SpeakOut Autumn 2021

AUTUMN 2021

WHO CARES? SCOTLAND MAGAZINE

Aberdeenshire Members Inspire with Latest Campaign

Find out about the campaign that won the Young People’s Organising and Campaigning (YPOC) group an award on P5

ASK ASHURST…P6-7 Ashurst employees offer advice on non-traditional legal careers.

GET INTO SUMMER…P12-13 See what members across the country have been up to as part of our summer programme.

MEET YOUR MSYP CANDIDATES…20-21 Get to know your 4 MSYP candidates before voting opens in November.

IN IT TO WIN IT…P26

Take part in our In It To Win It quiz and you could win a £25 voucher of your choice.

WELCOME

Welcome to the latest is s Inside this issue

Check out what’s inside...

2-3 Welcome Pages

5

9

13

20-21

LIFESTYLE 4-5

Celebrating You

6-7

Ask Ashurst

8

Meet Your Corporate Parents

9

Meet Your Advocate

10

Meet Your Local Officer

NEWS & EVENTS 11

Members Help Police Scotland with their Corporate Parenting Plan

12-13 Get Into Summer 24

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14-15 You Said, We’re Doing 16-17 Newsflash

s r e d a e r r Ou 75

Every quarter SpeakOut is sent out to every Who Cares?

Scotland Family Member.

3,229 members 2

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Our youngest member is 1 and our oldest member is 75.

18-19 How We’re Influencing Sexual Health Policy 20-21 Meet Your MSYP Candidates 22-23 Angus Group Speak Up on Mental Health 24

Keeping the Promise

ENTERTAINMENT 25

Save with Stephanie

26-27 Quiz Pages 28

Contact Us

SECTION

sue of SpeakOut Meet the Editorial Team

IE KATITOR)

EMMA

(ASS EDITO ISTANT R)

We do!

SAM

(ASSISTANT EDITOR)

(ED

DAMIEN

(ASSISTA NT

EDITOR)

WANT TO SEE YOUR NAME IN PRINT? We love hearing from you, so please share your poems, stories, pictures, jokes or tell us about something you’ve done.

SpeakOut needs you!

So get involved.

(ASS

RYAN

ISTA

NT E

DITO

@whocaresscot

Scan this QR code if you would like to see a digital copy of this SpeakOut or check out our library of older issues, right back to 1979!

If you would like to join the edi torial team, please email membership@whocaresscotla nd.org for an application form .

R)

WhoCaresScotland @whocaresscot membership@ whocaresscotland.org

If you’d like your own copy of SpeakOut posted to you, then make sure you sign up as a Family Member by visiting www.whocaresscotland.org

Did you know?

We send out a monthly e-bulletin which is jam packed with details of what’s going on at Who Cares? Scotland and how you can get involved. If you’re not currently receiving it, please contact membership@ whocaresscotland.org and we’ll get your email added.

The views expressed by the members in this magazine are their own and not necessarily those of Who Cares? Scotland.

If you would like to opt out of receiving SpeakOut please email membership@whocaresscotland.org

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LIFESTYLE

Celebrating You! C

elebrating you is a space for you guys to tell us what you’ve been getting up to and to share anything you might be really proud of. We love getting stuff from you, so please send in your poems, stories, pictures, jokes or tell us about something you’ve done, your favourite hobby or a new pet, and we’ll include it in the next issue of SpeakOut. membership@whocaresscotland.org 40 Wellington Street, Glasgow, G2 6HJ

Glasgow Caledonian University Students Raise £553 for Who Cares? Scotland

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n March 2020, one of our Assistant Editors and Training and Education Officer, Emma BranniganMcQueen, ran a session with social work students at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) as part of the innovative Advanced Social Work Skills module, which was developed by GCU, University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and Strathclyde University. This module provides students with learning experiences to support their practical skills ahead of their final year placement and eventual move into their role as a social worker.

The session focused on access to care records for Care Experienced people and the journey this takes our community on. Emma’s input explored the emotional impact on the Care Experienced individual.

The goal of the session was to help students understand the barriers and challenges involved in gaining access to care records, and this input focused heavily on how to bring love and human care into a process that can often feel cold, detached and daunting.

After the session, David Clarke, the lecturer in the School of Health and Life Sciences at GCU got in touch with Emma. He wanted to let her know that the students had really engaged with the input and were so moved by the session that they started a fundraiser for Who Cares? Scotland! Third-year student Barbara Czyrwik set up a JustGiving page for Who Cares? Scotland after

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discussions with David and her fellow students following the session.

Barbara said: “We received the guest lecture from Who Cares? Scotland and their input just made such a big difference to our learning. When a social worker compiles a record of someone who’s went through the care system, there’s the chance in the future that the individual would like to access it. I imagine it must be a really powerful moment for them to see so much information about their life and it’s amazing that the charity provides such great support - I never realised it was such an emotional process!

The presentation really contributed to our learning, and it was great to see them take the time to talk with us. Our lecturer, Dave Clarke, realised we liked it a lot and suggested doing a fundraiser - I was desperate to help.”

In the end, the JustGiving page raised £553 for Who Cares? Scotland.

This is an amazing amount raised and we are so thankful to David, Barbara, the students and everyone who donated to our organisation. We will ensure that the money goes to helping our Care Experienced community even further.

We are so happy that our input has made such an impact on the students. Outcomes like this show how vital our work at Who Cares? Scotland is when it comes to influencing and educating those who have the privilege to support our Care Experienced community.

LIFESTYLE

Grow Your Own Sunflower Winners

YPOC Group inspires Aberdeenshire with Latest Campaign

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e are delighted to report that the Young People’s Organising and Campaigning group, also known as the YPOC Group won the Community Spirit award at the Inspiring Aberdeenshire award ceremony on 26th August 2021.

Hosted by the Provost and Fiona Stalker, presenter and journalist, the online awards ceremony celebrated the achievements of Aberdeenshire citizens in a range of different areas.

Shortlisted with two other worthy candidates, we were absolutely thrilled when the YPOC Group won the award for their “Coming into care and moving placements getting it right campaign.”

YPOC member Lauren said, “I was just so excited when our name was called out as the winners. It was such strong competition that I didn’t know if we would win, so when we did it was fantastic.”

