Care Day celebrates young people with care experience

The ‘Meids Pledge’ will be signed by senior staff from public bodies in Shetland, including Shetland Islands Council, NHS Shetland, UHI Shetland, Skills Development Scotland and Police Scotland.

The pledge has been created especially for this year’s Care Day, taking inspiration from the Shetland dialect term ‘meid’ – a landmark historically used to help fishing vessels establish their position at sea.

In the context of care, a ‘meid’ has been reinterpreted as a Corporate Parent, helping young people to know where they are, or where they want to be, and helps them to steer their way to safety. Under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, a range of public organisations in Scotland became Corporate Parents to care experienced people.

The Meids Pledge was written jointly by Maggie Sandison, Chief Executive of Shetland Islands Council, alongside a group of care experienced leaders supported locally by national advocacy charity Who Cares? Scotland.

- “I listen and take your views seriously

- I act with love to help you thrive

- I have high aspirations for you to live the life you deserve, and I will celebrate your successes

- I will work together with others to provide everything that a good parent would

- It is my duty and my privilege to fight your corner – I will remove barriers and give you every opportunity to reach your potential and to access all opportunities for career pathways

- I will work with other Meids to improve things for all care experienced children and young people by delivering The Promise in Shetland

• I will ensure all our services are “going the extra mile” to meet the needs of people with care experience in our community”