Keeping The Promise

Clackmannanshire Council has pledged that we will work to keep The Promise, putting children and families at the heart of what we do so that every child grows up loved, safe and respected, and able to realise their full potential.

The Promise is a Scotland wide blueprint to deliver on the recommendations of the National Independent Care Review, and is based on five key foundations:

• Voice
  • Children must be listened to and meaningfully and appropriately involved in decision-making about their care, with all those involved properly listening and responding to what children want and need. There must be a compassionate, caring, decision-making culture focussed on children and those they trust.
• Family
  • Where children are safe in their families and feel loved they must stay – and families must be given support together to nurture that love and overcome the difficulties which get in the way.
• Care
  • Where living with their family is not possible, children must stay with their brothers and sisters where safe to do so and belong to a loving home, staying there for as long as needed.
• People
  • The children that Scotland cares for must be actively supported to develop relationships with people in the workforce and wider community, who in turn must be supported to listen and be compassionate in their decision-making and care.
• Scaffolding
  • The system that surrounds all of this - the system of help, decision-making, support and accountability - must be more supportive and responsive.

What are we doing to keep The Promise in Clackmannanshire?

Clackmannanshire Promise Implementation Group reports to the Children's Services Strategic Partnership, the cross party Children and Young People's Board, and to wider Council. This ensures that Keeping The Promise is firmly in sight of all, and remains a key priority in achieving real change for our care experienced children, young people and families. 

The Clackmannanshire Children and Young People’s Partnership is delivering on identified local commitments and actions through Keeping Our Promise - the Children’s Services Plan.

Local priority actions are structured around the five Promise priorities:

• A Good Childhood
• Whole Family Support
• Supporting the Workforce
• Planning
• Building Capacity

The Clackmannanshire Alliance is piloting the Human and Economic Cost Modelling (HECM) approach with support from The Promise Scotland.

Care experienced young people and their carers have engaged in a participatory opportunity with The Promise Design School to support the development of a Participation Network to improve current collaboration and participatory opportunities.

Oor Clacks Voices

Oor Clacks Voices is a participation group for care experienced young people (aged 14-26), providing a safe place to share their views and shape the changes and developments within services based on their position as experts with lived experience. As well as participation activity the group enjoy fun activities as well as having tea together.

The group comes together on the last Wednesday of every month, 5:30-7:30pm at Alloa Family Centre.

If you would like more information contact your social worker or email childcare@clacks.gov.uk who will link you with one of the group volunteers. 

Corporate Sponsor Pledge

The Corporate Sponsor Pledge will be signed by members of the Council's senior leadership group and Alliance partners to show their commitment to The Promise and reframing language used within care.

Update reports

Reports on progress are submitted to the People Committee.

• The Promise Plan Update, December 2023 (pdf) Audit & Scrutiny Meeting 8/2/24
• The Promise Plan 2023/26 (pdf) Council Meeting 10/8/23
• 16/9/21
• 27/5/21
• 25/3/21
• 26/11/20 The Promise (pdf document)

More information

You can find out more about The Promise on its website.