Children’s Rights Officer, Laura Stewart, who nominated the YPOC

Group for the award said, “I am so pleased for them. They worked so hard on the DVD and Guide and it’s such a great resource. They really deserve this recognition.”

The YPOC Group’s campaign is about coming into care and moving placement and gives guidance to the adults involved in supporting them at this time, about what they can do to make things easier for children and young people going through this experience.

The YPOC group drew on their own experiences and also surveyed other Care Experienced children and young people, to create a guide and a DVD which they hope will improve the experience for children who come into care or move placement in future.

The guide is available online at https://www.aberdeenshire.gov. uk/social-care-and-health/childrenand-families/childrens-rightsservice and there should be a link to the video on YouTube too.

If you are in Aberdeenshire and are interested in finding out more about the YPOC group, please contact Lynne Williamson Who Cares? Scotland on 07712 869 576 or by emailing lwilliamson@whocaresscotland.org [Image credit to RS Films for Aberdeenshire Council]

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he North West Team launched a small participation project back in April 2020 to try and encourage our members to have a go at growing their own sunflower. Kits containing seeds, soil and instructions were sent out to over 40 individual young people and residential places who requested them. A big thanks to everyone who took part, and we hope you enjoyed nurturing your little sunflower!

Blairvad ach’s We can now entry announce the winners…

Huge congratulations to all the staff and young people at Blairvadach for growing the tallest sunflower by far at a whopping 3.2 metres! Tremendous effort.

Our second prize goes to Jane (aged 14) – Jane worked really hard to look after her sunflower keeping it watered and cared for. Well done Jane!

We hope you all enjoy spending your Jane’s prize money.

Sunflower 5

Ask

LIFESTYLE SECTION

Introducing our Corporate Partners, Ashurst – a global law firm committed to thinking outside the box and making a difference. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work in the legal sector? Here 5 Ashurst employees give an insight into their roles and offer advice on nontraditional legal careers – could one of them be for you?

Alexa Crawford – Senior Operations Manager, Ashurst Advance Reach

Naomi Jones - Legal Project Manager, Ashurst Advance

What is your role?

I have been working as a legal project manager for around 18 months and thoroughly enjoy the role.

What do you enjoy about your role?

I really enjoy the variety and the challenges the role offers – no two days are the same and I get to work with a range of different people and clients.

What advice would you give on pursuing this type of role?

I would encourage people not to be put off if you don’t have a legal background – sometimes it can be a benefit as you can bring in different perspectives and experience to the role!

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What is your role?

Ashurst Advance Reach is the firm’s dedicated flexible legal resourcing platform, part of the Alternative Resourcing offering of Ashurst Advance, enabling us to offer flexible resourcing solutions to our clients and our own legal teams. I joined Reach at its launch phase and so in many ways it has been like launching and running a new business, so my role has developed and changed as the business has grown.

What do you enjoy about your role?

The variety. I speak to many different people every day and I enjoy that. I also get a sense of satisfaction from solving people’s problems and offering them solutions. The best part is when a consultant is really excited about a new role and you have helped create that opportunity for them.

What advice would you give on pursuing this type of role?

You don’t need any formal qualifications to apply for a recruitment role, but you do need to be able to demonstrate that you have people skills, strong communication skills, that you are organised and probably fairly resilient as things don’t always go to plan!

You don’t need any formal qualifications to apply for a recruitment role, but you do need to be able to demonstrate that you have

people skills, strong communication skills”

LIFESTYLE SECTION

Natasha Hussain

What is your role?

– Legal Project Manager, Ashurst Advance

I enjoy being a legal project manager because every day is different.

The role is very people-focused. I get to work with colleagues at all levels and departments in the firm, as well as high profile clients and be involved with designing and implementing exciting pieces of work. I love organisation and this role is a perfect outlet for that!

I am a legal project manager.

What do you enjoy about your role?

What advice would you give on pursuing this type of role?

I would say

stay true to yourself.

Discover your strengths and weaknesses by trying things out of your comfort zone.

I would say stay true to yourself. Discover your strengths and weaknesses by trying things out of your comfort zone. It’s not just academic achievements that count. Your personality and attitude matter greatly for this type of role as you will be dealing with people, representing your firm to your clients and finding solutions to difficult situations every day. Use every opportunity to better yourself, even if it is something you do not like doing and you will be amazed how it shapes you. Work on your key soft skills like communication, timekeeping and critical thinking. Take a course in the discipline you are thinking of and network with people in the field. Before long doors will open.

Chantal Schofield – Knowledge Consultant, Knowledge and Expertise

What is your role?

I am a knowledge consultant: I work with expertise lawyers and knowledge teams across the global network to support them in executing their practice area’s legal knowhow strategies.

What do you enjoy about your role?

It is a very unusual role – always very hard to describe to people – but it is a great bridge between worlds, especially that of IT and Legal. I need to understand both sides, looking at what we want to achieve vs. what is actually possible. You work with a variety of people and see the workings of a law firm from a completely different angle to most. I like that it requires a legal understanding and that you work with so many lawyers so closely, but that it is very much within the 9 til 5 working hours of support services and doesn’t get the same client pressures. To me, it provides a great work-life balance. It’s also a great place to learn a lot.

What advice would you give on pursuing this type of role?

Getting involved in a law firm’s Knowledge or Expertise department (sometimes also called Professional Development) simply involves you being open minded – in terms of even looking out for the role to apply for, what you start off doing when you join v. where the route can take you. You need good attention to detail and have strong communication skills, but anyone who wants to do this role can if you lookout for it.

Helen Murray – Manager, Risk Assessment & Business Protection

What is your role?

I am a Manager in the Risk Assessment and Business Protection Team in Brisbane, Australia.

What do you enjoy about your role?

Anti-money laundering regulatory compliance is still unchartered territory for many law firms in Australia and so I am incredibly excited to be part of a global team that really is at the forefront of the market and considered by other firms in Australia as the ‘gold standard’ for AML compliance.

What advice would you give on pursuing this type of role?

Absolutely go for it! Every day brings new and interesting challenge; your objective as a compliance professional is to think strategically and creatively to find a solution that supports fee earners in pursuing commercial opportunities, whilst upholding the highest standards of ethics and ensuring contractual and regulatory obligations are met.

