A decade of care: A corporate parenting update from Scottish Ministers 2021 - 2024
Third report on corporate parenting by Scottish Ministers. In this report, we set out how Scottish Ministers have fulfilled their duties as a corporate parent from 2021 to 2024, to support and improve outcomes for children and young people with care experience.
5: Impact of Corporate Parenting Activities in Scotland
Chapter 3 set out the wide range of activity the Scottish Government and Executive Agencies took forward between 2021 and 2024 as corporate parents. In this chapter we look at the impact of our collective efforts in Scotland to improve outcomes for care experienced children and care leavers, illustrated using nationally available data. The Scottish Government recognises that our corporate parenting activities cannot be isolated from the impact of other corporate parents, and other organisations in Scotland, in delivering on The Promise and improving outcomes.
Monitoring & Reporting Change
Part 1 (pages 18 to 30) of the accompanying update report, Keeping The Promise to our children, young people and families: progress update 2024 sets out the latest statistics which tells the story of where we have come from since the commencement of corporate parenting duties, through the announcement of the Independent Care Review and The Promise being made to the latest available data.
Excerpts of Part 1 are included in this report. While national level statistics cannot be used in isolation to determine whether the experiences of Scotland’s looked after children and young people are improving, they can help to guide our understanding of where progress is being made, and which areas warrant further attention.
The national statistical picture: Where have we come from and where are we now?
Our baseline for our understanding of how Scotland is changing as we work to keep The Promise will be set out in the Promise Story of Progress which will launch in December 2024. The baseline begins in 2020, when the Promise was made. This understanding of where we have come from helps us to contextualise the journey since 2020 in our ambition to keep The Promise and where we are now.
Child protection
Rate of registrations to the Child Protection Register from initial and pre-birth Case Conferences during the year for 0-15 year olds has decreased form 4.2 per 1,000 in 2020 to 3.5 per 1,000 in 2023.
Where have we come from?
The conversion rate from Case Conferences to registration is currently decreasing and has been since The Promise was made. From the 4,120 initial and pre-birth Case Conferences held during 2022-23, 3,170 registrations took place (3.5 per 1,000). This reflects a conversion rate from Case Conference to Registrations of around 77% (down from 79% in 2021-22).
The rate and number of children on the child protection register fell very slightly in the 5 years up to 2020. For every 1,000 0 -17 year olds in Scotland, 3.0 were on the child protection register in 2016. This fell to 2.9 in 2020. The total number of children on the child protection register also fell by 2.7% between 2016 and 2020, from 2,715 to 2,641.
Over this same period, fewer children also joined the child protection register each year, with the number of yearly registrations also falling over this period by 7.2%. In each of these years, the vast majority (85% – 87%) of children who were de-registered had been on the register for less than a year.
Where are we now?
The number of children on the child protection register fell much more quickly between 2020 and 2023. On 31 July 2023, this was 20.7% lower than on the same day in 2020, at 2,094 (down from 2,641). This has meant a reduction in the rate per 1,000 children on the child protection register from 2.9 to 2.3 over the same period.
A similar trend has been seen in the number of children joining the register each year – the number of yearly registrations has fallen each year since 2020, and was 18.6% lower in 2023 than in 2020, at 3,231 (down from 3,967). Around half of the children on the child protection register are under 5, including those registered pre-birth. This was true in both 2020 (50%) and 2023 (47%). Progress on our commitment to support local areas to implement the National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland is detailed in Part 2.
Looked after children
Where have we come from?
The rate of children who were looked after on 31st July 2020 was 14.1 per 1,000 and by 2023 this had fallen to 12.1. The overall number of looked after children also fell from 14,458 in 2020 to 12,206 in 2023.
The relative proportions of children in different placement types saw very little movement, with the proportion of children placed in the community (90%) and those placed in residential accommodation (10%) remaining the same across the whole 5-year period.
Where are we now?
Between 2020 and 2023 the number of children and young people who were statutorily identified as ‘looked after children’ has reduced by 15.6%. While this reduction is in line with the overall ambition of The Promise to reduce the number of children and young people needing to enter care, more context is needed to understand whether this reduction is indicative of positive change.
Since 2020, the proportion of looked after children who are living at home with their parents has fallen by 5 percentage points from one in four, to one in five. We know that to keep The Promise, families need to be supported to stay together where it is safe to do so, but that there are certain circumstances where it is not possible for children to live with their parent(s). Over the same period, there has also been a 4 percentage point increase in the proportion of children being placed with friends or relatives in kinship care. This may be an indication that in cases where it is deemed safest for children to live away from their parents for a period, placements which minimise disruption by keeping children with a caregiver already known to them are being prioritised.
