Transforming Friendship Focused Support

Staf, in partnership with a team of care experienced researchers, throughcare and aftercare workers, and staff from the Universities of Edinburgh and Stirling, undertook a research project into friendship support for care experienced people.

What is this project about?

This is a research project about friendship and care experience. It involves care experienced people, and throughcare and aftercare workers, being supported by a small team from Staf and the Universities of Edinburgh and Stirling.

The aim is to find better ways of supporting the friendships of people with care experience. We are doing research together, then developing a Framework for Friendship Focused Support and Ideas for Change materials.

The Framework, and the materials we design to go with it, will help everyone in the ‘care system’ better understand the importance of friendship, and give them practical ideas and strategies for the best ways to support friendship.

Why is it important?

Most people value friendship in their lives, and find comfort, support and happiness in these relationships. However, we know from the Independent Care Review in Scotland, we do not always do enough to support the friendships of people with care experience.

As The Promise report (p23) highlights:

“Friendships and relationships with people in the workforce and wider community are important. These relationships may be where children find the love and care they need. Children in care must be actively supported to develop connections and relationships. Relationships must not be prevented by an assumption that children may come to harm and/or face unnecessary risk.”

Who and what is involved?

We are working with pairs of care experienced people and workers from Aberdeenshire, Stirling University and the Hub for Success in Edinburgh.

Each care experienced person is working alongside a throughcare and aftercare worker of their choice to investigate how friendship is supported in their organisations. Together, they will identify examples of good practice, and areas to be improved or developed.

Our team includes:

Dr Autumn Roesch-Marsh at the University of Edinburgh
Professor Ruth Emond at the University of Stirling
Pamela Graham, Head of Operations at Staf
Ruth Kerracher, Participation and Rights Manager at Staf

This project took place from August 2024 to September 2025. We shared the outputs at the Staf Conference in November 2025.

Access all the resources created by the friendship project team here.

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