CELCIS Blog
Our blog is a hub for perspectives and analysis of issues that matter to the lives of children, young people and their families. You will hear from our staff and guest bloggers on many topical issues where they will be reflecting and sharing their policy, practice and research insights..
Got a burning issue you would like to blog about? Then we would love to hear from you. Contact our communications team.
Read on and join in the chat...
The views expressed in the posts on this blog are those of the author/s and may not represent the views or opinions of CELCIS or our funders.
Jacqui Dunbar is the Project Lead at Our Hearings, Our Voice, an independent board for children and young people who have experience of the Children’s Hearings System in Scotland and want to help improve it. She works directly with 11 children and young people, 9 who are members of the board and 2 who are advisors for Our Hearings, Our Voice.
Amanda Lawler explains why CELCIS really cares about training and learning.
Introducing issue 12 of REACH, which explores stigma, language, perception and the representation of care and care experience.
How the Student Support Review Group is trying to ensure care experienced students have a fair standard of living.
Active Implementation - what it is, what it is not, and how it could help bring about lasting change to children's services.
Dr Graham Connelly discusses the use of acronyms when talking about looked after children and children in care.
Course moderator Sarah Hume-Anthony gives a snapshot of the interactions on the CELCIS MOOC.
Charlie Gracie tells of a new creative writing comp for looked after children
Stephanie is a Modern Apprentice at CELCIS, and here she talks about landing her first ‘real’ job at only 16.
This blog post explores the findings of a recent briefing from CELCIS about going to university from care.
Claire Burns introduces the evidence into practice theme of the new issue of our REACH publication.
Gordon Main continues the conversation on commitment, discussing the emotional investment of foster carers.
Jillian Ingram ponders how getting a train from A to B might just offer clues to how to meet children’s needs.
Gordon Main talks about how commitment in the care system is not enough.
The difficult issue of self-harm in residential care, exploring the experiences of young people and the support workers need to help.
The importance for children in residential care to develop the ability to navigate friendships with each other.
Dr Chrissie Gale, international lead for CELCIS, reflects on research which could help shape the drive for better alternative care for children in countries around the world.
What does relational based practice look like in reality, for a busy statutory team?
Kenny McGhee talks about his research into implementing Staying Put for care leavers.
In this blog Liz Brabender discusses how CELCIS tackles drift and delay in permanency.
Jennifer Davidson blogs about what 2016 has meant for the children’s sector and what the year ahead will bring.
A blog by Linda O'Neill discussing what children had to say in the recent Rees Centre report
Ainsley Hainey blogs about the success of the Massive Open Online Course on Caring for Vulnerable Children.
Lizzie Morton blogs on how Corporate Parents are taking ownership of their new duties.
Why permanence matters for looked after children, and why we must share our passion to improve.
Kenny McGhee responds to the recent STV 'Who Cares' programme by exploring the need for genuine and caring relationships and removing barriers for looked after children and young people.
Kenny McGhee reflects on the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant, six months after the launch.
Leaving care too early. Kenny McGhee blogs on the problems facing care leavers in Scotland.
We need access to data at both population and individual levels if we're to be successful in improving the attainment of looked after children.
Norma Brown of Falkirk Council describes their Moneywise project and the difference it's making to the lives of care leavers in the area.
We are now moving towards a professionalism that is defined by passion and commitment expressed through the transparent and responsible use of relationships.
Michelle McCue blogs about the 2015 SIRCC conference and its focus on how residential child care is changing.
Vicki Welch blogs on the good and bad of integrating services.
Attend, encourage and enjoy to learn - a blog by Graham Connelly
Jennifer Davidson blogs about her mission to change the world for the better.
Linda O'Neill tells the story behind the recent education statistics.
Iain MacRitchie is the founder of MCR Pathways, a school-based mentoring programme which supports young people in or on the edges of the care system to realise their full potential through education.
Olivia Khan is a Rural Business graduate who worked at the Champions Board in South Ayrshire before moving to Berlin. Olivia stays connected to her care roots with a freelance role and in 2021 launched a creative project with a group of five young people. She makes the case for new tech friendly and tech literate care world.
