Corporate Parenting at NHS Lothian
On this page, you’ll find information about corporate parenting principles, responsibilities, and how NHS Lothian is working to make a positive impact on the lives of care experienced children and young people.
NHS Lothian works together with local councils, community and voluntary organisations and other groups to help make sure care experienced children and young people in East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian and West Lothian are taken care of. NHS Lothian and the local councils have specific plans to support care experienced children and young people.
NHS Lothian is committed to The Promise and ensuring care experienced children and young people get the support they need. Corporate Parenting is one of NHS Lothian’s priorities and is included in our strategic planning documents. This means, when NHS Lothian makes plans for the future, we include supporting care experienced children and young people. One of the many documents for future planning is the Corporate Parenting Plan. Download our plan here or learn more about it below!
Important Terminology and Guidelines
Below are terms, guidelines and other information to provide additional context and better explain NHS Lothian’s work related to corporate parenting and care experienced children and young people.
What is Corporate Parenting?
A corporate parent is the name given to an organisation or person who has special responsibilities to care experienced children and young people. Please click the arrow to the left for more information.
Corporate parenting means that different organisations work together to help children and young people who are in care. These organisations have special responsibilities to support these young people until they are 26 years old. They make sure that these kids have their rights protected and get the best chances in life. Corporate Parents are responsible for #KeepingThePromise. Learn more about The Promise Scotland through the website.
Corporate parents have specific duties and responsibilities toward CECYP up to the age of 26. Corporate parents help ensure the rights of care experienced people are upheld, and that they have the best chances and outcomes in life.
A corporate parent is the name given to an organisation or person who has special responsibilities to care experienced children and young people. Those organisations include NHS Health Boards (like NHS Lothian), the police, the fire service, local authorities (including East Lothian, Edinburgh Midlothian and West Lothian), social work services, and many more. Learn more about corporate parenting duties and responsibilities through Who Cares Scotland’s website.
Corporate Parents Include:
What does “care experienced” mean?
A care experienced person is someone who has lived in a care home or with a foster family at some time in their life. This includes kids who were adopted after living in care. Please click the arrow to the left for more information.
Previously, these individuals were referred to as “looked after.” Although “care experienced” isn’t a legal term, it’s one which the Independent Care Review heard has special meaning for many of the people who identify with it.
The Promise Scotland lays out that “care experienced” is a term which tries to acknowledge that, for some people:
The sense of being in care is a shared experience | Two different care experienced people may have been in very different situations. But they may find their experiences still had a lot in common, in ways which someone who wasn’t care experienced couldn’t identify with.
Care is an experience, but not one that totally defines you | Although going into care can affect a person, it doesn’t sum up everything about them. The phrase care experienced conveys this— a thing you experience doesn’t convey the whole of what you are.
Language should put the person it talks about at the centre | For a long time, people talked about “looked after” children and young people. But that phrase puts the focus on the people taking care of them. Care experienced conveys it’s what happens to a child that matters, because what matters is the child themselves.
What is The Promise?
Scotland’s promise to care experienced children and young people is that they will grow up loved, safe, and respected. Learn more about The Promise through the video below (please click the arrow to the left to access the video) and The Promise Scotland’s website.
Corporate Parenting at NHS Lothian
The People Behind The Promise
All NHS Lothian staff are dedicated to keeping The Promise, especially our teams that work directly with care experienced children and young people.
Meet Our Child Protection Team
What is Child Protection?
At NHS Lothian, keeping you safe is essential. This is called Public Protection, and it means making sure children, young people and groups of people who are at increased risk of harm get support and protection when they need it.
Looking out for your safety isn’t just the job of one team—everyone who works for NHS Lothian has a part to play in keeping you safe and well.
There are rules set by the Scottish Government that help us work together with other services—like social work and schools—to make sure you get the right support if you ever feel unsafe. NHS Lothian works closely with local councils in East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian and West Lothian to help protect you and others in your community.
Your safety, dignity, and wellbeing matter—and we’re here to help make sure you’re supported every step of the way.
Child Protection Leadership
Carolyn Wylie, Director of Public Protection
Claire Kapusciak, Public Protection Lead Nurse
Learn about our Child Protection Hub.