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LIFESTYLE SECTION

Meet your

Corporate Parents

We welcome back the Meet your Corporate Parents feature, where each issue of SpeakOut we’ll introduce you to a different Corporate Parent. This will hopefully keep you updated with what each Corporate Parent is getting up to and will help demonstrate their commitment to our Care Experienced community.

T

his issue we meet Neil MacLeod, the Policy and Equality Manager at the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

Neil works closely with Who Cares? Scotland and shows determination, passion and commitment to the Care Experienced community. He was a perfect fit for the first run of this section!

“The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) is proud to be a

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Corporate Parent and of its key role in supporting the Promise.

In 2021 we published our latest Corporate Parenting plan, which sets out our priorities such as reviewing the Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers and exploring key messages from our data. We also had two thought-provoking sessions on Corporate Parenting and the Promise at our recent staff conference. We really appreciate the support from Who Cares?

Scotland to develop our Corporate Parenting plan, the training and input they provide to us and the support they continue to give us to implement our actions.

We are passionate about being the best Corporate Parent we can be. We will continue to work closely with not only Who Cares? Scotland but with the Care Experienced community to ensure they experience a lifetime of equality, respect and love.”

We are passionate about being the best Corporate Parent we can be.

Meet your

LIFESTYLE SECTION

Advocate

Donna MacLeod Bray is an Advocacy & Participation Worker in Eilean Siar, otherwise known as the Western Isles.

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y name is Donna MacLeod Bray and I live on the Western Isles with my husband, 4 teenagers (!) and our dog. I have not moved far at all over the last 4 decades, a mile in fact. I still live in the village I was born in.

My interests are participating in sporty challenges; Tough Mudder, Moonwalk, Kiltwalk, 100k Ultra Challenges. In my spare time I enjoy catching up with my family and friends, property renovations and travelling.

My previous jobs have included Administrator, Childminder, Classroom

assistant/ ASN relief worker, NHS switchboard operator and a Nursery Play Leader.

I started with Who Cares? Scotland in December 2020. I am extremely fortunate and feel privileged to have this job, my friends are very jealous.

Being an independent advocate is so important for

the young person, as they know you are fully dedicated to amplifying their voice. I also enjoy watching young people feeling empowered for having control over their own life decisions.

On the Western Isles we are reconnecting with our young people and their families after Covid. I travelled down to North & South Uist recently and met 2 new families, where I will now advocate for the children. Following feedback from the summer programme in the Uists it has been decided that we will set up and run a ‘families group’ once a month, which will continue to connect the families of all the schools in Uist.

As Covid restrictions are lifting I am so looking forward to our North Team away days and hopefully one day I will make it to the National Office in Glasgow to meet all my new work colleagues – or maybe our national Who Cares? Scotland team could come to the Western Isles?!

If you live on the Western Isles and

would like to speak to Donna about how she might be able to support you, you can get in touch with her by calling 07764 290 921 or emailing dmbray@whocaresscotland.org.

If you live somewhere else but think

you would like advocacy, look at the back page of this magazine to see where we offer advocacy. If we don’t have an advocate in your area, you can call our helpline on 0330 107 7540, from Mon-Fri between 12-4.

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Meet Your SECTION LIFESTYLE

Local Officer

Sergeant Danny Clark Children and Young People Team Hi everyone!

My name is Danny Clark and I am a Sergeant in the Children and Young People Team within Police Scotland.

I joined Police Scotland in 2006 as a Police Cadet straight from school before becoming a Police Officer in 2008. Since then, I have worked in a variety of different roles including Community Policing, the Local Drug Enforcement Team, Robbery Unit, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Public Protection Unit.

Outside of work I am a huge football fan and I enjoy playing football and watching when I can.

Since September last year I have been working in the Children and Young People Team. This role is totally different to any job I have done before with Police Scotland, and it is one that I am passionate about. I first became interested in the role when receiving an input about trauma. The session detailed how trauma can affect young people and the importance of having a positive influence in their lives during times of adversity. I felt this resonated with me given some of my own experiences in life. I decided I wanted to help other Police Officers understand the impact of trauma on children and young people in order that they can help them too.

Police Scotland have worked closely with Who Cares? Scotland to change the narrative and negative relationships between the Care Experienced community and Police

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Scotland. In my current role I have helped to establish a Care Experienced group within Police Scotland for Officers and staff who have experience of being in care.

Along with Who Cares? Scotland, I attended various meetings with the group, who helped with ideas and new ways to improve on our new Corporate Parenting plan. Police Scotland’s Corporate Parenting plan will be published soon for you all to read!

I think it’s important for the Officers within the Care Experienced Officers group to feel safe to share their experiences of care. It’s an important step in both their identity and journey and we are proud of our Care Experienced community within Police Scotland.

We want our Officers to know that we are doing more to help the Care Experienced community. We are hoping the group continues to grow and it might encourage more Care Experienced people to join Police Scotland!

I love working with the Care Experienced community and I am passionate about challenging stereotypes and stigma and advocating for the Care Experienced voice. Listening to the Care Experienced voice is vital in

learning not only how Police Scotland can improve but how we can be the best Corporate Parents we can be to you.

Danny

Members Help

LIFESTYLE SECTION

Police Scotland with their Corporate Parenting Plan Emma McQueen, Assistant Editor

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n March 2021 Who Cares? Scotland put out a call to our members and the Care Experienced community asking them to help develop Police Scotland’s new Corporate Parenting plan 2021-2024.

We invited our community to share with Police Scotland, what mattered most to them, what they believe Police Scotland’s new plan should focus on and how Police Scotland can be the best Corporate Parent they can be.

We offered two different opportunities for our members and community to contribute to the plan; we created a survey for people to fill out and also facilitated two live engagement sessions with Police Scotland in April.

Police Scotland were in attendance alongside our members, making a promise to listen to what our community shared, and truly hear what our members experiences with Police Scotland were in an attempt to meaningfully develop their new plan.

During these live engagement sessions our members spoke about what they had in common, how they felt

the Care Experienced community is perceived by Police Scotland, examples of interactions with Police that illustrated the perceptions discussed, what ‘better would look like and finally what key message our members would like Police Scotland’s representatives to take away from these discussions.

