[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f10b3rz2z388kj":3,"$f2slqnwkrzd7vx":16},{"id":4,"blog_author_id":5,"blog_category_id":5,"is_featured":6,"title":7,"slug":8,"content":9,"content_overview":10,"published_at":11,"seo_title":7,"seo_description":12,"image":13,"created_at":14,"updated_at":15},"01m5yr36vzgnkxw06xbrd8qvy9","1",false,"We can change Scotland's story on alcohol","we-can-change-scotlands-story-on-alcohol","\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Justina Murray, Chief Executive, Aberlour Children’s Charity\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This week we have seen further evidence of Scotland’s toxic relationship with alcohol, with the publication of the latest alcohol-specific death figures.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn1\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa> In 2025, 1,152 people in Scotland died through alcohol.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn2\">[2]\u003C\u002Fa> This may be 3% lower than the previous year, but it remains 13% up on pre-pandemic levels. Alarmingly, death rates for women are rising (3% up).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The human toll of this loss is traumatic for families and communities. So, so many lives lost. And this sits alongside the everyday harms felt by those concerned about their own drinking, and those desperately worried about keeping their loved ones alive. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The story of alcohol in Scotland today is that we have a higher rate of alcohol deaths than England and Wales. We buy more alcohol per adult than England and Wales. Almost 1 in 5 of us drink enough to harm our health and to be classed as hazardous, harmful or dependent drinkers. More of us are diagnosed with chronic liver disease each year. We don’t really think about alcohol being linked to over 200 health conditions or causing 7 different types of cancer. In a country where we routinely hear, “There is no money”, alcohol harm is estimated to cost us up to £10 billion a year.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn3\">[3]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is little sign of any shift in Scotland’s entrenched ‘Alcohol Everywhere’ culture. Just this week (only a day after the alcohol death figures were released), a hospitality chain in Edinburgh asked for licensing permission for unaccompanied 12-15 year olds to be in their pubs until 8pm, describing these as “family-friendly” and “accessible” environments for young people.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn4\">[4]\u003C\u002Fa> And earlier this month we saw the First Minister raising a glass of whisky on the front cover of the SNP conference handbook, of all of the images which could have been used under the banner ‘Choose Scotland’.\u003Ca href=\"#_edn5\">[5]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what is the story for the children and families we support? I joined Aberlour last year - our 150th birthday year. Perhaps due to that timing, or certainly encouraged by it, I often reflect on the organisation’s long history and deep legacy, including what might be the same or different now compared to the early days of the Aberlour orphanage. This grew to care for up to 600 children at any one time, all in one place. Nowadays our models of care have radically altered, with our remodelled Sycamore children’s houses providing safe and loving family-sized homes in the community for 3 or 4 children at a time, alongside a broad continuum of services to support babies, children, young people and families facing disadvantage and adversity, from early help to the most intensive support. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite all these changes, that thread of alcohol harm in families - and the havoc this creates in every respect - runs through every chapter of our 150 years. This harm impacts the lives of children and families across every one of our services today, just as it shaped the story for so many children arriving at the original Aberlour orphanage.  \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But we are also working alongside families to change Scotland’s story on alcohol. There is quite rightly a call for better prevention and early support for families, but how we respond in a crisis speaks volumes. We offer a range of specialist services for pregnant and new mums and their babies where there is harm through alcohol and other substances. This includes our residential Mother and Child Recovery Houses, alongside community-based perinatal and intensive perinatal services. The impact of these services is mind-blowing, with 65-70% of mums staying safely with their babies, when previously their children were at extremely high risk of going into care - with all the accompanying human and financial cost of this. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These services provide concrete and costed evidence that with the right approach and investment, we can write a whole new chapter alongside children and families. This support offers a blueprint for whole family recovery, helps us #KeepThePromise (not just say it), delivers effective child protection, and models outcomes-focused Public Service Reform. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s time for a different story on alcohol harm in Scotland, let’s turn the page. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cdiv style=\"mso-element: endnote-list;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportEndnotes]-->\u003Cbr clear=\"all\">\u003Chr align=\"left\" size=\"1\" width=\"33%\">\u003C!--[endif]-->\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn1\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn1;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[1]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nrscotland.gov.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Falcohol-specific-deaths-2025\">https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nrscotland.gov.uk\u002Fpublications\u002Falcohol-specific-deaths-2025\u003C\u002Fa>. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn2\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn2;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref2\" name=\"_edn2\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[2]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">Note that alcohol-specific deaths only include those specifically caused by alcohol, such as alcoholic liver disease, alcohol poisoning.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn3\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn3;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref3\" name=\"_edn3\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[3]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">You can find lots of useful information and statistics at Alcohol Focus Scotland on Scotland’s relationship with alcohol and alcohol harm, including a great series of monthly blogs by Chief Exec Carolyn Lochhead, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk\u002F\">https:\u002F\u002Fwww.