Over the last 10 years, there have been decreases in the number of children looked after for short periods of time. Of all children who ceased being looked after in 2020, 8% had been looked after for 6 weeks or less, and by 2023 this had fallen to 5%. This meant a decrease from 264 to 165 children being looked after in short-term placements. A similar trend can also be seen for children whose episodes in care lasted between 6 weeks and 6 months. While we are unable to say definitively, when looking at these figures alongside the decreasing overall numbers of looked after children, this could suggest that preventative work within communities is meaning that children who in previous years would have needed a short spell of care, are now being supported without becoming formally looked after.
We are seeing fewer of the very youngest children entering care each year – in 2013, 1,737 children aged under 4 entered care, making up 39% of all children who entered care during the year. By 2020, this had fallen to 1,346 under 4s which was still 39% of the total amount. The latest statistics from 2023 show that this reduction has continued, with the number of under 4s entering care during the year falling to 966, making up 32% of all children who entered care during the year. This could be an indication that early years prevention work is generating positive change in preventing some of the youngest children from entering care.
Early Child Development
Children in the care system are more likely to have concerns about their development from an early age. In 2022/23, 12% of children who received a 13-15 month review, 18% of those at 27-30 month review, and 17% of those at 4-5 year review had a concern noted about at least one area of their development. Compared with the previous year, the percentage of children with a concern noted about at least one area of development was similar at the 13-15 month and 27-30 month reviews, but higher at the 4-5 year review (17% in 2022/23 vs 15% in 2021/22)[3].
The gap between the proportion of looked after children and non-looked after children with a developmental concern at the 27-30 month review was the highest on record in 2022/23, at 22 percentage points. This latest report also found that the deprivation gradient between those living in the most deprived fifth of areas and least deprived fifth of areas was the highest it had been on record.
Secure care and prisons
Where have we come from?
In 2016, there were 256 admissions to secure care throughout the year. By 2020, this figure had fallen by 24.2% to 194 admissions throughout the year.
The number of residents in secure care accommodation on average each day was 82 throughout 2020. This figure was 28% lower in 2023, at 59 residents on average each day.
Where are we now?
During 2022-23, there were an average of 59 children in secure care accommodation – this was 28% lower than it was in 2020.
Over a third of young people in secure care in Scotland in 2023 were from outwith Scotland. As part of a wider trend ongoing since 2014, the proportion of children from outwith Scotland in secure care rose from 34% to 45% between 2020 and 2022. However, on average in 2023, this figure has fallen back down to 37%.
According to the latest Prison Population Statistics the average daily number of young people aged 16 & 17 fell by 71% between 2019-20 and 2022-23 to an average daily population of 8.8. Regulations to end the detention of under 18s in young offenders institutions came into force on 28 August 2024. Under 18s will now be detained in alternative settings, such as secure accommodation. Those under 18s who were detained in a YOI before 28 August have now safely transitioned to new settings.
Educational Outcomes
Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence levels (ACEL)
Data on ACEL outcomes for looked after children is available from 2019 onwards, however was not collected during the 2020 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The proportion of looked-after pupils achieving the level relevant to their stage fell between 2019 and 2021, and have been increasing across all subjects each year since 2021. Levels have not yet returned to where they were pre-pandemic.
Attainment and post-school destinations
In 2023, 71.1% of leavers who experienced care within their final year of school were in a positive destination 9 months after leaving school, compared to 93% of all school leavers. This compares to 70% in 2022, 71% in 2021 and 75% in 2020.
Education attainment for leavers looked after during their last year at school rose at all levels between the 2015/16 and 2019/20 school years, with the proportion of children achieving:
1 or more qualification at SCQF level 3 or higher up by 3 percentage points, to 87%
1 or more qualification at SCQF level 4 or higher up by 2 percentage points, to 72%
1 or more qualification at SCQF level 5 or higher up by 4 percentage points, to 38%
1 or more qualification at SCQF level 6 or higher up by 3 percentage points, to 14%
1 or more qualification at SCQF level 7 or higher up by 1 percentage points, to 2%
The gap between attainment levels for pupils looked after within their final year and all pupils also shrank during the 4 years up to 2020, apart from for young people obtaining at least one qualification at SCQF level 7 or higher, where the gap between leavers looked after within their last year and all children grew by 3 percentage points from 18 to 21. The largest reduction in the gap between leavers looked after within their last year and all children was for those who achieved at least one qualification at SCQF level 5 or higher, where the gap fell by 4 percentage points from 52 to 48.
Where are we now?
Between 2022 and 2023, the proportion of looked after school leavers achieving at least one qualification at SCQF level 3, 4 5 or 6 fell. At SCQF levels 3, 4 and 5, the gap between the proportion of looked after leavers achieving at least one qualification compared to all pupils also widened. It is important to note however that when comparing the latest figures to the last data point before the COVID-19 pandemic (2019), attainment has risen, and the attainment gap has narrowed, at all levels.
In 2023, 42.3% of leavers who were looked after within their final year achieved 1 qualification at SCQF level 5 or higher compared to 84.8% of all leavers. Since 2020, the proportion of all school leavers achieving at least one qualification at SCQF level 5 has fallen by 0.9 percentage points, whereas for pupils who were looked after during their final year of school, this has risen by 4.2 percentage points.
The gap between looked after leavers and all children has fallen by 5 percentage points since 2020, but still stands at 43 percentage points.
Exclusions
Exclusions data is gathered every other year, with the most recent update coming from the 2022/23 school year. The number of exclusions per 1,000 pupils for all children and those who were looked after within the year nearly halved between 2018/19 and 2020/21, going from 152 to 78, and then rose again in 2022/23 to 97.
It is unclear how much of this drop during the 2020/21 school year was caused by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however large reductions were also observed across all pupils at all stages. In 2022/23, the rate of exclusions for children looked after within the year was still 36% lower than the last year that was not affected by COVID-19 related school closures.
In 2022/23, the rate of exclusions per 1,000 pupils was 5.7 times higher for looked after pupils than all pupils, despite a huge decrease in the gap in rates between all children and those looked after within the year since 2009/10.
The rate of children who experience an exclusion within the year, as opposed to the number of overall exclusions, is also just over 3 times higher for children looked after within the year, meaning children who are looked after within the year are more likely to be excluded multiple times than all children.
The previous Scottish Ministers corporate parenting report for 2018 - 2021 included national-level data on care experienced students enrolled at college, the number of care experienced students in full-time first-degree courses at university and all undergraduate Higher Education, and care experienced young people starting Modern Apprenticeships. Where available, the equivalent data is provided for this year’s reporting period of 2021-2024.
Colleges and Universities
At a national level, the Scottish Funding Council requires colleges to report on students who are care experienced. Scotland’s colleges are corporate parents and as set out below the number of care experienced students has increased. There could be a number of reasons for this increase including: better reporting from colleges, changes in the Care Experienced Bursary eligibility criteria, more confidence in those with care experience to declare their care experienced background or declaring their background to receive the Care Experienced Bursary and more care experienced people studying at college.
| Item | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of care experienced student course starts | 2,096 | 2,477 | 4,152 | 7,370 | 7,541 | 7,887 | 8,434 |
| % of care experienced students fully completing course | 57% | 55% | 59% | 60% | 57% | 53% | 55% |
| % of care experienced students partially completing course | 13% | 13% | 15% | 18% | 18% | 18% | 17% |
Source: Scottish Funding Council (2024) College Performance Indicators (2022-23), Scottish Funding Council (2023) College Performance Indicators (2021-22), Scottish Funding Council (2022) Performance Indicators (2020-21), Scottish Government (2021) Caring for our children and young people: corporate parenting update 2018 to 2021
Universities are also required to report on students who are care experienced and the numbers have similarly increased. Efforts to increase financial support and widen access will likely contribute to this, as will the wider support available at universities and efforts to make it easier to self-declare care experience. People with care experience who meet the minimum entry requirements are guaranteed an offer of a place on undergraduate courses at Scottish universities.
| Item | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of care experienced entrants in full-time first degree courses | 170 | 255 | 320 | 370 | 510 | 545 | 585 |
| Number of undergraduate Higher Education care experienced students | 525 | 680 | 1,045 | 1,470 | 1,715 | 1,720 | 1,795 |
| Retention rate of care experienced students (full-time first degree entrants returned to study in year 2) | 87% | 87% | 93% | 87% | 91% | 90% | Not yet available |
Source: Scottish Funding Council (2022) Report on Widening Access 2020-21, Scottish Funding Council (2023) Report on Widening Access 2021-22, Scottish Funding Council (2024) Report on Widening Access 2022-23, Scottish Government (2021) Caring for our children and young people: corporate parenting update 2018 to 2021
Modern Apprenticeships
Skills Development Scotland publish data on the number of care experienced young people starting Modern Apprenticeships. The number of Modern Apprenticeships starts who identify as care experienced has increased. Their level of study, and their achievement rates have both increased compared to earlier years.
| Item | 16/17 | 17/18 | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | 21/22 | 22/23 | 23/24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Modern Apprenticeship starts self-identified as care experienced | 328 | 429 | 415 | 476 | 312 | 502 | 535 | 583 |
| % of care experienced Modern Apprenticeship starts at SCQF Level 6 or above | N/A | N/A | 69% | 73% | 78% | 80% | 82% | 80% |
| Modern Apprenticeship achievement rate of care experienced starts | 58% | 58% | 59% | 64% | 66% | 59% | 60% | 65% |
Source: Skills Development Scotland (2024) Modern Apprenticeship Statistics, Scottish Government (2021) Caring for our children and young people: corporate parenting update 2018 to 2021
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