These discussions helped add to Police Scotland’s understanding of what really matters to our community and helped add to their development of their up and coming plan.

Thank you to all of our members, Care Experienced community and representatives from Police Scotland for taking part in the survey and the live engagement sessions – we couldn’t have done it without you!

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SECTION LIFESTYLE

Street Soccer Care Cup Damien Mack, Assistant Editor

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n Thursday 12th August, as part of our Get Into Summer programme, we hosted our first large scale inperson national event in well over a year - the Street Soccer Care Cup 2021.

The tournament took place at the Power League in Glasgow with support from Street Soccer, who use football to support various disadvantaged groups and foster positive change in the lives of these people.

The turnout was great with over 40 members making a total of eight teams competing in some friendly sporting competition. The teams came from all around the country including West Dunbartonshire, North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire.

We also had a Spark of Genius team and Individuals United - a team made up of members from all different places, even as far away as Inverness.

The day began with the morning session of the tournament; the eight teams were split into two groups of four, and each group

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was assigned their own pitch. The teams in the groups played each other once to help the teams find their level. After a quick interval around lunch time, where everyone had some snacks and some muchneeded hydration, the afternoon session began. The results of the morning session’s games were used to split the teams into new groups; the top two teams from each made their own group, as did the lower teams allowing for fair and healthy competition between teams of similar levels.

The entire tournament went ahead with great spirit, and the notoriously turbulent British weather was kind to us as the day stayed dry, at least until the final whistle had blown. Despite the real element of competition, the level of togetherness and camaraderie was noticeable between everyone who took part. Teammates supported each other and egged each other on whilst being sporting towards opponents. Entire teams who had been strangers got along and became friends, for example

Individuals United as well as the North Ayrshire/Kibble team where young people of different ages developed into a formidable team.

Volunteers and staff jumped in and out of teams as needed, when they weren’t cheering from the side lines, and the Street Soccer referees kept everyone right.

With the two sessions complete it was time to announce the winners, and trophies were presented to the Ayrshire/Kibble team as well as ‘Boys from the Shire’. The day, of course, was about everyone involved and so everyone who participated was given a medal.

There were also two other prizes given out; two of the young people were gifted a brand new pair of football boots by Street Soccer for showing great sportsmanship, congrats to Thomas and Callum!

A huge congratulations to everyone who took part and a huge thank you to our amazing volunteers and staff who made this event possible We look forward to seeing many more of you for some more national events soon!

who is this?

LIFESTYLE SECTION

Edinburgh Zoo Family Day Out Gemma Ferrie, Participation Assistant

A

s part of Who Cares? Scotland’s ‘Get Into Summer’ programme, we organised a Family Day to Edinburgh Zoo for Care Experienced parents and their children on the 7th of August. In the morning once everyone arrived at the zoo, we all got together in the Mansion House to meet our members and their families and split up into small groups. We grabbed a can of juice and gave out giftbags we’d made to all the children. Throughout the day everyone explored together in small groups.

We visited the tigers, the penguins, the wallabies and many other animals from across the world. We learned all about their lives and where they came from.

Later at lunchtime, everyone gathered in two sittings at the Mansion House. Lunch was made up of a variety of food from chicken skewers, quiches, and hot dogs with haggis on top. The hot dogs were definitely the favourite at our table! Playdoh (one of the things in the giftbag) was the favourite form of entertainment at lunch. The children of both families played and got on with each other through sharing pieces of playdoh and were kind enough to share it with Ross and me too.

In the afternoon our group was led by two of the children, a brother and sister who did an amazing job

of deciding what to see next and leading the way.

They bravely posed together with a big wooden statue of a Lion who was lying on the side of the path.

Afterwards, they posed with a cut out stand where you could stick your head through to make yourself look like you were one of the zookeepers or have the body of one of the animals. I took quite a lot of photos which turned out really good, a few even turned out amazing!

This was one of the first outings where we got to wear our newly designed t-shirts with our new logo.

They were really eye catching! So much so that a Children’s Reporter recognised that we were from Who Cares? Scotland and came over to talk to us.

At the end of the day, coffee, tea and juice were available for the parents and children in the Mansion House if they wanted, which made for a nice round off to the day. It was really nice to be involved in an event that was aimed at our members who are parents and their families. I hope we can do more in the future!

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LIFESTYLE

YOU SAID, WE How our members’ views are shaping Who Cares? Scotland

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e’ve got an exciting update about how your views are helping improve Who Cares?

Scotland! You may remember that, in our last issue, we shared some of the fantastic feedback we received in our 2020 Membership Survey. As part of this, you asked for Who Cares? Scotland to discuss

mental health issues in more detail; you asked for extra supports to help you attend our groups; and to include more opportunities for younger members to influence our organisation. Here’s a summary of what we’ve been working on!

Mental Health “In response to our Membership Survey, Mental Health is now one of the key themes this year in the Annual Participation Programme.

This will give Care Experienced people the opportunity to directly influence the Scottish Government’s approach to mental health, as well as inform Corporate Parents and The Promise” - Shannon Boston, NRB member from Shetland

Mental health is a significant issue for our members, and already Care Experienced people have done fantastic campaigning towards in this area. We know how difficult it can be for our members to access mental health services, and many of the supports available need to consider the requirements of Care Experienced people in order to provide the best service possible. To address this, Who Cares? Scotland ran an eight-week campaign across July and August to gather your views on mental health as part of our Annual Participation Programme. Through our surveys and focus groups, we listened to your thoughts and are now getting ready to use these to influence specific policy areas, including Scotland’s post-COVID recovery plans! We will share our progress as soon as we can, but for now, keep your eyes peeled on our social media!

Support attending groups “You told us that one of the main barriers to attending national events was low selfconfidence, we all know that feeling of pure dread as we walk into a room full of people we don’t know. We ask ourselves loads of questions, and we can easily get nervous!”

– Lynda Greig, NRB Member from Paisley

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We want all our members to feel confident, supported and excited to attend our groups! To help support this, we’re creating a brand-new buddying system. This will allow a staff member, volunteer, or member that you already know to come to a group to help introduce you. If you’re new to Who Cares? Scotland, we’ll be delighted to get you in touch with a staff member or volunteer beforehand.