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk\u002F\u003C\u002Fa> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn4\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn4;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref4\" name=\"_edn4\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[4]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002Farticles\u002Fcm62yj7nqj77o\">https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002Farticles\u002Fcm62yj7nqj77o\u003C\u002Fa> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn5\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\">\u003Ca style=\"mso-endnote-id: edn5;\" title=\"\" href=\"#_ednref5\" name=\"_edn5\">\u003Cspan style=\"mso-special-character: footnote;\">\u003C!-- [if !supportFootnotes]-->\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">[5]\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C!--[endif]-->\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa> \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fs3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com\u002Fwww.snp.org\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F06\u002FSNP-Handbook-26-online-5-public.pdf\">https:\u002F\u002Fs3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com\u002Fwww.snp.org\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F06\u002FSNP-Handbook-26-online-5-public.pdf\u003C\u002Fa> \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cdiv style=\"mso-element: endnote-list;\">\n\u003Cdiv id=\"edn5\" style=\"mso-element: endnote;\">\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>",null,"2026-10-29T00:00:00.000000Z","This week we have seen further evidence of Scotland’s toxic relationship with alcohol, with the publication of the latest alcohol-specific death figures.","media\u002F1301_transform.webp","2026-10-27T13:16:48.000000Z","2026-10-30T08:58:49.000000Z",{"id":17,"blog_author_id":18,"blog_category_id":5,"is_featured":6,"title":19,"slug":20,"content":21,"content_overview":10,"published_at":22,"seo_title":19,"seo_description":23,"image":24,"created_at":25,"updated_at":26,"next":27,"prev":39},"01jt8raz6yzvrkr369b7jtqz3y","9cdbdd25-1564-45ec-84de-602c5009ebe1","International conference will help young Scots thrive","international-conference-will-help-young-scots-thrive","\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Global experts to detail how science of relationships is key at Glasgow event\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>International experts will detail how to help disadvantaged Scots build brighter futures at a landmark conference backed by some of the country’s most influential charities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renowned academics and industry leaders will attend the two-day talks in Glasgow detailing how strong relationships and a sense of belonging help children and young people thrive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The conference will examine how childhood trauma risks isolating young people but how they can gain a new sense of belonging in families, firms and communities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Experts attending the event in Glasgow next month, will explain the biology, physiology and psychology underpinning and encouraging a person’s sense of belonging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Broadcaster turned child therapist Kate Silverton will chair the event attended by a range of international experts, including best-selling US psychiatrist Dan Siegel and Gordon Neufeld, a Vancouver-based developmental psychologist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Biology of Belonging conference is being staged by the Tigers Group, which helps young people into training and work, while influential Third Sector organisations, Aberlour Children’s Charity and The Wise Group, will sponsor the event.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SallyAnn Kelly OBE, chief executive of Aberlour, said helping young Scots gain a sense of belonging is integral to the work of the charity, which is marking its 150th anniversary this year, and it is delighted to be supporting the conference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She said: “Supporting disadvantaged children and young people who have faced difficulties and trauma has never been more important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Every child must be encouraged to thrive not just survive and that means ensuring they feel safe, loved and that they belong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This event will be an important opportunity to explore that sense of belonging and why it matters for all children, young people and families across Scotland.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wise Group, a leading social enterprise supporting people into work and out of poverty, is proud to co-sponsor the event. Chief Executive Sean Duffy said: “At the Wise Group, we work with households navigating some of life’s toughest barriers - poverty, isolation, mental health challenges - and we know that real change starts with connection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belonging isn’t a luxury; it’s the foundation for hope, resilience, and growth. It’s what enables people not just to survive, but to thrive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This conference is an important opportunity to reflect on why belonging matters, and how we can embed it more assertively into the systems and services that shape young people’s lives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pauline Scott, Tigers Group managing director, said: “Belonging is a fundamental biological need for our children, young people, and the adults in the lives of young people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the heart of this conference is a simple belief that when individuals experience true belonging, they can grow, heal, and thrive. That individual transformation, when nurtured and sustained, becomes the foundation of empowered communities. And those communities, in turn, hold the potential to shape more just, compassionate, and resilient societies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Biology of Belonging conference, a not-for-profit event, will take place at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Glasgow on Wednesday 7 May and Thursday 8 May.