Claire Burns, Director (Acting), CELCIS – Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection discusses how COVID-19 has exacerbated inequalities in society.
Joanne McMeeking heads up the Improving Care Experiences team at CELCIS. Here she explains why we need to put physical restraint in residential child care under the spotlight.
Laura Steckley explains how people are coming together to consider how to apply what we know about both experience and theory to address the practice of restraint in residential care.
Jo Cochrane is the Children’s Services Development and Assurance Team Manager at Dumfries and Galloway Council, since retired. Since 2018, CELCIS has been working alongside local public sector partnerships in Dumfries and Galloway, Falkirk, and East and Midlothian, to develop a Minimum Dataset for use across all 30 of Scotland’s Child Protection Committees.
First published by Citizens Theatre, 30 January 2020.
Claire Burns, Director of CELCIS (Acting), takes a moment to consider how much we have learned that we didn’t know before the COVID-19; how this emergency has thrown a spotlight on so much of what we already knew and what this means as we work to make change happen to realise The Promise.
Food and other essential items are something that we have always had available for our young people in the Youth Team, Aberdeen but we were aware that when COVID – 19 hit that we would need to be more creative about how we made sure food was available for young people in a safe and structured way.
How the Care Experienced Bursary is making a difference in the lives of care experienced young people.
Bairnshoose Policy and Practice Lead Anna O'Reilly reflects on how far we've come towards securing a Scottish Bairnshoose, and what must still be done to give children the rights they deserve.
Elaine Hamilton, Service Manager at Nether Johnstone House describes how lockdown due to the current emergency health crisis has changed the thinking, outlooks, and actions of both the young people and the team that surround them.
Ahead of the Global Implementation Conference, Scotland’s National Clinical Director, Professor Jason Leitch CBE shares some thoughts on his implementation journey, Scotland’s increasing use of change methodologies, and why learning from others makes sense
Elaine Adams, Learning and Development Lead at Children’s Hearings Improvement Partnership, writes about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Children’s Hearings in Scotland and what this might mean for hearings in the future
Claire Burns, Director (Acting), CELCIS – Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection, marks the first anniversary of The Promise.
This article was first published by TES on the support teachers can offer unaccompanied and separated children.
Dr Chrissie Gale, CELCIS international lead, argues that we need agencies to unite with one voice if we want to uphold children’s rights internationally.
On World Book Day UK, Kirsty Capes, author of the upcoming novel, ‘Careless’, and marketer at HarperCollins, discusses how her childhood experience in care led to a career in writing.
Guest Joe Rankin of the Nevis Group discusses the need to stamp out stigma for those with care experience.
Blog
Year: 2015
Topic: Foster care, Looked after at home, Residential care
Author: staff and guest bloggers
Topic: Foster care, Looked after at home, Residential care
Author: staff and guest bloggers
Explores the information sharing duties set out in the legislation and considers implications on the rights of children and…
Jenny Malloy from Hackney Child Consultancy - 'You said you cared' at SIRCC 2013.
Making Connections - Film highlights of what interested and engaged the delegates at our SIRCC Conference.
Dr Larry Brendtro from Reclaiming Youth talks about deep brain research
E-learning resource for professionals working with people who may become pregnant, expectant parents and new parents.
Book reviews
Who Cares? Scotland consulted with 87 young people to establish their experiences of living in care, their hopes for life after care and the types of support they would need to achieve this.
The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 has the ability to change the disproportionately poor outcomes of this often forgotten group of young people. It provides new rights and opportunities, ensuring the voices of care experienced children and young people are heard in any discussions or planning which affects their lives.
The views presented here are intended to help corporate parents and others involved in the implementation of the Act to get it right for every care experienced child and young person across Scotland.
In this blog post for Foster Care Fortnight, Hope Lynch-Gerrard, Policy and Public Affairs Officer for The Fostering Network in Scotland, explains the ideas behind this year’s theme and the hopes she has in the changes new legislation will make for foster carers.