LIFESTYLE

E’RE DOING! Including younger members in decision-making “Being part of the Who Cares?

Scotland family is something that all Care Experienced children deserve, regardless of what age they are.”

– Louise Kelly, NRB Member from South Ayrshire What our CEO Louise Hunter says:

“I want to start by saying thank you to all the members who shared their views with us. Your honest feedback gives us the opportunity to grow stronger and ensure that our members are at the front and centre of our work.

We’re particularly interested in expanding the opportunities for our younger members to get involved and shape the organisation, ensuring Care Experienced people of all ages have a direct say in Who Cares?

Scotland’s priorities. To do this, our NRB and Community Development team will be identifying new ways for members to give their views (with fewer surveys, yippee!).

You have asked for more inclusive opportunities; better communication; and a more personalised approach to membership. One of the ways we are responding to this ask is by launching our Get Into Summer activity programme, which will run across the country from July. This will be an opportunity for you to connect in person and have fun with other members and our staff teams.

In the report, members spoke about feeling valued and represented, and that being part of WC?S is like being part of a family. I want to ensure that all our members feel like this and that every Care Experienced person in Scotland has the opportunity to be part of WC?S. As a membership organisation, making sure our members feel well represented, valued and connected is of utmost importance and something I intend to play a direct role in. So If you would like to get in touch with me, please email CEO@whocaresscotland.org and we can arrange a time to meet on zoom or I’ll write a response, personally.”

See all of our changes!

We’ve made even more changes which you can find on our website! Simply visit www.whocaresscotland. org/you-said-were-doing or scan the QR code opposite.

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NEWS & EVENTS

NEWSFLASH Who Cares? Scotland’s Members’ Newsletter

Who Cares? Scotland Call for End to the Young Parent Penalty We were one of over 100 signatories who wrote to the Department of Work and Pensions urging them to end the Young Parent Penalty in Universal Credit, as Care Experienced people often don’t have the kind of familial support this penalty assumes those under 25 have.

Who Cares? Scotland Call to increase Scottish Child Payment We are part of a coalition of over 120 organisations which has written to the Scottish Government calling for the Scottish Child Payment to be doubled.

Our helpline has shown us the impact that the covid pandemic has had on those struggling with poverty and increasing costs, and we believe action must be taken.

Disclosure Guide The Training & Education team have collaborated with Disclosure Scotland to create a guide to support the disclosure process and to overcome barriers to employment. You’ll find this guide and others on www.corporateparenting.org.uk

Communities That Care Highlighted Our Communities That Care project has been highlighted in the latest issue of the Teaching Scotland magazine.

In it we discuss the importance of community education to change attitudes towards Care Experienced people.

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Redress Scotland Panel The Scottish Government is supporting the creation of a new independent public body called Redress Scotland to establish a redress scheme for historic survivors of child abuse in care.

The Deputy First Minister is now looking to appoint up to 12 Panel Members to Redress Scotland. These appointees will be responsible for making decisions over eligibility and the levels of financial redress awarded to survivors.

Who Cares? Scotland Welcomes the Change Programme Having welcomed The Promise we now welcome the Change Programme, which sets out what work is needed to realise the conclusions and promises made to transform the lives of children, young people and their families.

Exploring Digital Wellbeing We’re delighted to announce that Nominet will be funding us to explore Care Experienced people’s experience of digital wellbeing!

This will help us create opportunities for our members to get involved with our National Representative Body, and influence policy and practice. Keep an eye out for our Annual Participation theme ‘Digital Wellbeing’.

NEWS & EVENTS

E

very month we send out a digital newsletter called Newsflash to our members. However, we know that not all of our members will have an email account or access to the internet. That’s why we are including a roundup of important headlines from the

Care Experienced Learner Journeys Our Training and Education team have released a series of guides sharing the learner journeys of 4 incredible Care Experienced people: Josh, Jeanette, Rebecca and Leanne.

These detail the journeys of each person through education and work, and provide some information along the way. They can be found at www.corporateparenting. org.uk

SQA Affirm Commitment to Care Experienced Learners We worked with Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to better understand the alternative certification model and the appeals process for 2021 and how this might impact Care Experienced learners The Scottish Government had asked the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to review the Curriculum for Excellence programme that manages how and what you are taught and what qualifications you study at school or college from when you are 3 until you are 18.

The OECD report was published on 21 June, and amongst other recommendations, it was announced that the SQA will be replaced by a new organisation.

We are in conversation with SQA, and Scottish Government, about what this may mean in the future for Care Experienced learners. We will keep you updated as things progress and how you may be able to add your voice to the shaping of the new organisation.

last couple of months and sharing them again, here in SpeakOut, so you don’t miss out!

If you haven’t been receiving NewsFlash but have a working email address, just email membership@ whocaresscotland.org and we’ll update your details.

Free Dental Care for Young People In August it was announced by the Scottish Government that all young people under the age of 26 in Scotland will have access to free dental care. This is a change welcomed by the Who Cares? Scotland, especially given the findings of our dental care survey completed by many of you in 2019, although we are still asking for more consideration to be given to Care Experienced people over 25. www.nhsinform.scot has been updated to reflect these changes and more information can be found on the Scottish Government website. NHS Inform also has a list of regional dental helplines to contact if in need of immediate dental care.

New Sibling Rights - Important Changes to the Law! From Monday 26th July the relationships between brothers and sisters in care in Scotland will be better protected, with new legal rights.

We are proud of the work Care Experienced people have done to campaign for these legal changes, alongside partner organisations in Stand Up for Siblings. Renfrewshire are one of the first local authorities to commit to keeping brothers and sisters together. You can learn more about the process of bringing about this change from Care Experienced activist Theighan, in the Summer issue of Speak Out. If you want to chat through these changes or have any concerns, contact our helpline by calling 0330 107 7540, or emailing help@whocaresscotland.org Please reach out to an advocacy worker if you have one and they can chat to you about this too!

