Guardians engage with children and their families. Children and young people have spoken to NIGALA about the importance of family relationships and this is captured below.
Siblings share the longest of relationships, they share a family story, have shared life experiences and they can provide lifelong support to each other. Children who are care experienced are vulnerable to losing contact with their brothers and sisters as a result of being placed separately.
A key task for guardians is to ensure assessment of the child/young person’s sibling relationships are to the fore when considering the lifelong best interests of children and young people.
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My relationship with my siblings may actually be my most positive and important relationship.
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Sibling relationships are sometimes seen as secondary to my relationship with parents but my sisters and brothers are equally as important. Our relationship must be protected so it can continue and grow stronger.
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It doesn’t matter how much we fight as sisters and brothers, we still love each other. My siblings are my most important lifelong bond.
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It is my right to have regular contact with my family, no matter how complicated, difficult or even upsetting it might be sometimes. Contact is not just about now; it’s also about my future relationship with my family.
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Trust social workers must organise and protect the maintenance of regular, ongoing contact arrangements so I do not suffer any long delays or extended periods of time when I can’t see my siblings.