About Us - The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition

About the Scottish Children's Services Coalition

The Scottish Children's Services Coalition (SCSC) is committed to improving the lives of vulnerable children and young people. Our vision is for Scotland to be the best place in the world for them to grow up in.

We will achieve this through campaigning to improve services for this group, ensuring that they get the best possible care and support, helping them to achieve their full potential.

Vulnerable children and young people, such as those with additional support needs (ASN), experience poorer life chances, including lower levels of educational attainment and higher levels of unemployment. This includes those with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, autism spectrum disorder, learning difficulties, learning disabilities, mental health problems, or are looked after.

It is essential that these children and young people have access to high quality, well-resourced and quickly accessible services, tailored to their individual needs, Getting it right for every child.

These services range from those provided by local authorities to support those with ASN, to child and adolescent mental health services delivered by the NHS.

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition

Such an approach will assist in giving these children and young people the best possible start in life, support the closing of the educational attainment gap and aid the creation of a more equal society.

In the delivery of vital services there are no shortcuts.

Campaigns

While there is a greatly increased demand on services for vulnerable children and young people, this is set against a background of tight public finances.

We are campaigning for improved services for these children and young people, based on our five key founding principles.

In addition, we aim for the services provided to be tailored to the individual needs of the child or young person, be this by the public sector and/or independent and third sector providers. This is so that they receive the most appropriate care and support, delivering positive outcomes – both educational and social – with the considerable cost saving this can bring.

Through our campaigns we seek to influence political and other key stakeholders, such as the Scottish Government, local authorities, NHS and the media to achieve this positive change.

Current campaigns are focused on delivering:

Improved services for children and young people with ASN.

Improved mental health services for children and young people.

Increased training and employment opportunities for young people with ASN and care experience.

A statutory right to independent advocacy services for children and young people with care experience.

SCSC campaign activity is based on our five key founding principles

1. High-quality services

There should be prompt access to assessment and to high-quality and well-resourced services for children and young people.

2. Commissioning of services

Improvements in the commissioning and delivery of services can be both cost saving and result in better outcomes.

3. Tailored services

Services provided must be tailored to the individual needs of the child or young person concerned.

4. Collaboration

There must be greater collaboration between the public sector and high quality independent and third sector service providers, delivering the best possible care and support.

5. Management of transitions

Improved management of transitions, especially to adult services, should be prioritised by service commissioners and providers.