This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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£3 million for young people at risk
18/11/2003
A £3 million package of government funding is to help join up services for young people at risk.
The package includes:
A one-off grant of £250,000 to Irvine Laidlaw's new foundation
Continuation of the existing £750,000 annual grant to Lloyds TSB Partnership Drugs Initiative (until March 2006)
£1.2 million over two years (2004-06) to Columba 1400
Speaking in Edinburgh, at a national conference hosted by Irvine Laidlaw, chairman of IIR Holdings Ltd, First Minister Jack McConnell said that organisations should abandon their artificial barriers and form a powerful coalition to deliver the servicesScotland's most vulnerable young people need.
He continued: "We all care that there are still children inScotlandin the 21st century who are abused, neglected or abandoned. Thousands of young Scots have been let down by the adults in their lives - and desperately need other adults to take care of them. We care about this, we care about these children but - importantly - we can and will make a difference.
"Government - both local and national - not only has the moral responsibility but the legal responsibility to make sure all children are cared for. We must use our resources wisely, making sure they reach the children that need them the most and we must build a framework of services that deals with their needs.
"But we have a tradition inScotlandwhere the work of government is supplemented by charities and by individuals who make significant donations of time and money to help others.
"I believe this can be a powerful coalition - much more powerful than government on its own - in taking care of, and transforming the lives of vulnerable young people.
"We must work on delivering this transformation together. We must deliver a seamless journey from childhood to adolescence to adulthood where we fit the service to the needs of the child - and don't expect the child to fit the service."
And he went on to reject the notion that any child is "born to fail".
He said: "Young people are not in local authority care because of their own failures, but because of the failure of others to look after them. The least that we can do is to give them a chance of success. And if they don't make it with their first chance, then we must keep on giving them chances to have successful and fulfilling adult lives.
"Organisations must abandon their artificial barriers and work together to deliver the services thatScotland's forgotten youngsters need. GPs should work with housing officers, voluntary organisations should work with local authorities and the police co-operate with social workers. Nothing matters but the welfare of these young Scots."