As Care Experience Week draws to a close, Police Scotland’s Edinburgh Division are reaffirming their commitment by announcing their Care Experienced Pledge which was developed following discussions with the Edinburgh Champions Board on what they can do to better support those with care experience.
The Edinburgh City Division Care Experienced Pledge will guarantee the following:
Where it is identified to police that a care experienced young person has concern for their personal safety at home, police will guarantee a meeting to discuss a safety plan and offer advice should they wish to accept such an offer.
Where a care experienced young person is identified as wanting to join the police (as a constable, special constable or member of police staff) and meets the minimum criteria for application, police will:
• facilitate a meeting with a serving probationer constable or member of police staff to discuss the practicalities and demands of the role, and
• offer support with the recruitment process via the Divisional Training Sergeant or police staff equivalent, and
• guarantee them a meeting with a member of the Local Area Command team should they wish support in the application process
Where it is identified that a care experienced young person has been successful in the recruitment process and wishes additional support, police will identify a mentor for them for the length of their probationary period.
In addition police will actively promote the Police Scotland Youth Volunteers programme to care experienced young people.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