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NEWS & EVENTS SECTION

How Members are Influ

Sexual and Repr Health Policy an Sam Baillie, Assistant Editor

O

ur Annual Participation Programme has completed its first theme – woo! This is one of the major ways which Who Cares? Scotland seeks to positively influence policy and practice and create real-world change. Each year at our Annual General Meeting, members vote on several key issues they want us to focus on, they then share their views and we use this data to influence the Government, Corporate Parents, and The Promise. Our first theme was Sexual and Reproductive Health. We’ve learned loads from our members, and have compiled this data into a report – here’s what you said!

You told us that care experience can create many barriers towards learning high quality information about sexual and reproductive health. Low school attendance, priorities at home, and placement moves all combine to make learning about sexual health more difficult than it should be. The older age of kinship carers was also shared as a potential difficulty in creating healthy, informative conversations about sexual health. As a result, this could lead to members having to learn instead through their own first-hand experiences, rather than through high quality information.

Also, some professional services can be quite tricky to use for Care Experienced people. This could be due to the awkwardness of professionals and carers, services not being trauma-informed, giving poor advice to young people, or simply people not knowing they are available in the first place. Many members also felt judged, stigmatised or ‘othered’ by professionals and adults – with half of all respondents feeling their care experience impacted the way they were treated in sexual health services. This was also linked to stigma felt from being LGBTQ+ or being a young age when interacting with a service. What became clear is that different areas need to be improved to support Care Experienced people in not just learning about sexual and reproductive health but also in what the experience of accessing services is like.

Now that we’ve gathered your views, we’re ready to begin influencing policy and practice positively to make change for Care Experienced people. Based on the range of experiences and views we’ve heard and with help from 18

our National Representative Body (NRB), we’ve developed several recommendations. Representatives from the NRB read through all of the views you shared and worked with us to create priority areas which need attention. These come under 12 areas: 1.

Achieving empowerment through learning in schools

2.

Ensuring education is inclusive

3.

Supporting carers and families

4.

Bridging the generational gap seen in kinship care

5.

Training the social care workforce

6.

Honest and open conversations with carers and families

7.

Access to period products

8.

Questioning sexual experience as a learning method

9.

Trauma-informed services

10. Easy accessibility to confidential resources and services 11.

LGBTQ+ inclusivity

12. Understanding Care Experience and harmful prejudices

uencing

NEWS &SECTION EVENTS

roductive nd Practice

What’s next?

We’ll be using what you’ve told us to influence policymakers to create positive change for Care Experienced people, and will keep you updated with our progress as we continue our mission!

This includes inputting to the new National Sexual Health Standards, which will be a guide for all sexual health services in Scotland and influencing some focused work to refresh NHS guidance for carers in the Glasgow and Greater Clyde area – as well as much more. If you’d like to read the full report, you can access this on our website at: www. whocaresscotland.org/influencing-sexual-health/ Next issue, we’ll be providing you with an update on our influencing around Mental Health – so stay tuned!

And thank you to all 55 members who provided their experiences for this report. If you have any questions, please get in touch! You can email policy@whocaresscotland.org, or speak to your WC?s worker.

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NEWS & EVENTS

Meet your MSY Ahead of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) elections this November, we caught up with Who Cares? Scotland’s prospective candidates.

Why do you want to be an MSYP?

Cheyann 20, Dundee

I’m running for MSYP because I want a better brighter future for Care Experienced young people in Scotland. I believe that the key to achieving this is us! Who knows the system’s flaws and strengths better than people with lived experience? Growing up in care you meet a lot of people who come and go in life but there are people whose stories really touch your heart, people that have been let down by a system put in place to protect them. It’s those people’s stories that drive me to want to make a difference. There is a quote I love ‘’I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples”.

I may not be able to change the world but if elected I will create tidal waves.

Why should people vote for you?

If elected there’s things that I will do and things that I won’t. I WILL NOT offer you empty promises or a list of changes that only I would like to pursue. What I aim to provide you with is my time, devotion, and effort.

I can’t promise you a quick fix, or bigger budgets, but I can promise you my time to listen to your problems, and to do all I can to address those issues. The experience that I bring being Care Experienced is understanding, love and a passion to improve things. We need better aftercare, support for young people with disabilities and more mental health support. I’m a very strong fierce woman that will fight in your corner and will be dedicated to you.

Chris 21, Falkirk

Why do you want to be an MSYP?

I want to be an MSYP as I want to stand for the rights of young people with experience of the care and justice system. I feel we are underrepresented in politics and underrepresented in society. I also wish to be an MSYP as I want to help represent the views of Care Experienced young people at a national level but also to help be the voice for the Care Experienced young people who aren’t as confident to speak at a national level.

Why should people vote for you?

People should vote for me as I’ve been an active campaigner for change in the care system for around 7 years. Throughout this time, I’ve had the opportunity to network and create relationships with different groups of people, organisations and Ministers, and with these relationships already established, I personally can make sure your voice is heard at the highest possible position.

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NEWS & EVENTS

YP Candidates!

Oisín 17, Kilwinning

Why do you want to be an MSYP?

Care Experienced people deserve to be listened to. There have been too many occasions where people with lived experiences of the care system have been misrepresented and not heard. I have had personal experience of this, and I don’t want it to become a recurring situation. This is the reason I want to become MSYP, I will make sure Care Experienced young people across Scotland are represented and issues being raised by members are being fairly resolved. Issues from “Contact” to “Moving placements too often” it will be my job to listen to you, voice these issues and to act on it!

Why should people vote for you?

I am a driven, passionate and caring young person who wants the best for the care community in Scotland.

With experience of being involved in a political environment, I am able to use my experiences to make sure that wrongdoings of the past are never repeated and help drive forward a new and improved care system in Scotland. Every member of WC?S, from those in the highlands and islands to the cities of Scotland, can be assured if they vote for me, they will have an MSYP who will support, listen and care for them and strive for change that will benefit our community. I will personally take on the responsibility of making sure that issues raised by members will be taken to the Scottish Parliament and will be spoken about and actioned. If I become your MSYP I will focus on things such as mental health after the pandemic and covid-recovering for our members.

Why do you want to be an MSYP?

I want to be an MYSP because I want to represent Care Experienced young people across Scotland to promote a fairer and equal society. As a Care Experienced young person myself, I know how difficult it is to leave care and navigate out of it. My journey has been difficult, for example being rejected for aftercare however, trailblazing organisations and individuals in the Care Experienced community have fought to introduce many opportunities and new doors for people like me.

