Ground-breaking Scottish Guardianship Service a model for others

Date: 26th April 2013
Category: Refugee , migrant and asylum-seeking children

The Scottish Guardianship Service, delivered in partnership between Aberlour Childcare Trust and Scottish Refugee Council, has helped to support more than 100 unaccompanied young people going through the asylum system, some of who are victims of trafficking.

The Service provides each of the young people with a 'guardian' to help them to navigate the asylum system and rebuild their lives in Scotland. The guardians act as independent advocates for the child, assisting them with everything from dealing with lawyers to helping them build social networks. It is the only service of its kind in the UK.

The service has been highly praised in a recent independent evaluation. The evaluation found that almost all the young people reported higher levels of wellbeing as the result of the support of their guardians. Other professionals working with the young people also had high praise for the service, with social workers, lawyers and others recognising the importance of the support received from the guardians.

• Read the full article here.