The U App
In 2020 the Independent Care Review and Scottish Government made a promise, to make Scotland the best place in the world to grow up.
Throughout this project I collaborated with social workers, psychologists, foster parents and people with lived experience of the foster care system.
Not all children who are in contact with social services will end up in foster care, and each child in foster care will have their own unique experience.
Throughout this project I collaborated with social workers, psychologists, foster parents and people with lived experience of the foster care system.
Not all children who are in contact with social services will end up in foster care, and each child in foster care will have their own unique experience.
Due to the highly sensitive topics that were discussed throughout this project, anonymity is a key consideration. Throughout this project, I was be firmly committed to following the World Health Organisation ethical principles; integrity, accountability, respect, professional commitment and independence & impartiality.
For the purpose of this project, I am following the journey of Luca, a persona developed from interviews with people with lived experience of the foster care system.
A teacher raised concerns about neglect and abuse, at which point social services began working alongside the family to allow Luca to continue being looked after at home.
Unfortunately, early intervention was unsuccessful, and Luca had to be placed with a foster family. This period was very traumatic for Luca, his whole world was turned upside down with no warning. When Luca arrived at his placement, he had to learn how to be a family with a group of strangers.
He's had lots of people come and go from his life, so he's guarded around new people. Luca struggles to cope with his emotions, they often surface as destructive behaviours.
Luca's narrative is very confused because his life has been so turbulent. He isn’t quite sure who he is.
A teacher raised concerns about neglect and abuse, at which point social services began working alongside the family to allow Luca to continue being looked after at home.
Unfortunately, early intervention was unsuccessful, and Luca had to be placed with a foster family. This period was very traumatic for Luca, his whole world was turned upside down with no warning. When Luca arrived at his placement, he had to learn how to be a family with a group of strangers.
He's had lots of people come and go from his life, so he's guarded around new people. Luca struggles to cope with his emotions, they often surface as destructive behaviours.
Luca's narrative is very confused because his life has been so turbulent. He isn’t quite sure who he is.
The final outcome of this project was a speculative design that built on the findings of the Independent Care Review (ICR) to empower children in Scotland. My outcome was developed from weeks of participatory research and co-design with a diverse group of participants from the UK and America. The outcome was an app that could be implemented to aid early intervention and would benefit care experienced children right through until adulthood.
As part of Scotland’s #promise to become the best place in the world to grow up, the U app has been developed to provide support and guidance to all children associated with the Scottish care system.
The app incorporates many ideas that already exist and are commonly used by families, social workers and psychologists to support children. The difference is that with the U app, children have access to all the resources they might need, in one place.
The U app was introduced Scotland wide in January 2026 and since then, has been available to all children aged 10-18 who are or have been in contact with social services.
The U app is initially introduced as a form of early intervention to support children, and to give them a voice that enables them to tell adults how they feel and what they need.
The landing screen has shortcuts to helpful tools represented with simple illustrations.
As a child becomes familiar with the app, they can personalise their home screen so that it contains the features they use most often.
The menu page directs children to the more personal sections including their profile and life story.
The U app is initially introduced as a form of early intervention to support children, and to give them a voice that enables them to tell adults how they feel and what they need.
The landing screen has shortcuts to helpful tools represented with simple illustrations.
As a child becomes familiar with the app, they can personalise their home screen so that it contains the features they use most often.
The menu page directs children to the more personal sections including their profile and life story.
When a child meets their social worker they will be encouraged to build their profile. Children can represent themselves in any way they like, whether that be a photograph, a drawing of themselves or something completely different.
They also have complete autonomy over what information they share.
Foster families are also required to build their own profile.
This profile will be made available to a child prior to meeting the family, this alleviates anxiety and lets them know what to expect.
Foster parent profiles also includes references from children who have been looked after that family in the past. To ensure these references are truthful they are not visible to the foster parents.
An algorithm works to suggests matches between children and foster parents based on these profiles. However, an algorithm can never replace the expertise of a professional. Because the matching process is more of an art than a science, the social worker always oversees this process.
They also have complete autonomy over what information they share.
Foster families are also required to build their own profile.
This profile will be made available to a child prior to meeting the family, this alleviates anxiety and lets them know what to expect.
Foster parent profiles also includes references from children who have been looked after that family in the past. To ensure these references are truthful they are not visible to the foster parents.
An algorithm works to suggests matches between children and foster parents based on these profiles. However, an algorithm can never replace the expertise of a professional. Because the matching process is more of an art than a science, the social worker always oversees this process.
The app will enable children to expand their network.
This could be made up of social workers, foster parents, friends & family members where appropriate, and mentors, who would either be a trained volunteer with lived experience of the care system or a trainee social worker.
Due to the risks associated with online communication, children can only contact approved members of their network. Conversations are monitored by social services to make sure that everyone is communicating appropriately.
This could be made up of social workers, foster parents, friends & family members where appropriate, and mentors, who would either be a trained volunteer with lived experience of the care system or a trainee social worker.
Due to the risks associated with online communication, children can only contact approved members of their network. Conversations are monitored by social services to make sure that everyone is communicating appropriately.
Life story work is essential in building and maintaining a child’s sense of identity.
Our mentors will work with children on a weekly basis at an after-school club supervised by a specialist.
Our mentors will work with children on a weekly basis at an after-school club supervised by a specialist.
Mentors will encourage children to learn and write their life story through multimedia storytelling.
Children will be able to add or delete events whenever they want. All events are archived even after deletion so that they can be recovered at any time.
Children will be able to add or delete events whenever they want. All events are archived even after deletion so that they can be recovered at any time.
A large section of the app will be dedicated to helping children explore the way they feel.
This section covers:
How are you feeling?
What makes you happy?
What makes you sad or worried? How are things at home?
How do you get on with your friends?
Which of these things do you have in your life? Where do you feel safe?
How do you feel about yourself?
How do you cope when things aren’t going well?
Children can choose from the suggested answers or write something else.
This section covers:
How are you feeling?
What makes you happy?
What makes you sad or worried? How are things at home?
How do you get on with your friends?
Which of these things do you have in your life? Where do you feel safe?
How do you feel about yourself?
How do you cope when things aren’t going well?
Children can choose from the suggested answers or write something else.
U reassures children that it’s okay to feel how they feel.
The app also suggests ways to combat overwhelming feelings.
The app also suggests ways to combat overwhelming feelings.
It can be intimidating for children to stand up and be their own advocates.
U encourages children to talk about what is happening in their life that they are not happy with.
It allows them to make a complaint if they would like to and enables them to suggests ways the issue could be resolved.
U encourages children to talk about what is happening in their life that they are not happy with.
It allows them to make a complaint if they would like to and enables them to suggests ways the issue could be resolved.
U educates children on effective communication and provides tips to help them be heard.
The ”I’m in danger” button which you will have seen in the previous slide, provides the numbers for ChildLine and police Scotland in case of emergency.
The ”I’m in danger” button which you will have seen in the previous slide, provides the numbers for ChildLine and police Scotland in case of emergency.
U’s illustrated support menu directs children towards the appropriate support for their specific situation.
U also contains a variety of resources including ChildLine, who care’s Scotland and a keep calm kit.
U also contains a variety of resources including ChildLine, who care’s Scotland and a keep calm kit.
