Caring Scotland is a listening project that will document the lives and experiences of care experienced* people in Scotland.

We want to hear from anyone who currently is or has been in care, up until they were aged 18 (or in some instances aged 21). We are inviting everyone from the care experienced* community to connect with us and to tell their story - all ages, backgrounds and experiences.

Working with a group of artists with a focus on listening, we’ll record these stories, and this collection will be stored forever at the National Library of Scotland as well as featuring on the National Theatre of Scotland website for everyone to connect with and listen to.

The project aims to raise the profile, celebrate the achievements and foster empowerment of the care experienced community and is inspired by the practice of playwright and socially engaged theatre-maker, Nicola McCartney.

In addition, throughout 2026-2027 we will be touring an interactive installation inspired by the care experienced community we meet around Scotland as well as a photographic exhibition of care experienced individuals and their accompanying story, which will be free to attend.

The project will be delivered by NTS in partnership with Who Cares? Scotland and the National Library of Scotland, funded with an award from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Caring Scotland is also supported by Scottish partners; Dundee Rep Theatre, Citizens Theatre, Glasgow and Aberdeen Performing Arts alongside local authority social work departments with whom the theatres already have positive existing connections.

About the The National Lottery Heritage Fund

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.

Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. Caring Scotland is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Get Involved

If you are care experienced*, we want to hear from you and give you the opportunity to share your story

* The term care experience refers to anyone who currently is or has been in care, or from a looked after background, at any stage in their life up to the age of 18 (or in some instances the age of 21, depending on when you left care/being looked after), no matter how short. This includes adopted children who were previously looked after. This care may have been provided in one of many different settings such as a children’s home, secure care, foster care, kinship care (a family member, other than your biological parents are/were your main carer) or through being looked after at home with a supervision requirement. Looked after at home means you remained in the family home, with your parent or parents and had contact with a social work and the Children’s Panel.

Here's how to get in touch:

Register your interest in contributing a story by filling in your contact details here

Or email caring.scotland@nationaltheatrescotland.com

For more information, see Frequently Asked Questions below.

| FAQs

Does my story need to be about my care experience?

No, it doesn't.  You can tell us a story about whatever aspect of your life story you choose. It could be about your experience in the system, or beforehand. It can be about what you’re doing now or have done since. This is your story to tell in your own words.

Where will my story live?

The stories will live on forever as part of National Library of Scotland Sound Collection. There will be an audio file of your voice and all the stories will also be transcribed into written text.

Some stories may form part of the interactive installation and photographic exhibition that will tour across Scotland in 2026/27. The interactive installation will be inspired by all the stories collected. The photographic exhibition will consist of a number of stories.

Will my story be edited?

Your complete, unedited story will become part of the National Library of Scotland Sound Collection. There may be occasions where we have to edit out a name or other content which might identify a living person in material we publish.

For the National Theatre of Scotland website, we envisage extracts of your story will feature on our website as well as full stories. We will let you hear which extract is being used.

For the National Theatre of Scotland touring interactive installation – as this is inspired by all the collected stories, there may be part of your story in the installation. This could take the shape of a quote, extract, line from your story or it might just be a word. The photographic exhibition will consist of a number of stories.

What is the process of collecting stories?

The stories collected will be audio recordings that will also be written out in full. Our Artist Facilitator will collaborate with you in the story collection which would take a minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 3 hours of your time.

For care experienced service providers, we would work with you on a bespoke package for your organisation.

Can I remain anonymous?

Yes. You can select this at time of audio recording with the Artist Facilitator.

Am I required to sign a consent form for my story to be used within project?

We will collaborate with you to ensure you are happy with the story you are contributing and will ask you to sign a consent form.

Who are the intended audience?

The intended audience will be the general public and through the project we hope to improve understanding with them about what it means to be care experienced. We envisage that academics and researchers will also have an interest in the National Library of Scotland Sound Collection.

What happens if you get more than 100 stories?

Our aim is to collect at least 100 stories and all stories collected will form part of the National Library of Scotland Sound Collection.

The touring interactive installation will be inspired by all the stories from the care experienced community. This could take the shape of a quote, extract, line from a story, or even just a word. The photographic exhibition will consist of a number of stories.

How do I ask further questions?

You can email caring.scotland@nationaltheatrescotland.com with any questions and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

What if I require further support after contributing my story?

Our partners Who Cares? Scotland can provide referral support if you get in touch with their Helpline, which is open Monday to Friday from 12-4pm.

You can call 0330 107 7540 or email help@whocaresscotland.orgor get in touch through the free messaging function on their website -https://www.whocaresscotland.org/get-support/the-helpline/