Improvements are needed across education, sibling separation, and homelessness in order for Scotland to fulfil its commitment to reforming its care system by 2030, a new report from The Promise Oversight Board has found.
The board, which monitors Scotland’s progress in keeping The Promise – a series of 80 recommendations to improve the lives of care-experienced children and young people – has found that the country is no longer on track for its 2021 to 2024 aims, as set out in The Promise’s 10-year implementation plan.
The 10-year plan aims to see the recommendations from Scotland’s Independent Care Review implemented across the country by 2030, with the 2021 to 2024 phase focusing on five priority areas: planning, a good childhood, building capacity, whole family support and supporting the workforce.
The report states that the board “does not believe that delivering the original aims of the plan [for] 21-24 is realistic within its given timeframe”, but adds that if everyone “plays their part” it is still achievable for recommendations made by the review to be implemented by 2030.
It identifies that improvements are needed across education, sibling separation and homelessness, to ensure care-experienced children and young people are being properly provided for across the country.