Renfrewshire Council has launched a new scheme which guarantees job interviews for people with care experience who apply for council roles and meet the essential criteria.
The Care Experienced Guaranteed Interview Scheme aims to help remove barriers that some people face when entering employment and to ensure fair access to jobs within the council.
Under the scheme, any applicant with care experience who meets the basic requirements for a post will automatically be offered an interview.
In Scotland, “care experienced” refers to people who have been formally looked after by a local authority. This can include those supported in the family home by social services, living in kinship care with relatives or friends, foster care, residential or secure care, or those who were legally adopted.
Renfrewshire Council says staff involved in recruitment will also be made aware of the commitment to supporting care experienced applicants, both during the hiring process and once they are in employment.
Councillor Emma Rodden, convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Education and Children’s Services Policy Board, said: “I’m delighted to see the introduction of the guaranteed interview scheme, which directly responds to what our care-experienced colleagues told us about the challenges they have faced.
“Too often, care-experienced people face significant barriers when applying for jobs, including disrupted education, gaps in employment and limited access to informal networks that others often rely on.
“This new scheme will help to level the playing field for care experienced candidates. It does not guarantee a job as they must still perform well at interview and demonstrate they are the best fit for the role—but it does help create fairer access to opportunities.
“We want to make Renfrewshire Council a place where people with care experience feel welcomed and valued for their unique perspective and diverse skillset that would be an asset to any organisation.”
Maurice Gilligan, Promise Manager at Renfrewshire Council, said: “The new Guaranteed Interview Scheme is a fantastic step forward in opening doors for people with care experience. By ensuring eligible candidates are automatically offered an interview, the scheme helps unlock potential that may otherwise go unseen, especially for those whose strengths and abilities aren’t always reflected through traditional recruitment routes.
“While candidates will still shine through their performance at interview and demonstrate their suitability for the role, this scheme ensures they have fair access to showcase their talent. It’s a meaningful way of creating more equitable opportunities and recognising the value and potential that care experienced individuals bring.”
The scheme forms part of the council’s work to support The Promise, Scotland’s commitment to improve the lives of children and young people with care experience.
Renfrewshire Council said work is already underway across its services to embed the principles of The Promise in how policies and services are developed.
The council’s Promise Manager and Promise Ambassador, Sam MacRae, works across departments to ensure the needs of care experienced people are considered in planning and decision-making.
The council also says more than 400 “Promise Keepers” across the organisation and partner groups are helping to raise awareness and ensure the voices of care experienced people are heard.