Further rights in force for children in care

New rights, and extra support for children and young people in care, come into force from today, 1 April, under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.

Under the Act, teenagers in residential, foster or kinship care who turn 16 will now be entitled to remain in their care setting until they reach the age of 21.

The Scottish Government is also committed to providing support until the age of 26 for care leavers, to help them move into independent living at a pace which suits them.

Also from today, the Act introduces new corporate parenting responsibilities for public bodies, including local authorities, police, health boards, post-16 education bodies and Children’s Hearing Scotland. The new duties require corporate parents to work together to enable children in care to overcome barriers and achieve their best.

All corporate parents will be required to develop and publish a plan of how they are going to meet their corporate parenting duties. There is also a new reporting and accountability structure, with national progress on improving outcomes reported by Scottish ministers to the Parliament every three years, the first report being due in April 2018.

Acting Minister for Children and Young People Fiona McLeod said: “These changes were introduced through the Act following extensive work with organisations who help children in care across Scotland. These include CELCIS, Aberlour, Who Cares? Scotland and Barnardo’s.

“The key to supporting young people in care and helping them achieve their best, will be listening to what they need and expect from their corporate parents.”

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, added: “These very welcome changes represent the biggest shakeup of the support we give children leaving care for nearly 20 years. The right to stay in ‘continuing care’ to 21, the new duties on public bodies to act as corporate parents to young people in the care system and care leavers, and the increase in the number of care leavers who can receive enhanced support after leaving care will help these young people when they need it the most."