The Forum: a podcast by Staf

The Forum is a podcast by Staf, Scotland's membership organisation for all those who support young people leaving care. Join us as we talk to people in the sector about issues that affect care leavers, particularly in their transition to adulthood and interdependence.

Episode 4: Shannon's Box: making entering care a little easier

Shannon's Box was created by Shannon Brown to make entering care a little easier for children and young people. The box contains items carefully selected by Shannon, and was influenced by her own experience of entering care, with input from other young people with care experience. Supported by Staf, in partnership with East Ayrshire Council, Shannon has made her dream a reality.

In this episode of The Forum we speak to young people who have received Shannon’s Box in East Ayrshire, and the workers who have supported them, on the difference the box has made to entering care.

Episode 3: Care Experienced Bursary - In Conversation with John Swinney

Join us for the third edition of The Forum where we discuss The Care Experienced Bursary with John Swinney, Deputy First Minister of Scotland and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. Our Policy and Communications Manager, Liam Furby, and Youth Just Us Peer Leader, Kevin Lafferty, ask Mr Swinney a range of questions around the policy's implementation, and current entitlement restrictions.

Episode 2: Love in the Care System

Join us for the second edition of our podcast. We met with Joanna McCreadie (Seamab) and Rosie Moore, who co-chair the Love work group at the Independent Care Review. Listen as Pamela Graham, Head of Learning and Development at Staf, asks them about their work on love. Find out more about the work of the Independent Care Review by visiting their website, or follow them on twitter.

The Forum Extra: Continuing Care

Join us for The Forum Extra, our bite-sized podcast around continuing care, as Pamela (Head of Learning and Development) tells us more about Staf's focus groups, reminds us what continuing care is and members of the Implications of Continuing Care focus group share some positive practice taking place in their areas.

Episode 1. Supporting the Workforce

On Care Day 2019 we're excited to launch The Forum - Staf's first-ever podcast. We spoke to Pauline Connelly who is a Senior Worker at Tremanna children's home in Slamannan, just outside Falkirk. Our Head of Learning and Development, Pamela Graham, spoke to Pauline about how we can support the workforce to deliver trauma-informed and trauma-responsive care and about the unique model of care that has been developed at Tremanna.

Credits:

Introduction and exit music: Heartwarming by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com).

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Latest

Relational Practice during the Pandemic - Advice from the Building Relationships Advisory Group

In this blog, Papoula outlines 6 top tips from the Building Relationship Advisory Group to ensure relationships can remain at the centre of support to young people in care and leaving care during this time.
Events Co-ordinator

We are looking for a technology capable and organised person to join our committed team as our Events Co-ordinator. You will support us to run regular events using a variety of online platforms and be involved in all aspects of our events offering from forward planning to ensuring that they run smoothly on the day.
Digital Communications Officer

We are looking for a passionate and creative person to join our committed team as our Digital Communications Officer. You will support us to fully utilise our website and social media to help us amplify the voice of young people and our members, promote our work and ensure our stakeholders understand our impact.
Supported Lodgings, Supported Carers Focus Group

Tuesday 15th December | 10am - 11.30pm | Online (Microsoft Teams)

Implications of Continuing Care Report

Staf has been working as part of a consortium of colleagues from across the sector which has been meeting about the implementation of Continuing Care. Following our Implications of Continuing Care focus group in February 2018, we produced a report looking at the issues and the good practice taking place across Scotland.
Scotland to host an International Child Trauma Conference in 2020

On 17-18 September 2020 we will be hosting an International Child Trauma conference with Dr Bruce Perry alongside partners Aberlour, Clackmannanshire Education and Psychology Services, Seamab, Kibble, and Children in Scotland. Find out more in this blog.
The Importance of Relationships

We are working on a project to highlight the importance of relationships in the lives of care-experienced young people. Find out more about the project.
Vision and Values

Staf's Vision, and Values
Our Team
Announcing Our New and Improved Website

Following almost a year of research, consultation and hard work, we are proud to say that our new website is live. Find out more about how we transformed our website.
Policy and Practice: Care Experienced Bursary

The Care Experienced bursary was introduced to support care experienced young people in further and higher education. Find out more about the bursary, and how this relates to practice, here:
Our history

Find out more about Staf's history, and the exciting work we are undertaking today.
Support us

At Staf we are grateful to all those who support us. Find out how you can support us today.
Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Bill – Standing Up for Scotland’s Children or Simply Standing Still?

Currently at Stage 1 in the Scottish Parliament, this Bill aims to change the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) to 12 years of age from the current level of 8 – the lowest in Europe. Our article questions whether the Bill goes far enough, and whether it truly works to support Scotland’s children and young people.