Renfrewshire Council

Two of our primary schools have won awards for their exceptional work in corporate parenting at the first-ever Who Cares? Scotland Corporate Parenting Awards. Out of the 14 categories, Renfrewshire took home two wins at these new awards which celebrate organisations committed to improving the lives of Care Experienced children and young people.

St. Peter's Primary School: Changing the Narrative

St. Peter's Primary School topped the Changing the Narrative category for their efforts to build a more inclusive and nurturing environment for all pupils, particularly those with care experience.

A key initiative includes their Positive Relationships Policy, which centres on nurturing and wellbeing with an emphasis on the use of language guided by The Promise—Scotland's commitment to Care Experienced people—to ensure staff use terminology preferred by Care Experienced individuals.

They have also reserved spaces on their Pupil Council specifically for Care Experienced pupils, making sure their voices are heard when it comes to shaping school policies and activities. This includes their 'Communities that Care' project which educates and raises awareness amongst pupils and their families.

The impact of their efforts is tangible, with pupil surveys revealing that children feel more included and supported within the school environment.

Delighted Head Teacher, Sharon Mazonni said:  "I am very proud of the hard work of St. Peter's pupils, staff, and our whole school community, and delighted to see the positive impact that our Communities that Care project is having on the children and families of St. Peter's."

Kirklandneuk Primary School: Positive Partnerships

Kirklandneuk Primary School won the Positive Partnerships category for their work with OneRen and our Active Schools Renfrewshire programme to encourage Care Experienced pupils to take part in physical activity and enhance their overall wellbeing.

The highlight of the work at Kirklandneuk is the creation of their weekly sports club which provides a welcoming space for Care Experienced children to engage in activities promoting health and inclusion. To eliminate barriers and reduce potential stigma, the school provides transport to the   children who attend and invites them to bring a friend along too.

Their broad definition of care experience means that children from diverse backgrounds, including those on the edges of care or who are adopted, can benefit from the initiative and pupils are encouraged to share their feedback. One young person happily describes the weekly sports club as "the best moment of my week and I am so happy I now attend a club in school."

Head Teacher, Karen MacKechnie said: "Positive partnerships are a key feature of our work at Kirklandneuk, so we were absolutely delighted to receive a Positive Partnerships Award from Who Cares? Scotland. Our whole staff team is dedicated to listening and responding to the voices of our Care Experienced community, whom we strive to provide the very best experiences for through creative collaboration with our partners."

About Who Cares? Scotland and The Promise

Who Cares? Scotland is an independent membership organisation whose mission is to secure a lifetime of equality, respect and love for Care Experienced people. Their new Corporate Parenting Awards highlight the important role organisations play in making this vision a reality.

At the heart of many of the changes being recognised, including those at St. Peter's and Kirklandneuk, is The Promise—the outcome of Scotland's Independent Care Review, which aims to improve the wellbeing of children, young people, and adults who are Care Experienced. Across the country, organisations have committed to #KeepThePromise, ensuring that these transformative efforts continue.

This latest recognition of two of our schools is both a reflection of Renfrewshire's commitment to keeping The Promise and a testament to the schools' dedication to provide an inclusive, supportive, and empowering environment for all our children.

Promise manager, Maurice Gilligan works with services across the Council to embed The Promise into everyday service provision.

He said: "Congratulations to Kirklandneuk and St Peter's primary schools along with OneRen and Active Schools for their success in the awards. Very well done also to our team and colleagues who were recognised and nominated across the categories.  It's great that their dedication and commitment has been recognised at these national awards and is further evidence of our shared commitment to #KeepThePromise."

For more information on The Promise, you can access our e-learning course on iLearn or visit The Promise Scotland's website.

Published Wednesday 02 October 2024