AI is now integrated into the digital technologies most of us use every day. How AI tools are used and what this technology is asked to do is rightly under scrutiny. And no more so than in the context of child protection. What does the use of AI now mean for keeping children safe from harm and preventing sexual abuse?
To provide an insight on this for people with a professional and personal interest in the care and protection of children, on 27 May, we’re bringing together an opportunity for expertise and new information to be shared.
Join us to understand more about where the harm and risk is happening, what that looks like, and who is experiencing the harm.
In this webinar, partners from Glasgow shared how they have used data to better understand systems, inform practice, and improve outcomes for children and families. The session explored collaborative approaches to building learning systems, alongside key insights and challenges encountered in supporting whole system change.
Scotland is reviewing the legislative framework that shapes the children’s care and protection system. Described by the Independent Care Review (2020) as “cluttered, complex and does not provide a clear frame to support children, families, decision makers and service providers”, the aim of this review is to understand what needs to change so that the legislative framework upholds children’s rights, improves experiences for children and families, and better supports those who work with and alongside children and families.
In January 2026, the Scottish Government announced[SF1.1] an independent review of the Scottish legislative framework for children’s care.
The review will run from February 2026 to February 2027 and is taking place an at important moment.
The Scottish Government has published (28 April) the latest official annual Children’s Social Work Statistics for 2024-25.
The information, collected from all of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, covers data on the care of children who are formally ‘looked after’, young people living in Continuing Care, and support for care leavers. The statistics represent data collected for the year of 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025.
CELCIS has responded to part 2 of the Scottish Government's consultation on the potential reform of various aspects of family law in Scotland. Part 2 of the consultation looked at whether legislation should be brought forward in the Scottish Parliament to raise the age at which a person becomes eligible to enter into a marriage or civil partnership from 16 to 18.
This is CELCIS's response to the Scottish Government's consultation on the Future Sustainability of Secure Care. The consultation put forward proposals aimed at strengthening the sustainability of secure care and enhancing support for vulnerable children.
The Scottish Government has published (31 March) the latest official Child Protection Statistics for 2024-25.
The information, collected from all 32 local authorities across Scotland, covers data on child protection processes, including planning and action taken to protect a child from abuse or neglect. The figures represent data collected for the year of 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025.
Young people leaving care in Scotland will be given new financial support when transitioning into adulthood and independent living.
The Scottish Parliament has passed the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.
CELCIS has written to all Members of the Scottish Parliament to share our concerns regarding the implementation of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.
Scotland’s new National Social Work Agency has been launched today (17 March), World Social Work Day.
The National Social Work Agency has been established as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to strengthening support for the social work profession and workforce in Scotland. The agency intends to provide national oversight of social work, co-ordinate policy, advise the Scottish Government, and drive improvements in education and practice.
Scotland’s National Vision for Kinship Care, outlining the support kinship families can expect, has been published by the Scottish Government.
In this blog post for Kinship Care Week 2026, Melanie Bridges, Improving Care Experiences Consultant at CELCIS, reflects on the devoted care of kinship families and the need to ensure these families have the right support at the right times to meet their needs.
This is CELCIS's response to the Scottish Government's consultation on a working draft Vision for Kinship Care in Scotland. The consultation was intended to form the basis for wider engagement, with the vision statement to be revised following analysis of consultation responses.
In this blog post for Care Day 2026, Craig McCreadie, Participation Practice Lead at CELCIS, reflects on his passion for supporting people with care experience and creating spaces for people to take part and have important conversations.
For this webinar, What are the impacts of using AI transcription tools in social care? We explored the experience of using AI tools in note-taking, transcribing meetings, summarising actions for practice, and the wider impacts this has on care.
We heard about the frontline application of these tools in social care practice and insight from some new research into the considerations being made by social workers and local authorities in the UK about how and when to use these.
The Scottish Government has announced (5 February) that £9.5 million will be allocated in 2026-27 to projects across Scotland aimed at supporting the education and wellbeing of care experienced children and young people.
