How is the SNP improving the system that supports care experienced children and young people?

We want Scotland to have a care system that improves the outcomes and wellbeing of those it supports – and ensures that they grow up in loving environments.

In 2016, the First Minister announced an independent, root and branch review of the care system to consider how we best give Scotland’s most vulnerable children the childhood they deserve, grounded in love.

The review was published in 2020, and we have accepted all of its findings. We remain committed to turning its vision of how we must care for our most vulnerable young people into reality as quickly as possible.

We will fully implement the Independent Care Review findings and recommendations by 2030. As part of this, we will undertake a review of the Children’s Hearing System over the next parliament to ensure the principles of Kilbrandon and the Care Review are fully realised.

A key part of the findings was the need for care experienced young people to have “scaffolding”. In line with the SNP’s commitment to implement the Independent Care Review findings, we will invest £10 million to establish a new Care Experienced Grant.

This will be an annual grant of £200 paid to support around 50,000 young care experienced people between the ages of 16 and 26 – who often don’t have access to the ‘bank of mum and dad’ – with £2000 over a decade as they enter adulthood.