Transforming the care system

A major plan containing 80 actions to improve the lives of children, young people and families in and around the edges of care has been published.

The ‘Keeping The Promise Implementation Plan’ aims to significantly reduce the number of children in care, with at least £500 million over this Parliamentary term to help families stay together.

The Scottish Government will also introduce a national allowance for foster and kinship carers and provide a £200 grant each year for 16 to 25-year-olds with care experience.

Other commitments include:

• redesigning the Children's Hearings System
• redesigning the governance of the care system
• ending the placement of 16 and 17-year-olds in young offender institutions
• reducing the use of restraint in residential or secure care

Minister for Children and Young People Clare Haughey said:  

“More than 5,500 people - half of them children and young people with experience of care - told the Independent Care Review that change is needed. This plan sets out, for the first time, over 80 actions that the Scottish Government will take to keep The Promise to deliver that change.

“These ambitious actions will help families to thrive so they can safely stay together. They will also support carers and families engaged with the care system, as well as care leavers and care experienced people in education and employment.

“Alongside The Promise Scotland, the care community, local government, and many others, we are building on work that is already under way to bring forward change as quickly as possible.”

Background

In February 2020 the Independent Care Review published The Promise setting out recommendations to improve outcomes for those with care experience.

Keeping the Promise Implementation Plan