Leader comment: Help celebrate the caring

The campaign, Five Nations One Voice, brings together Who Cares? Scotland, The Who Cares? Trust (England), Voices from Care (Wales), VOYPIC (Northern Ireland) and EPIC (Ireland). The organisations “share a dream” for a world in which the life chances of children in care are equal to those of their peers.

Who would not want to support that? The care system really only comes under the spotlight when there is a tragedy or a scandal. Most recently in Edinbrugh there has been the sad case of Blake Ross, 13, a diabetic who died after he was reported missing without his medication.

There are inquiries both in Scotland and in the UK in to allegations of children being abused in care. The media is often blamed for that negative focus but such is the nature of news, and surely no-one would advocate such tragedies and scandal should pass unreported.

But let me now take this opportunity to highlight the fact that there are more than 15,500 young people growing up in care in Scotland, and we should mark their achievements the dedication and selflessness of the many who look after them.