STEWART HOSIE MP BACKS #BUILDINGHAPPIERFUTURES CAMPAIGN

Stewart Hosie MP for Dundee East, is delighted to pledge their support for the John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures campaign, which aims to help build happier futures for children and young people who’ve been in care. There are an estimated 100,000 children and young people who will spend this Christmas in care this year, and many young people who have experienced care as children can often feel isolated and forgotten, particularly at Christmas.

The John Lewis Partnership wants them to feel seen this Christmas and to inspire communities to come together to make a real difference to our care experienced young people, through a fundraising partnership with Action for Children and Who Cares? Scotland.

John Lewis and Waitrose will also directly support children in care and young people leaving care through the tough Christmas period with donations of decorations, food and gifts. Children in care and their caregivers will be invited into John Lewis to enjoy magical Santa’s Grotto experiences. Waitrose will be working with charity Gold from the Stone to support the Christmas Dinner Project for care leavers across the UK.

We want the very best for our children and young adults in care. And our collective ambition for their futures is high. But lack of opportunity means that young people who grow up in care are three times less likely to be in education, employment or training by the time they reach 19 than their peers.

To address this, the John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures programme will support projects from organisations within the care sector that are working to build happier futures for care experienced people, helping to prepare them for employment as well as providing direct apprenticeship opportunities within the John Lewis Partnership.

This is a crucial time for children and young people who’ve been in care, as they await the Government’s response to the Independent Review of Social Care by the end of this year. We need to urgently invest in improving and reforming children’s social care, so that every child and young person gets the support they need to build happier futures.

Stewart Hosie MP says:

“I’m delighted to pledge my support for the John Lewis Partnership campaign to give a happier Christmas to children and young people who’ve been in care. Every child deserves a future that is merry and bright. Which is why I’m committed to supporting my constituents who are or have been in care and why it’s fantastic that John Lewis has used the power of its Christmas advert to shine a light on this crucial issue.”

Imran Hussain, Director of Policy & Campaigns, Action for Children, says: “At Action for Children we want every child to have a safe and happy childhood. Every year, we work with over 40,000 children and young people in, or with experience of, the care system, and we know the challenges and poor outcomes they may face. We are delighted to be working with the John Lewis Partnership on its iconic Christmas advert and applaud the company for its work and long-term commitment to shining a light on the issues facing some of the most vulnerable children in the country. We believe this partnership will enable us to support and empower more children and young people as they make the transition from care into the adult world.”

Pippa Wicks, Executive Director at John Lewis, says: “Turbulent times worsen social inequalities, and Christmas is a time when this can be most keenly felt. It’s more important than ever for our business to stand up and use our voice to make a difference where we can. Our Christmas campaign is an important step in our long-term plans to become the employer of choice for young people leaving the care system, and to provide lasting change and hope for children like Ellie.”

Louise Hunter, CEO of Who Cares? Scotland, said: “We know that Christmas can be difficult for lots of people, and that’s particularly true for our Care Experienced community who may not have family to spend it with. As the national membership body for Care Experienced people, we know that the Christmas period can bring loneliness, isolation and a sense of being different from others who enjoy a more traditional Christmas Day. We’re delighted that the John Lewis Christmas advert will feature a different kind of family, one which will resonate with the many thousands of people across the UK, with experience of care. At Who Cares? Scotland, our vision is a lifetime of equality, respect and love for all Care Experienced people and we are excited to have the support of the John Lewis Partnership in making that a reality.”