Almost 2,000 care-experienced kids supported by MCR Pathways in Glasgow

Over the last year, almost 2,000 care-experienced children were supported in Glasgow's classrooms by MCR Pathways coordinators.

The charity has released an impact report this week as part of its campaign, calling on Glasgow City Council to rethink plans to cut volunteers from schools altogether.

Clyde 1 previously reported on the petition launched by the Glasgow-based charity.

READ MORE: 'My son hasn't been in school since December': Petition to scrap Glasgow education cuts

The local authority originally made the decision as part of plans to bridge a £108m shortfall in the budget over the next three years.

However, due to MCR Pathways' campaign, the council is now reviewing the decision.

26,750 hours of mentoring

The impact report shows that 1,989 young people with care experience, social work involvement or continuous instability at home were supported over the last year in Glasgow alone.

That adds up to 26,750 hours of one-to-one mentoring.

The report also concluded that 48.2% of MCR-mentored young people achieved at least one Higher qualification before leaving school, compared to the national level of 29.2% care-experienced students.

Around 77% of the young people that MCR Pathways mentors have at least one additional support needs.

Snapshot of report

Founder Iain MacRitchie said: "We're delighted to publish this impact report.

"Three quarters of our young people have additional support needs, and 70% of them live in the 20% of the most deprived parts of the country, but despite that, they have attained, they have progressed to positive destinations, and absolutely can evidence the impact on their wellbeing.

"But let me be specific - if I pick some of the data from the impact report, MCR mentored young people who are achieving at least one qualification at National 5 is at 89.5%.

"And this compares and contrasts with a level of 65.7% for those nationally in the care system at the moment as a benchmark.

"And even when it comes to Highers, 48.2% of mentored young people in Glasgow are getting at least one hire at that qualification. That compares nationally with 29.2%.

"These numbers are transformational, and it's not just attainment.

"If I look at the progression to university, college and employment, which is a higher standard that MCR applies to destinations, as I would for my young person, for my son, for my daughter.

"Those progressing to university, college and employment is at 83.9%. And that compares and contrasts with those that are not mentored in the late 60s percents.

"These are transformational numbers, but most importantly for us, underpinning that, because we ask every young person a series of questions of how they feel, and we compare and contrast that with what the schools think, and equally what the mentors think.

"83% of the young people noticed a massive difference in their confidence, and that came from the mentor. 93% helped build up trust, and 95% gave their mentor as a good role model.

"So this is transformational in many ways, but not least for the mental health agenda that we are focusing in on at the moment.

" cannot contemplate that our councils and schools would consider removing the coordinators and taking, sadly, the attainment or progression numbers back to some devastating averages that exist if you're in the care system.

"I'm sure once Glasgow City Council understands the full extent of the impact, that they will absolutely reverse the decision and really continue to support our most vulnerable.

"We have 2,000 of those young people being supported in Glasgow at the moment."

'No decision has been taken'

A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council said: “A review of our MCR mentoring co-ordinators is underway following the council budget in February.

“No decision has been taken to stop the programme and several options are being explored.

“The cross party, political oversight group will be made aware of the options, and we will keep staff and the relevant trade unions informed and updated of developments.

“Glasgow is very proud of the achievements of all our pupils and our schools and this year our positive school leaver destination figures are the best recorded with 97.7% (above the national average of 95.9%) of young people going on to training, employment or further and higher education.”

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