Charles 22, Edinburgh

Why should people vote for you?

Members should vote for me as I want to focus on employment, education, and housing for Care Experienced young people.

For employment, I want more opportunities for Care Experienced young people after they leave school. I want to push the corporate bodies as well as use my powers as MYSP for organisations to create graduate jobs, apprenticeships, and internships specifically for young Care Experienced people.

I want to focus on education so all Care Experienced young people have opportunities to do the best they can, with support from relevant organisations. I want to ensure Care Experienced people are given support throughout school. I want public organisations such as the SQA to focus on Care Experienced young people to ensure they are not left behind when it comes to education.

Our ca Finally, I want to focus on housing for Care Experienced young people. This launch ndidates w is an issue that I feel deeply about as I could not find housing in Edinburgh ill in early N g their cam be as I did not have a guarantor (someone who can pay your rent if you paigns ovemb eye ou er – ke t cannot). I want to work with SYP to promote easier access to housing for and ne on our soc ep an ial m ws Care Experienced young people. and ta letters to he edia ke par t in the ar more voting !

Comin

g up!

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NEWS & EVENTS

Angus group Speak Up on Mental Health Care Experienced group hope their new animated video will promote positive changes in how mental health is viewed.

W

hilst most Arbroath locals are enjoying the warm, summer weather, Who Cares? Scotland group ‘See What We See’ have spent the last few months bringing a year’s worth of hard work to conclusion. The group, which includes Natasha, Kym and Rhianne, have illustrated, written and produced an animated video showcasing the views of over 20+ Care Experienced people on mental health issues within care. The video follows a fictional character, based on the lives of Care Experienced people, and the impact that various experiences have on their mental health. However, this character doesn’t just highlight the negative aspects, but also the positive areas where mental health could be improved and what specifically

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needs to be done. The final product will be presented to the Assistant Chief Exec of Angus Council, the Chief Head of CAMHS within Angus; The Service Leader of Resources; and scores of throughcare and aftercare managers. We caught up with artist Natasha (21, Dundee) and video narrator Kym (23, Dundee) to learn more about their project!

Natasha and Kym have been keen to discuss mental health issues since the group launched over a year ago, but it hasn’t always been straightforward due to the pandemic: “We ploughed through everything trying

to get it done. Like, Zoom after Zoom after Zoom! Socially distanced meetups, masked meet-ups, everything we could do to get this done” describes Kym. After many months of waiting, the group have finally been able come together in-person to finish the project.

The group’s table is covered with pens, pencils, and paper of all colours; some scribbled on, others cut into shapes. Ideas are left written in the margins of nearly every piece of paper. Surrounding these supplies is Natasha, the group’s resident artist: “I’ve been drawing pretty much my

NEWS & EVENTS

whole life” she explains, “I find it a really good stress reliever. I like artistic forms to express myself – I find it calming. Sometimes I draw the way I feel, then I look back on it and it reminds me of how I felt at the time. But I keep everything I draw, as it’s a captured memory. I have loads of books of captured stuff, and I remember exactly how I felt when I drew it. I started with animals – I’ve always liked animals. When I did art in school, I liked doing still life, but not people, just objects! Sometimes I’ll just sit down and pick something to draw. I find it really calming because you have to concentrate.”

So why have the group chosen to discuss mental health? Kym, who narrates the video, describes their mission statement: “I want to raise awareness and change the care system to help other people who need the help now, not later.” Natasha also feels more needs to be done: “it’s talked about, but I feel there’s still a huge stigma around it. Especially when you’re younger, people brush it off ‘Oh, you’re just a teenager. It’s just a phase.’ It really annoys me!”.

The group are currently readying themselves to present the video to multiple figures within Angus’s

council: “We’re inviting people who are pretty high up in the system.

To make them realise the support that’s in place right now is not good enough. When I was in care I stayed with loads of kids [who] struggled with mental health problems and nobody helped them. I feel like every kid who’s in care should get the help that they deserve, whether it looks like they need it or not.”

The group take their own mental health seriously, too, and discussed

“I feel like every kid who’s in care should get the help that they deserve, whether it looks like they need it or not.” what helps their wellbeing: “The group has helped a lot, just being able to talk about anything and everything. It’s having people there,

knowing that you’ve got people that, if you needed it, you know they’re going to be there” explains Kym. Outside of the group, Natasha has been enjoying quality time with her adopted dog Luna: “I love taking her for walks! She’s so happy all the time.

My sisters [helps] too, we’re always on the Playstation playing games – I love doing that.” With this huge project nearly finished, what’s next for ‘See What We See’? The possibilities are endless, explains Natasha: “We’re not sure what the next group is going to be about. We’re going to see if we can get more people interested and see if they have a specific topic they want to do.

Sometimes, [people are] passionate and about something and we want to help them!”

We’ll catch-up with the group next issue to recap their presentation, chat about the outcomes of the event.

23

NEWS & EVENTS

Keeping the

Promise Fiona Duncan, Chair of the Promise

S

ince I last wrote a lot has happened and changed.

Restrictions have eased, vaccines have been rolled out and we are beginning to start to enjoy a few of the things that we’ve missed over the past 18 months. It’s easier to gather with friends, indoors and out, as shops and cafes are open; and finally (especially for me) getting a haircut is possible. There’s been an election and one of the warmest summers on record. Still, life remains far from what it was before, and what we all hope it will be in the future.

Despite the ongoing challenges, The Promise Scotland has continued to work hard to drive the change demanded by the Care Review – which was driven by your voices and experiences. At the end of March, The Promise Scotland published Plan 21-24, the first of three plans that together will set out how Scotland can, by 2030 at the very latest, #KeepThePromise.

Plan 21-24 focuses on what must be done between April this year and March 2024, and sets out key priorities and areas of focus for organisations to make the changes they need to over the next three years.

24

More than 100 organisations including national government and local authorities, and national bodies like CHS and SCRA and Police Scotland and the Care Inspectorate plus charities and many others, got involved in shaping Plan 21-24, ready to do the hard work required. Not long after, Change Programme ONE was published, a plan of 25 actions for this year. As you will have guessed from the name, this is the first Change Programme, produced in the shadow of the pandemic, and clearly shows there is a lot to do. Of the 25 actions, nine are underway; fifteen are underway but not yet good enough and there is little or no work underway with one of them. Both Plan 21-24 and Change Programme ONE are on The Promise Scotland website – www. thepromise.scot.