In the second of our 'Sharing the learning from whole family support work' webinars, we explore how services across Scotland are working collaboratively to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. Guided by the Scottish Government’s Routemap and National Principles of Holistic Whole Family Support, the session highlights the importance of keeping children and families at the centre, improving access, working across whole systems, and strengthening workforce culture. Drawing on learning from Glasgow City HSCP and East Lothian, the webinar shares practical insights into collaborative leadership, planning and decision-making, and what helps effective collaborative working to flourish.
To begin this new Emerging Insight Series of free, online webinars, we set the scene and considered what AI might mean for children’s social care in particular, by
- exploring some of the fundamental questions and potential opportunities and challenges of how AI is being used in practice,
and, in responding to the care and protection needs of children and young people, and supporting their families,
- looking at what is beginning to be understood about the influences and impacts of AI in children’s and young people’s lives.
This CPD accredited session with SCALE and SCIE provided an opportunity to think through some of the ethical and practice considerations involved including what does this mean for relationship-based practice, how the human inputs into AI affect the outputs, and how AI could complement practice.
In this blog post, Dr Alex McTier, Evidence and Evaluation Specialist at CELCIS, reflects on his visit to a Family Centre in Sweden, on what he believes are key ingredients for successful holistic family support, and how he hopes co-located family support services will be introduced into more local communities.
The Scottish Government has announced (13 January) an independent review of children’s care legislation in Scotland, which will be led by Professor Kenneth Norrie, a leading authority on family law in Scotland and CELCIS, the Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection.
The Scottish Government has launched a new consultation on the future of Scotland’s secure accommodation and secure care transport standards (8 January).
Plans designed to reverse the decline in foster carer households in England have been announced (30 December) by the UK Government following figures, published by regulator Ofsted, that showed a 10% decline from 2021 to 2025.
In this blog post for Foster Care Fortnight, Hope Lynch-Gerrard, Policy and Public Affairs Officer for The Fostering Network in Scotland, explains the ideas behind this year’s theme and the hopes she has in the changes new legislation will make for foster carers.
AI is now integrated into the digital technologies most of us use every day. How AI tools are used and what this technology is asked to do is rightly under scrutiny. And no more so than in the context of child protection. What does the use of AI now mean for keeping children safe from harm and preventing sexual abuse?
To provide an insight on this for people with a professional and personal interest in the care and protection of children, on 27 May, we’re bringing together an opportunity for expertise and new information to be shared.
Join us to understand more about where the harm and risk is happening, what that looks like, and who is experiencing the harm.
In this webinar, partners from Glasgow shared how they have used data to better understand systems, inform practice, and improve outcomes for children and families. The session explored collaborative approaches to building learning systems, alongside key insights and challenges encountered in supporting whole system change.
Scotland is reviewing the legislative framework that shapes the children’s care and protection system. Described by the Independent Care Review (2020) as “cluttered, complex and does not provide a clear frame to support children, families, decision makers and service providers”, the aim of this review is to understand what needs to change so that the legislative framework upholds children’s rights, improves experiences for children and families, and better supports those who work with and alongside children and families.
In January 2026, the Scottish Government announced[SF1.1] an independent review of the Scottish legislative framework for children’s care.
The review will run from February 2026 to February 2027 and is taking place an at important moment.
The Scottish Government has published (28 April) the latest official annual Children’s Social Work Statistics for 2024-25.
The information, collected from all of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, covers data on the care of children who are formally ‘looked after’, young people living in Continuing Care, and support for care leavers. The statistics represent data collected for the year of 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025.
CELCIS has responded to part 2 of the Scottish Government's consultation on the potential reform of various aspects of family law in Scotland. Part 2 of the consultation looked at whether legislation should be brought forward in the Scottish Parliament to raise the age at which a person becomes eligible to enter into a marriage or civil partnership from 16 to 18.
This is CELCIS's response to the Scottish Government's consultation on the Future Sustainability of Secure Care. The consultation put forward proposals aimed at strengthening the sustainability of secure care and enhancing support for vulnerable children.
