Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) Bill
published.
Legislative proposals to improve the experiences of children and
young people in Scotland's care system have been published in a
Bill introduced to Parliament.
The Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning)
(Scotland) Bill proposes extending the aftercare support
currently available for 16-to-26 year olds who were in care on
their 16th birthday to those who had left care before
that point – including providing help with accommodation,
education, employment and wellbeing.
If passed by Parliament, the legislation would also secure for
people with care experience a right to access lifelong
advocacy services, ensuring their voices are better heard
throughout their care journey.
Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise Natalie
Don-Innes said:
“This Bill puts the needs and rights of care-experienced children
and young people at the heart of our care system.
“By aiming to provide a legal right to access advocacy and
expanding aftercare support, we are responding directly to what
people with care experience have told us they need.
“This legislation marks a crucial step forward in keeping The
Promise by 2030. It will ensure children and young people receive
the compassionate and considerate care they need throughout their
care journey, so that they grow up loved, safe, and respected.
“I look forward to working closely with MSPs across parties in
the months ahead to advance this Bill and ensure we meet our
collective pledge to The Promise.”
The Bill, which will now be scrutinised by MSPs, aims to support
smoother transitions between children's and adult services by
establishing tripartite accountability between local councils,
NHS boards, and integration joint boards for children's services
planning.
The legislation includes proposed reforms of the Children's
Hearings system so it continues to meet the needs of children and
families.
It also aims to improve professional recognition of foster carers
with a proposed national register to help enhance the quality of
placements, alongside taking steps to remove profit from care.
The Scottish Government will also develop new guidance with
partners on the language of care to reduce stigma and improve how
services communicate with those who have experience of care.
This work will build on the improvements already made for
care-experienced children and young people since Scotland first
pledged to ‘Keep The Promise' in 2020.
Background
The Scottish Government has introduced the Children (Care, Care
Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill to the
Scottish Parliament following extensive consultation and
engagement, including with people with care experience and
representative organisations. Engagement with stakeholders
will continue throughout the Parliamentary process.
The most recent Promise Oversight Board
report found Scotland is still on track to Keep the Promise
by 2030.
