CYCJ are devasted by the loss of our colleague and friend, Dr Ruby Whitelaw.
We will close the CYCJ office on Friday 17, January as a mark of respect.
Ruby led on CYCJ’s secure care work – a role she put everything into by really driving and championing change. Bringing with her new ideas and ways of working, being reflective and always looking for new ways and approaches to influence change whilst offering others support and encouragement and challenging those who ought to be doing more.
Since joining CYCJ just over three years ago she created forums and led on championing the Secure Care Pathways and Standards across Scotland. She was so effortlessly supportive of the young people she worked with and was always thinking about new and invigorating ways to work with more children, young people and their families. She showed colleagues, and the young people, that you could be openly loving while fighting a tough battle for others. She was generous and selfless, all the while being outspoken and sometimes hilariously, brutally honest.
In speaking to her colleagues, many have shared how Ruby impacted them personally as well as professionally and old colleagues have talked about the lasting impact Ruby had on their social work practice.
“She always seemed to know when to offer advice and encouragement”.
“She was a wonderful friend who always shared her strength and wisdom”,
“She was one of the most genuine, honest individuals that had integrity in spades and I feel honoured to have called her a colleague and a friend”.
Ruby was a star, with an amazing smile, a wicked laugh and expensive tastes. She was such a presence at work, always excited to show off her latest fancy gift she’d bought herself, always cracking jokes and laughing in such a distinct way that you could hear it across the office.
Her passing not only leaves a huge gap for her family, but also the CYCJ team, anyone who has had the pleasure of working with her, and the wider youth justice and secure care community in Scotland.