The Scottish Government has published (31 March) the latest official Child Protection Statistics for 2024-25.
The information, collected from all 32 local authorities across Scotland, covers data on child protection processes, including planning and action taken to protect a child from abuse or neglect. The figures represent data collected for the year of 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025.
Young people leaving care in Scotland will be given new financial support when transitioning into adulthood and independent living.
The Scottish Parliament has passed the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.
CELCIS has written to all Members of the Scottish Parliament to share our concerns regarding the implementation of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.
Scotland’s new National Social Work Agency has been launched today (17 March), World Social Work Day.
The National Social Work Agency has been established as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to strengthening support for the social work profession and workforce in Scotland. The agency intends to provide national oversight of social work, co-ordinate policy, advise the Scottish Government, and drive improvements in education and practice.
Scotland’s National Vision for Kinship Care, outlining the support kinship families can expect, has been published by the Scottish Government.
In this blog post for Kinship Care Week 2026, Melanie Bridges, Improving Care Experiences Consultant at CELCIS, reflects on the devoted care of kinship families and the need to ensure these families have the right support at the right times to meet their needs.
This is CELCIS's response to the Scottish Government's consultation on a working draft Vision for Kinship Care in Scotland. The consultation was intended to form the basis for wider engagement, with the vision statement to be revised following analysis of consultation responses.
In this blog post for Care Day 2026, Craig McCreadie, Participation Practice Lead at CELCIS, reflects on his passion for supporting people with care experience and creating spaces for people to take part and have important conversations.
For this webinar, What are the impacts of using AI transcription tools in social care? We explored the experience of using AI tools in note-taking, transcribing meetings, summarising actions for practice, and the wider impacts this has on care.
We heard about the frontline application of these tools in social care practice and insight from some new research into the considerations being made by social workers and local authorities in the UK about how and when to use these.
The Scottish Government has announced (5 February) that £9.5 million will be allocated in 2026-27 to projects across Scotland aimed at supporting the education and wellbeing of care experienced children and young people.
In the second of our 'Sharing the learning from whole family support work' webinars, we explore how services across Scotland are working collaboratively to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. Guided by the Scottish Government’s Routemap and National Principles of Holistic Whole Family Support, the session highlights the importance of keeping children and families at the centre, improving access, working across whole systems, and strengthening workforce culture. Drawing on learning from Glasgow City HSCP and East Lothian, the webinar shares practical insights into collaborative leadership, planning and decision-making, and what helps effective collaborative working to flourish.
To begin this new Emerging Insight Series of free, online webinars, we set the scene and considered what AI might mean for children’s social care in particular, by
- exploring some of the fundamental questions and potential opportunities and challenges of how AI is being used in practice,
and, in responding to the care and protection needs of children and young people, and supporting their families,
- looking at what is beginning to be understood about the influences and impacts of AI in children’s and young people’s lives.
This CPD accredited session with SCALE and SCIE provided an opportunity to think through some of the ethical and practice considerations involved including what does this mean for relationship-based practice, how the human inputs into AI affect the outputs, and how AI could complement practice.
In this blog post, Dr Alex McTier, Evidence and Evaluation Specialist at CELCIS, reflects on his visit to a Family Centre in Sweden, on what he believes are key ingredients for successful holistic family support, and how he hopes co-located family support services will be introduced into more local communities.
The Scottish Government has announced (13 January) an independent review of children’s care legislation in Scotland, which will be led by Professor Kenneth Norrie, a leading authority on family law in Scotland and CELCIS, the Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection.
The Scottish Government has launched a new consultation on the future of Scotland’s secure accommodation and secure care transport standards (8 January).
Plans designed to reverse the decline in foster carer households in England have been announced (30 December) by the UK Government following figures, published by regulator Ofsted, that showed a 10% decline from 2021 to 2025.
In this blog post for Foster Care Fortnight, Hope Lynch-Gerrard, Policy and Public Affairs Officer for The Fostering Network in Scotland, explains the ideas behind this year’s theme and the hopes she has in the changes new legislation will make for foster carers.
