Young people in care at heart of John Lewis Christmas ad

A Scottish charity has said it was delighted to link up with retailer John Lewis for its Christmas advert which aims to raise awareness about children in care.

Louise Hunter, from Who Cares? Scotland, said she hoped the advert would help people understand what care really meant.

She said there were 15,000 children and young people in care in Scotland.

Ms Hunter said she hoped the ad helped tackle stigma and misunderstanding.

This year's John Lewis advert, called The Beginner, shows a middle-aged man learning how to skateboard and suffering a series of accidents and failed attempts in the process.

The final scene shows, Ellie, a young teenager clutching her skateboard as she waits to enter her new foster home.

The reason for the man's efforts become clear, as the viewer realises he was trying to master the skill of skateboarding in order to connect with Ellie.

The retailer partnered with Action for Children and Who Care? Scotland to create the advert.

Ms Hunter told BBC Scotland that change won't happen until more people in society understand care and are angry about not enough being done.

"We know that every child and young person in the world deserves to grow up loved and with lots of opportunities," she said.

"Unfortunately, we know that for young people who are care-experienced, that's often not the case."

Ms Hunter added: "Actually what we need to do is challenge the public attitudes around care.

"We know that we still have situations where, we see communities across the UK up-in-arms if a children's home is proposed to be set up in their area."

She said care-experienced individuals often told the charity about the stigma, misunderstanding and negative portrayals of children in care.

Other big retailers, including Marks and Spencer, have also changed the tone of their Christmas adverts this year.

Ms Hunter hopes this approach will become more and more frequent.

"I would love to see more retailers and companies take this kind of approach," she said.

"We talk a lot in Who cares? Scotland about the importance of communities leading this societal change, and with John Lewis and other retailers being based in communities, it brings care much more to the consciousness of the general public," she said.

"If we do that sensitively and without judgement, then we know it will bring significant benefit."