Children (Care, Care Experience and Service Planning) (Scotland) Bill is underway

The Scottish Parliament is currently considering one of the biggest reforms to the children’s care system since its formation

The Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill, introduced on 17^th June 2025, intended to speed up the delivery of ‘The Promise’ – a national pledge to overhaul the care system by 2030.

Right now, the Bill is at Stage 1. This means MSPs are looking at the overall purpose and approach. The Education, Children and Young People Committee is in the middle of taking evidence from organisations, professionals and people with lived experience.

Parliament is set to approve of and agree to these principles. This will move the Bill along to detail-heavy Stage 2, at which point committees will carry out comprehensive scrutiny and MSPs will propose amendments.

This is a wide-ranging piece of legislation. One of the headline changes is an extension of aftercare support; the Bill aims to close the loophole of those that miss out on help from the Government up to the age of 26 having left care before the age of 16.

It would also create a legal right to independent advocacy of care-experienced children, young people and adults. The idea is to make sure that someone is in the corner of young people when making big decisions or dealing with complicated systems in the Children’s Hearing process.

Another measure would give ministers the power to limit profit-making in children’s residential care, in line with the not-for-profit model endorsed by The Promise.

The Government will also develop new guidance on the language used in care, with the aim of reducing stigma and improving how services communicate with those who have experience of care.

As mentioned, the Education, Children and Young People Committee are currently taking on evidence from local authorities, advocacy groups, social workers, foster carers and people with care experience themselves. This will be outlined in detail in the Stage 1 report.

At Stage 2, more rigorous scrutiny can be expected of questions surrounding how far profit-limiting should go, how realistically-enforceable the right to advocacy is, and the scale of funding required for promised aftercare services.

If done successfully, this Bill will ensure significant improvements for young people with care experience.

Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise Natalie Don-Innes said:

“The Bill puts the needs and rights of care-experiences children and young people at the heart of our care system.

“By aiming to provide a legal right to access advocacy and expanding aftercare support, we are responding directly to what the people with care experience have told us they need.

“This legislation marks a crucial step forward in keeping The Promise by 2030. It will ensure children and young people receive the compassionate and considerate care they need throughout their care journey, so that they grow up loved, safe and respected.”