The Promise Oversight Board will consider all of this to report on progress made - or otherwise.

And this is where it will get tricky – when folk have to stop saying they support change and ACTUALLY change.

But there is progress including; work to redesign the Children’s Hearings System with the needs of children and families at its heart, a collaboration to help Scotland measure what really matters to children and families; and recently the Scottish Government announced at least £500 million for a Whole Family Wellbeing Fund with an ambition of investing 5% of all community-based health and social care spending in preventative whole family support measures by 2030. This is important, not just because of how much money is involved, but also for the commitment to new ways of working to make sure that all children grow up loved, safe and respected - public sector organisations and their partners must invest in the wellbeing of Scotland’s families AND plan and work together.

Yes, a lot has happened and changed since I last wrote – but my commitment to make sure that Scotland keeps the promise it made to you hasn’t!

SAVE with Stephanie!

NEWS & EVENTS Been anywhere interesting recently? Or got any tips for great days out across the rest of Scotland? Then send them in so we can share them with other Who Cares?

Scotland members.

Stephanie Eregbu, WC?S Member

As a Care Experienced person, finally living on my own, I understand the importance of budgeting and being financially responsible. But just because we have responsibilities does not mean we can’t have fun!

Join me in trying new activities and adventures, that will not break the bank. It will be worth it!

In this edition I will be focusing on day outings in both Glasgow and Edinburgh. I will be including fun and free activities for all ages! I know times are tough, but these trips are sure to scratch that post lockdown itch!

The Tallship at Riverside, Glasgow The beautiful tall ship is one of many that were originally built in Glasgow’s shipyards and is one of the few surviving today. Bring the family here to explore the refurbished interior that is now a museum. You can grab an audio guide, which is a fun way to learn the history. There’s also a mini cinema and an under 5s play area in the cargo hold. Such a great attraction you won’t believe that it’s free.

Pollok Country Park, Glasgow Check out Glasgow’s largest park with over 361 acres to explore.

There’s a children’s play area and lots of beautiful plants and trees to be admired. You can take a walk through the Woodland Garden, see the Clydesdale Horses, make friends with the Highland cattle, walk along the river or enjoy a picnic at one of the many picnic sites.

The Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, Glasgow As one of the most visited FREE attractions in Scotland, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is sure to give you a great day out. There are 22 state-of-the-art galleries with themes ranging from Scottish Art, Salvador Dali and French Impressionists to natural history, ancient Egypt and world cultures. There is so much to see and do, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Riverside Museum, Glasgow The Riverside Museum houses some of the most amazing displays about transport . There’s plenty to see with its many displays from the past, present and future. There are over 3,000 objects in total for you to admire. The building was designed by the famous architect Zaha Hadid and is a wonder.

Museum of Childhood, Edinburgh Who said that learning can’t be fun?

The Museum of Childhood is an Edinburgh gem that’s for children and adults alike. Spend a few hours exploring the 21 rooms and over 2,000 items, toys and games from across the generations.

Gorgie City Farm, Edinburgh This free-to-enter city farm brings a slice of countryside to the heart of the city. This unique outdoor resource is the best place in Edinburgh to learn about farming hands-on. Head along and meet all the animals including chickens, ducks, cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, and take in all the sights and smells of the herb and sensory garden. A perfect day out for all the family.

Museum on the Mound, Edinburgh Have you ever seen a million pounds in cash? Well, you can at the Museum on the Mound! See some of Scotland’s oldest banknotes! Build a model home! Crack open a safe!

Opened in 2006, this fascinating museum takes a fresh look at money, art & design, technology, crime, trade and security.

25

IN IT TO WIN IT…

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS & EVENTS

O

nce you have completed the IN IT TO WIN IT page please return it to us by Thursday 18th November 2021 to be in with a chance of winning a £25 voucher of your choice. You can do this by giving the page to your WC?S APW, emailing a photo of your entry to membership@whocaresscotland.org or PMing us it on Facebook.

You can also post it to 40 Wellington St, Glasgow, G2 6HJ. Good luck!

Quiz Me

Guess The Movie

Q1: What’s the name of the small, green one-eyed monster from ‘Monsters Inc’?

Q2: What type of creature is Shrek?

Q3: What herb is known to fight off vampires?

Q4: What is Frankenstein’s first name?

Q5: Which animal is a witch’s best friend?

Riddle Me This Riddle 1: I am a body with a leg, an arm, and a head but I look like I am naked and bare. What am I?

Riddle 2: Some people believe in me and others don’t. At night I roam around and sometimes I float.

If you hear a troubled noise coming from the ground, go run and hide from my creepy sound. What am I?

Myth or Fact?

Circle whether you think the following statements are fact, or just a myth!

Q1) Halloween was invented to ward off

evil spirits Q2) Jack O’Lanterns were first made from turnips Q3) Toffee apples were originally covered

in ketchup Q4) Black cats are a symbol of bad luck Q5) Dracula is famously scared of chickens

YOUR NAME: AGE: PHONE: WC?S WORKER: RETURN YOUR ENTRIES TO: Who Cares? Scotland, 40 Wellington Street, Glasgow, G2 6HJ 26

myth

fact

myth

fact

myth

fact

myth

fact

myth

fact

HHHHHHHH

HH

LAST ISSUES WINNERS ARE:

Demi, 10, Jayden, 15

, `Liam, 19, Chloe, 17

HHHHHHHH

HH

…

N U F R O F J U ST

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS & EVENTS

HALLOWEEN

CROSSWORD

Across 3.

5.

8.

9.

10.

12.

13.

Down 1.

2.

3.

4.

6.

7.

11.

They haunt places and people A famous vampire A boney sort of fellow Can be seen during a clear night sky a witch uses this to fly Where a vampire sleeps They like to howl at the moon Incey Wincey is one of these They rise from the dead a spooky place where the deceased rest Witches use these to brew potions a large stone with writing on it A vegetable you can carve These flying animals come out at night

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Sian Wild APW Shetland 07599044615

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