Commenting on the campaign launch, Heather Gray, Chief Executive of Who Cares? Scotland said:

"The Give me a chance campaign is long overdue. For many years the children and young people we work with have complained of being bullied, blamed or written off just because they are in care. They speak of the hurt and shame when other children's parents try to stop them being their friends, when teachers expect them to fail rather than succeed and when neighbours' first reaction to any trouble in the area is to point the finger at the local children's unit.

"Our survey shows that the public is beginning to understand that being in care can give young people the chance to overcome the difficulties they've had at home. That's encouraging but I am concerned that, when it comes to the over twelves, a lot of people still hold on to the old-fashioned notion that it is ‘bad' children who go into care. In fact, regardless of age, most children and young people go into care because they are at risk of coming to harm if they remain in their own homes.

"The Give me a chance campaign is calling for a fair deal for children and young people in care. It is every child's right to be treated fairly and to get the best possible chance in life. Being in care doesn't change that."

The campaign highlights that most children and young people in residential care are in care because they are at risk of coming to harm if they remain in their own homes, not because of old fashioned beliefs that bad children are in care. Who Cares? Scotland is working to remove this stigma attached to these children and young people to give them a chance.

For further information on children and young people in care go to:

• www.whocaresscotland.org
• www.sircc.org.uk
• www.scotland.gov.uk