NHS Lothian offers a Child Protection Hub, which is a team of specially trained Children’s doctors (Paediatricians) and Child Protection Advisors who work alongside dedicated administrative assistants on a single site.
They operate a 24/7 service for child protection referrals and advice.
Concerned about a child?
Child protection is everyone’s responsibility. If you have concerns about the safety of a child or young person while visiting any NHS Lothian site, please speak to a member of staff who can contact the NHS Lothian Child Protection Hub.
If you are a member of the public and have concerns about any child or young person, please contact your local Social Care duty team, police or the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. You can report a concern or seek advice in confidence.
Meet Our Care Experienced Children’s Nursing Team
The Care Experienced Children’s Nursing Team is part of NHS Lothian’s Child Protection Team. If you’re care experienced and under 18, the Care Experienced Nursing Team is available to you. It doesn’t matter if you live at home, with family (kinship care) or in foster or residential care — they’re here to support your health and wellbeing.
They offer you a full health check to make sure you’re feeling as good as you can, both physically and emotionally. It’s a chance to talk about anything to do with your health—big or small—and think about any changes you might want to make.
Together, they’ll create a health plan that suits your needs and check in to make sure it’s working for you. Their goal is to help you stay healthy and feel your best, so you can reach your full potential.
Meet Our Through Care and After Care Team
The Through Care and After Care Team is a service that works with both NHS Lothian and local authority public protection teams. They offer support and advice on health and wellbeing to young people that are currently receiving or entitled to Through Care & After Care services. They can also offer one to one confidential service and give young people the opportunity for a personal full health assessment.
Meet Our Child Health Commissioner
What Does a Child Health Commissioner Do?
A Child Health Commissioner is a leader in every NHS Health Board in Scotland. They work to make sure health services meet the needs of children and young people. They help plan and improve services, making sure children and young people’s voices are heard and their rights are respected.
Part of their job is ensuring care experienced children and young people get the support they need. Overall, a Child Health Commissioner ensures that health services are designed with you in mind, helping you stay healthy and supported.
Pamela Murray, Child Health Commissioner
Corporate Parenting Board
As part of future planning, NHS Lothian brings together a variety of professionals to discuss actions, create plans, provide updates, engage care experienced children and young people and address barriers. This group is called the Corporate Parenting Board and they meet every other month. The Board includes leaders that are crucial to the progress of the Corporate Parenting Plan.
Corporate Parenting Plan
Our Corporate Parenting Plans have helped us define opportunities for us to improve how we deliver services for care experienced children and young people.
Annual Report
Corporate Parenting Across Lothian
Learn more about the efforts to improve outcomes for care experienced children and young people in the local authorities NHS Lothian partners with.
East Lothian
Edinburgh
Midlothian
West Lothian
Resources for care experienced children and young people
Helpful Organisations
Young Scot
Offers information on financial help, local services and practical advice for care leavers and young people with care experience.
Who Cares? Scotland
Provides independent advocacy, advice on rights, helpline support and opportunities to connect with others who have care experience.
The Promise Scotland
Works to ensure that Scotland keeps its commitment to care experienced children and young people growing up loved, safe and respected by 2030.
Children in Scotland
Offers various services, including My Rights, My Say, and funding opportunities aimed at improving the lives of children and young people in Scotland.
Helpful Links
Financial Support for Care Leavers
Details various financial supports and benefits available to care leavers and those with care experience.
Children’s Health Scotland Care Experienced Service
Offers health rights information, workshops, and support for care experienced children, young people, and their carers.
AyeFeel | Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing
Find information about how to look after your emotional wellbeing, discover support from organisations around Scotland and tips on how to promote a positive mindset.
What Support Can I Get as a Care Leaver or If I’m Care Experienced?
Benefits, support and places to go for help if you’ve been in care or are a care leaver in Scotland.
Benefits for care-experienced students
Students who have been in local authority care in Scotland may be eligible financial assistance – find out more here.
Propel into Education
A service supporting care-experienced young people to college and university through advice, longer-term 1-2-1 support, workshops and information about the support that different universities offer care leavers.