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More information at \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Flearnwithtigers.co.uk\">learnwithtigers.co.uk\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-top: 6.0pt;\"> \u003C\u002Fp>","2025-05-02T00:00:00.000000Z","Global experts to detail how science of relationships is key at Glasgow event\n\nInternational experts will detail how to help disadvantaged Scots build brighter futures at a landmark conference backed by some of the country’s most influential charities.","media\u002Fthe-biology-of-belonging.webp","2025-05-02T15:02:46.000000Z","2025-05-02T15:30:06.000000Z",{"id":28,"blog_author_id":29,"blog_category_id":5,"is_featured":6,"title":30,"slug":31,"content":32,"content_overview":10,"published_at":33,"seo_title":34,"seo_description":35,"image":36,"created_at":37,"updated_at":38},"01jtqyspa9bbfq5a9md0bqssjh","9cdbdd6d-4900-4646-a012-d3e67a5ee788","Charity urges Scots to consider fostering amid recruitment crisis","charity-urges-scots-to-consider-fostering-amid-recruitment-crisis","\u003Cp>Fostering is on the brink of crisis with a shortage of carers stripping children of the chance to live with a family, according to a leading charity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour Children’s Charity is urging more Scots to consider \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fhelp-us\u002Ffostering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fostering\u003C\u002Fa> to help bridge the widening gap between the number of children in need of a home and available carers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nicola Fearon, the charity’s \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fhelp-us\u002Ffostering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">head of fostering\u003C\u002Fa>, confirms applications to become foster carers have dropped in recent years and believes the pandemic may be a factor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>In recent years, there have certainly been more carers leaving and fewer coming in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are many reasons from an ageing population and people caring more for elderly relatives to the cost of living crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour, which has been delivering foster care for more than 20 years, believes the pool of potential carers is wide and diverse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Fearon said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Our vetting will be thorough but there are few things that would automatically rule out potential carers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Children come from all sorts of backgrounds and carers come from all sorts of background too. It’s about empathy not experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We would encourage anyone who has ever thought about it, however briefly, to pick up the phone or send us an email.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Care Inspectorate data covering the five years up to 2024 revealed only 178 new foster carers registered in 2023, the lowest number in five years, while 405 households came off the register.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost half of potential foster carers, with most receiving at least £20,000 to care for a child, were approved within six months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fearon said while the responsibility of providing foster care can seem daunting to potential carers, it has the power to change lives, of children and carers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Fostering can change things in the most positive ways imaginable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The lives of fostered children can be transformed but so can the lives of carers and their own children and grandchildren.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Families begin to better appreciate what they have and what it might mean not to have it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our carers say the same things again and again. They will talk about giving something back, of giving a child a family and a home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They will say it’s challenging but the sense of making a real difference to a child’s life far outweighs the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Like any family, it can be difficult at times but it can be a lot of fun too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour, marking its \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002F150\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">150th anniversary\u003C\u002Fa> this year in partnership with \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.sundaypost.com\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Sunday Post\u003C\u002Fa>, is the biggest Scotland-only children’s charity delivering more than 50 frontline services for children and their families across the country.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lynne O’Brien, Chief Officer for Children and Families, believes that wide-ranging expertise allows foster carers to receive exceptional support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Our foster carers are highly valued and we can draw on different services and expertise from across Scotland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Flexibility is key and we have the ability to be creative to tailor support for children and families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>O’Brien believes the importance and value of fostering must be better recognised and called for stronger partnerships between local authorities and other fostering agencies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>She said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>There must be a wider acknowledgement of the crucial role played by foster carers, their commitment, experience and ability to transform the lives of children and young people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As a society, we must champion carers and offer them every possible support and encouragement because their work could not be more important. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Children’s rights are at the heart of everything we do and we will continue to listen and learn from children, young people and families to deliver the best care and support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Would you like to know more about fostering? \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fhelp-us\u002Ffostering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">We would love to hear from you\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>A family affair: First foster carers reveal challenges and rewards\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>It has, they admit, not always been a bed of roses but, according to Aberlour Children Charity’s first \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aberlour.org.uk\u002Fhelp-us\u002Ffostering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">foster \u003C\u002Fa>carers, that’s kind of the point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Shona Stewart said:\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>It’s about being a family for children and every family will have ups and downs.