FLS becomes a proud Corporate Parent

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) has become a Corporate Parent ( #proudcorporateparent )

Stemming from the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (Part 9), Corporate Parenting enlists the support of agencies and organisations across Scotland to promote the wellbeing of Care Experienced people.  

It aims to find ways of giving these young people access to opportunities they might not otherwise have and that will help them to nurture their wellbeing through physical, emotional, spiritual, social and educational development.

With its first Corporate Parenting Plan FLS has set out a range of actions for the next three years that will help it meet its obligations under the six statutory duties which all corporate parents must carry out in support of care-experienced young people.

FLS Chief Executive , Simon Hodgson, said;

“Helping young people by giving them opportunities that could help them to reach their fullest potential is something that we should all feel passionately about.

“This should be especially true when it comes to young people, or indeed anyone, with a care experience background.

“As an organisation we have helped key members of our team to better understand the issues faced by people with care experience so that we can help them to access Scotland’s forests and land and the tremendous health and wellbeing benefits that this can provide. 

“Becoming a new member of the broader Corporate Parenting family allows us to work with partners and with care experienced people themselves to best identify, design and deliver the sorts of opportunities and experiences that will have positive impact on the lives and aspirations of everyone who has a care experienced background." 

Corporate Parenting actions to help care experienced peoples include   

• Promoting the interests of eligible children and young people
• Provide opportunities to promote their wellbeing
• Enable outreach opportunities where possible
• Making the issues/needs of people with care experience a focus for staff and for the organisation
• Review recruitment processes and promote inclusivity to partner organisations

FLS has also committed to see how best to support to organisations such as Who Cares Scotland to make use of the national forests and land and to provide opportunities for care experienced young people to ‘Put Down Roots’ – dedicating areas of forest/woodlands to care experienced young people.

The Corporate Parenting Plan will be reviewed annually. For more information contact corporate@forestryandland.gov.scot or visit Who Cares? Scotland website.

Notes to editors

1. Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manages forests and land owned by Scottish Minsters in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry; conserves and enhances the environment; delivers benefits for people and nature; and  supports Scottish Ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.
2. forestryandland.gov.scot | www.twitter.com/ForestryLS
3. Media enquiries to Paul Munro, Media Manager, Forestry and Land Scotland Media Office 0131 370 5059 or paul.munro@forestryandland.gov.scot