Bairns’ care homes rely on committit fowk | Letter

I congratulate the Guardian an the Bureau o Investigative Journalism for exposin the disgraceful state o residential childcare an the uise o illegal bairns’ hames. Housomever, this is a symptom, no a cause.

While there are guid private bairns’ hames (I’ve warked wi some), they are defined by personal an faimily commitment, no profit. The same relationships are needit whaever rins a bairns’ hame, whether a charitable organisation or local authority. Withoot the personal, unflinchan commitment o councillors, managers, social warkers an, maist importantly, the grownups that wark in the hame, it canna be a lovin hame.

We hae been led to believe that regulation an inspection ensure guid care. Dae they? Nae. A reliance on sic quality standards an monitorin has in pairt led us to this absoord situation. These profit generators are a result o oor reluctance to accept the responsibility an risks o giein bairns love an real care. Things will gang wrang, they dae in ony hame, an aften it’s sortin things oot again that produces the greatest therapeutic effect.

Hames are no creatit by rules an regulations, but by faimilies an communities, that is to say, fowk. Nae guid hame exists withoot direct, personal commitment an relationships, an the internal an external organisation that enables an supports sic relationships.

John Burton, Author, Leading Good Care