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You enjoy the good times and get through the bad times and you do it together as a family. It’s about belonging and love. That’s all it’s about really.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Shona and husband David were Aberlour’s first carers when the charity launched its fostering service in 2004. Experienced in social work and residential care, they were still surprised by the positive impact of fostering on their family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shona and David - not their real names, they would rather not be identified to protect the privacy of their children – said fostering was life-changing for everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Shona, 56, said:\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Even though we had worked in care, it was still a shock to have this child living with us. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It felt a little scary, for her too because she hadn’t been with a family for so long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There had been long discussions about fostering but eventually we just decided to go for it, to bring these kids up alongside our own. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Children need a family to grow. Families aren’t possible for every child but are the best way of giving them stability and seeing them through to adulthood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I was training as a social worker, we’d be told that if there’s one person crazy about you then you are more likely to succeed. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We just wanted to be the people crazy for these kids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>David, 58, said the demands of fostering are significant but so are the rewards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>He said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>There are a lot of great times, a lot of happiness, but it’s not the Waltons. It’s like any family but, because of their experience, foster children can bring an unpredictability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>When advising couples thinking about fostering, he encourages them to understand the reality and not romanticise the role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>He said: \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes you hear people talk about ‘rescuing’ children but we’re not here to rescue anyone, we’re here to support and encourage them, to give them the chance to live happy lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we can do that, it’s enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>This article was written for The Sunday Post and published on Sunday 11th May 2025.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>","2025-05-12T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour Children's Charity Urges Scots to consider fostering amid recruitment crisis","Fostering is on the brink of crisis with a shortage of carers stripping children of the chance to live with a family, according to a leading charity. Aberlour Children’s Charity is urging more Scots to consider fostering to help bridge the widening gap.","media\u002Flynne obrien web.jpg","2025-05-08T12:44:17.000000Z","2025-05-12T10:59:38.000000Z",{"id":40,"blog_author_id":18,"blog_category_id":5,"is_featured":6,"title":41,"slug":42,"content":43,"content_overview":10,"published_at":44,"seo_title":45,"seo_description":46,"image":47,"created_at":48,"updated_at":49},"01jshez7stc7h3dhgax1hrkw8p","Aberlour welcomes Cabinet Secretary Neil Gray MSP to Mother and Child Recovery House in Falkirk","aberlour-welcomes-cabinet-secretary-neil-gray-msp-to-mother-and-child-recovery-house-in-falkirk","\u003Cp>Today we welcomed the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray MSP to our Mother and Child Recovery House in Falkirk to see the impact of the service firsthand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour opened its second residential rehabilitation house in September 2024 in Falkirk, aimed at supporting women and their children through recovery from addiction and substance use. This new facility follows the successful launch of Aberlour's first house in Dundee in January 2023.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Scottish Government has invested £5.5 million to support the development of both facilities. These houses offer 24\u002F7 support and keep families together by allowing children of women with problematic substance use to stay with their mothers during recovery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour Chief Executive SallyAnn Kelly OBE expressed her gratitude:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>We were delighted to show the Cabinet Secretary our new Mother and Child Recovery House in Falkirk. It was an opportunity for him to meet the mums we support, speak to the team behind it and understand how the house has transformed the lives of mothers and their children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both houses, including our first in Dundee, offer a unique service enabling women with alcohol and substance use issues to keep their young children with them as they recover. They provide specialist support that helps women develop skills and build new futures for themselves and their children. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We appreciate the Scottish Government's funding for this essential new service and look forward to continuing our mission to support families and promote recovery through these vital services.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray MSP said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>I was grateful to see the fantastic services being provided by Aberlour, as well as the chance to speak to women and children living there. It is clear these are life-changing and life-saving services.   \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aberlour does a fantastic job in helping to support women, avoid children being taken into care and keeping families together where possible – work the Scottish Government is proud to support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Mother and Child Recovery House does vital work and the Scottish Government will provide a further £1.1 million to strengthen Aberlour’s delivery capacity and capabilities and support for more women and children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>","2025-04-23T00:00:00.000000Z","Aberlour Welcomes Cabinet Secretary Neil Gray MSP to Mother and Child Recovery House in Falkirk","Today we welcomed the Cabinet Secretary Neil Gray MSP to Mother and Child Recovery House in Falkirk\n\n","media\u002FMCRH Falkirk April 25.jpg","2025-04-23T13:56:33.000000Z","2025-04-23T14:27:20.000000Z"]