things are getting worse. It also helps us to reflect on all the positive steps that have been made and focus our support in the future.
If you’d like to hear more about your human rights, the Children & Young People’s Commissioner Scotland have made a special webpage where you can read all about them.
#KeepThePromise
Family Journeys have made a commitment and a promise to children, young people, and adult care experienced individuals and families.
#KeepThePromise is a cross-party Scottish Government commitment to ensure that positive change is meaningfully achieved for care experienced and edge of care children and young people.
What will it feel like to visit one of our centres?
Some of the children and young people who took part in our Peer Leadership Project put together this video to show you our centres. It also helps you understand what it could feel like when you visit.
Resources that can help you when you are not at our centres
But when you are not at one of our centres or gardens you can use these resources to help you understand how you are feeling, and why. They can also help you to talk to your parents and family about these important feelings.
Books for children
Here are some great books that you can read to help you when you are not at one of our centres. These books can help you understand what you are feeling, and why. They can also help you speak to you parents and family about those feelings.
You can find these books at your school or local library, bookstores or online as e-books and audio books.
It’s Not Your Fault, Koko Bear by Vicki Lansky, 1998
This is a ‘read together’ book for parents and young children (3 to 7 years) during divorce that helps to explain words and feelings.
Dinosaur’s Divorce by Marc Brown and Laurie Krasny Brown, 1988
For children aged 4 to 8 years, this book uses cartoon dinosaur characters to cover topics such as why parents divorce, what will happen to me, living in two homes.
The Huge Bag of Worries by Ironside and Rodgers, 2011
A popular story book for younger children about a little girl who finds she is carrying an ever growing ‘bag of worries’. She finds there are lots of different ways of dealing with or sharing worries.
Two of Everything by Babette Cole, 2000
This is a ‘funny’ book for children, from 6 to 12 years, that tells the story of parents being ‘unmarried’.
When Mom and Dad Separate by Marge Heegaard, 1991
A workbook for children (5 to 12 years) to work out their feelings about separation and divorce.
The Suitcase Kid by Jacqueline Wilson, 2006
This is a well told story about a girl and her rabbit adjusting to life being a kid with divorced parents. For ages 8 to teens.
It’s an Aardvark eat Turtle World by Paula Danzinger, 2007
An entertaining read about two teenagers who were best friends and become sisters after their parents fall in love, for children 10 to 12 years.
Mom’s House, Dad’s House for Kids by Isolina Ricci, 2006
Designed for children 10 years and older, this book helps children to learn about how their family is changing and develop important life skills.
It’s not the End of the World by Judy Blume, 2011
This is a story about divorce and its’ impact on family life, from a teenage perspective. Written with insight, sensitivity and honesty for ages 10 to teens.
What in the World Do You Do When Your Parents Divorce?: A Survival Guide for Kids by Kent Winchester and Roberta Beyer, 2002
Written to and for kids, in a simple question-and-answer format, this book is a valuable tool for helping children cope with separation.
Podcasts for emotional help and support
Sometimes our emotions can be so strong that they can overwhelm us and we don’t understand why we feel like that. We have created 5 special podcasts to help you understand how you are feeling, and why. They can also help you talk to other people about these important feelings.