Children in Need? Listening to Children and Young People Whose Parent or Carer is HIV Positive

International attention is being brought to the global HIV/ AIDS epidemic. In contrast, HIV and AIDS risk being forgotten issues for those living in Scotland. Yet in 2002, numbers of reported infections have begun to rise. Children and young people are even more likely to be affected by parental HIV now, as parents live longer and are able to have more children. Very little is known in Scotland about affected children and whether current service provision meets their needs. This research project sought to address certain of these gaps, by gathering quantitative data from service providers and qualitative data from interviewing 28 affected children and young people. The research found a dearth in policies and services, and a failure to audit need. HIV education in schools did not acknowledge that pupils might be living with parents who had HIV illness. Children and young people tended to be very involved in the health care of their parent but none of them received direct support from health workers. On the whole the children and young people did not enjoy support from statutory social workers but appreciated the support and activities provided by workers in the voluntary sector.