Our Registration Line (freephone 08081 642005) is open from Monday to Thursday, 11am to 4pm.
The Scottish Government has issued a note confirming that Scotland’s Redress Scheme is on schedule to open for applications in December this year.
More details in the link: https://www.gov.scot/…/financial-redress-for-survivors-of-…/
News that £9 million of funding has been granted to allow Future Pathways to run for even longer has been welcomed.
The Scottish Government has announced that it will fund the project for a further two years until at least 2023.
Flora Henderson, Alliance Manager for Future Pathways, said: “This welcome announcement will allow for further continued support to survivors of historical child abuse in care, in Scotland.
“Future Pathways offers tailored support to survivors of abuse or neglect and helps them to lead full, healthy and independent lives. Although over 1,400 survivors have already registered with us, we know there are more people out there who have had similar experiences and who could really benefit from our help and support.
“I would like to highlight the dedication of the Future Pathways team, our partners and importantly, the people we work with – their valued support has contributed enormously to the project’s continued success.”
Mental Health Minister for Scotland Clare Haughey said: “The support provided by Future Pathways is vital to help people abused or neglected as children while in care to lead full, healthy and independent lives. “It’s one of a number of initiatives which the government is funding to support those abused while in care.”
During lockdown, you have been sharing your thoughts about the pandemic with Future Pathways. Vicky has asked us to share her poem about it with you:
The world is fighting a war – you could say, it is world war three. But this battle has no exploding bombs, soldiers firing guns, grenades being thrown, or missiles being fired into the air. The enemy is silent, deadly, and invisible, we all have to take care.
There are no air raid sirens, warning us that danger is near. But with every day that passes, the death toll continues growing, and that fills us all with fear.
This war is not a conflict between different countries, it’s a fight to save people’s lives from a deadly virus named Covid-19. The best defence is to stay in your house and keep your hands clean.
We have thousands of troops from medical teams, emergency services, food suppliers, distributors, politicians and volunteers.
They are fighting round the clock to keep us safe and well, how long this will last, only time will tell.
In these times of uncertainty there is one thing for sure – we will have hard and sad times, highs and lows. But we must stand together, take the good with the bad, play the game, fight the fight, and one day soon, everything will be alright.
Legislation to provide financial redress to people who were abused in care as children is set to be introduced in Scotland this year.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has confirmed that the Redress (Survivors of In Care Abuse) (Scotland) Bill will be introduced in the Scottish Parliament following its summer recess.
He has set out his intentions in a letter to Education and Skills Convener Clare Adamson MSP, which has been published on the Scottish Parliament website.
Mr Swinney made a statement in Parliament in October 2018 giving a commitment to establishing a financial redress scheme for survivors of child abuse in care and ensuring that the legislation for it is passed before the end of the Parliamentary term in March 2021, subject to parliamentary approval.
A total of 280 people took part in a public consultation on the redress scheme at the end of 2019, and a report on the results was published in March this year.
For more information about the redress scheme, please go to the Scottish Government website.
How do you feel about life under lockdown? One of the people supported by Future Pathways shared his thoughts with us:
“I’m amazed at how little this pandemic has impacted my life. In the beginning, the very word “pandemic ” brought fear surging into my life but as time went on, I find no fear.
“Many around me are living in fear.
“You can see it in their eyes. They move off of the pavements to avoid people. Masks of fear on everyone’s faces.
“Rubber gloves, hand sanitizer, wash, wash, washing of hands.
“Watching every sound byte, every news update. Feeding the fear with every word Boris Johnson utters.
“Hold on, this is my world of fear.
“I’m the one so used to living in perpetual fear.
“I avoid social contact.
“I avoid people.
“The world has become confusing.
“It’s turned upside down overnight.
“I’ve lived with anxiety, depression, panic attacks, social phobia, that fear of sudden death most of my life.
“Now the rest of the world is getting a taste of my day to day life.
“My normal, wasn’t normal.
“This life we are all living just now, doesn’t feel normal but strangely I fit in to it.
“Except, I don’t have their fears.
“I like that there are less people on the streets.
“I like that pubs are closed.
“I like that shops are not busy.
“Part of me wants it to stay like this.
“It’s quieter
“I’m not on high alert.
“I think of putting in more self-care during this time.
“Working on all the issues that have pushed me down.
“It seems like the perfect time.
“Maybe others will be reflecting on their own life situation.
“I wonder what good will come from all of this?”
Here is a case study about Daniel, who registered with Future Pathways after struggling with housing issues.
Daniel came to Future Pathways as he had a difficult and traumatic upbringing in care. He was assigned to receive team support from Future Pathways, which involves a group of support coordinators sharing responsibility for more than one person.
Daniel identified that the job he was in was not secure and did not pay him on time. As a result, he was struggling to pay his rent in full each month and received threatening letters. This negatively impacted his mental health and quality of life. Daniel did not feel respected and the trauma from his childhood began to resurface again. Daniel started to place less value on himself and it was a depressing time for him.
Daniel’s flat was a safe space for him and the prospect of losing it and becoming homeless terrified him. Being able to keep his flat was important to Daniel as it contributed towards maintaining his overall mental health and wellbeing.
Daniel required short term assistance from Future Pathways to cover his rent while he moved to a new job, as well as trauma-informed support.
He said: “If I hadn’t had that help to cover my rent while I moved jobs, I would have spiralled into depression. I’ve done that before, but I didn’t this time because I’ve got that help there.”
Daniel remains in his own flat and does not need support from Future Pathways, but he knows that he can reach out to Future Pathways again if his needs change. Daniel has met all his personal outcomes. He continues to live in his own home, has settled in at work, feels respected, and is becoming more social again.
He added: “I can actually see the change. Things are so much better.”