Further support for looked after children

More than £8 million of Scottish Government funding was spent last year on projects to improve the attainment of care experienced young people.

Projects as diverse as mentoring programmes, counselling services and driving lessons were supported through the Care Experienced Children and Young People fund.

Now more than £12 million of further funding will be provided this academic year to enhance the support available.

Local authorities will work with Chief Social Workers and Directors of Education to decide how this year’s funding will be used.

Care experienced young people from birth up to the age of 26 are eligible for support. The announcement comes as part of Care Experienced Week 2019.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said:

"Improving the education and life chances of all our children and young people is the defining mission of this government.

“However, we know that many young people living in, or leaving, the care system may face barriers to achieving their full learning potential. 

“That is why we are providing local authorities with more than £12 million this academic year to support work which seeks to raise attainment for care experienced children and young people through targeted action.”

Background

This year’s Programme for Government includes a number of measures to support care experienced people including:

• extending free NHS dental care to care experienced people aged between 18 and 26
• extending entitlement to funded early learning and childcare provision to 2 year olds whose parents are care experienced
• plans to remove the upper age limit for eligibility for the bursary of £8,100 per year for care experienced students.

In addition to the funding made available last year and this year, a further £13 million will be made available next year.

The Care Experienced Children and Young People fund for 2019-20 will be allocated to councils as follows: