Future of foster care: consultation

Ministerial Foreword

The Scottish Government wants Scotland to be the best place in the world to grow up. To make that happen, we are taking a progressive and continually improving approach to support our children and young people to have the best possible chance to live happy and full lives.

This ambition is reflected further in our steadfast commitment to Keep The Promise and do all that we can to ensure that our children and young people with care experience are given the support, love and nurture that they need.

As the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, I have the honour of meeting regularly with people across Scotland who have experience of care, and those who are foster carers. I am grateful, informed and inspired by the honest and open reflections that have been shared with me. I am also thankful to the workforce who support children, young people, families and foster carers.

Foster care is key to delivering The Promise by 2030 and to supporting our collective efforts to tackle child poverty. The Scottish Government values and recognises the contribution that foster carers and foster families make to the lives of children and young people, where it is not safe and possible to remain with their birth families.

This consultation sets out a vision for the future of foster care which prioritises children’s experiences, and meets their many and varied needs, in a changing sector and society. It proposes a new flexible fostering approach that builds on the unique skills and qualities of foster carers, the good practice and innovation already happening across Scotland and the UK, and it is underpinned by comprehensive ongoing support for foster carers.

We are also consulting on the key issues that foster carers have told us are important, so that they are best equipped to continue nurturing the children in their care and play their part in delivering The Promise.

Central to our vision, and our work as we progress, will be the voice and experiences of children and young people, families and foster carers. The consultation is part of our ongoing conversations about how we collectively deliver The Promise, and I urge everyone who has an interest to contribute.

As well as written responses, there will be other opportunities across Scotland for you to be engaged and have your voice heard. I welcome and encourage you to get involved.

Your valuable insights will support Scotland to Keep The Promise, and positively impact on the experiences of our children, young people, adults and families with care experience both now, and for the generations to come.

Natalie Don-Innes, MSP