AI is now integrated into the digital technologies most of us use every day. How AI tools are used and what this technology is asked to do is rightly under scrutiny. And no more so than in the context of child protection. What does the use of AI now mean for keeping children safe from harm and preventing sexual abuse?
To provide an insight on this for people with a professional and personal interest in the care and protection of children, on 27 May, we’re bringing together an opportunity for expertise and new information to be shared.
Join us to understand more about where the harm and risk is happening, what that looks like, and who is experiencing the harm.
In this webinar, partners from Glasgow shared how they have used data to better understand systems, inform practice, and improve outcomes for children and families. The session explored collaborative approaches to building learning systems, alongside key insights and challenges encountered in supporting whole system change.
Scotland is reviewing the legislative framework that shapes the children’s care and protection system. Described by the Independent Care Review (2020) as “cluttered, complex and does not provide a clear frame to support children, families, decision makers and service providers”, the aim of this review is to understand what needs to change so that the legislative framework upholds children’s rights, improves experiences for children and families, and better supports those who work with and alongside children and families.
In January 2026, the Scottish Government announced[SF1.1] an independent review of the Scottish legislative framework for children’s care.
The review will run from February 2026 to February 2027 and is taking place an at important moment.
The Scottish Government has published (28 April) the latest official annual Children’s Social Work Statistics for 2024-25.
The information, collected from all of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, covers data on the care of children who are formally ‘looked after’, young people living in Continuing Care, and support for care leavers. The statistics represent data collected for the year of 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025.
CELCIS has responded to part 2 of the Scottish Government's consultation on the potential reform of various aspects of family law in Scotland. Part 2 of the consultation looked at whether legislation should be brought forward in the Scottish Parliament to raise the age at which a person becomes eligible to enter into a marriage or civil partnership from 16 to 18.
This is CELCIS's response to the Scottish Government's consultation on the Future Sustainability of Secure Care. The consultation put forward proposals aimed at strengthening the sustainability of secure care and enhancing support for vulnerable children.
The Scottish Government has published (31 March) the latest official Child Protection Statistics for 2024-25.
The information, collected from all 32 local authorities across Scotland, covers data on child protection processes, including planning and action taken to protect a child from abuse or neglect. The figures represent data collected for the year of 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025.
Young people leaving care in Scotland will be given new financial support when transitioning into adulthood and independent living.
The Scottish Parliament has passed the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.
CELCIS has written to all Members of the Scottish Parliament to share our concerns regarding the implementation of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.
Scotland’s new National Social Work Agency has been launched today (17 March), World Social Work Day.
The National Social Work Agency has been established as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to strengthening support for the social work profession and workforce in Scotland. The agency intends to provide national oversight of social work, co-ordinate policy, advise the Scottish Government, and drive improvements in education and practice.
Scotland’s National Vision for Kinship Care, outlining the support kinship families can expect, has been published by the Scottish Government.
In this blog post for Kinship Care Week 2026, Melanie Bridges, Improving Care Experiences Consultant at CELCIS, reflects on the devoted care of kinship families and the need to ensure these families have the right support at the right times to meet their needs.
This is CELCIS's response to the Scottish Government's consultation on a working draft Vision for Kinship Care in Scotland. The consultation was intended to form the basis for wider engagement, with the vision statement to be revised following analysis of consultation responses.
In this blog post for Care Day 2026, Craig McCreadie, Participation Practice Lead at CELCIS, reflects on his passion for supporting people with care experience and creating spaces for people to take part and have important conversations.
For this webinar, What are the impacts of using AI transcription tools in social care? We explored the experience of using AI tools in note-taking, transcribing meetings, summarising actions for practice, and the wider impacts this has on care.
We heard about the frontline application of these tools in social care practice and insight from some new research into the considerations being made by social workers and local authorities in the UK about how and when to use these.
The Scottish Government has announced (5 February) that £9.5 million will be allocated in 2026-27 to projects across Scotland aimed at supporting the education and wellbeing of care experienced children and young people.
In the second of our 'Sharing the learning from whole family support work' webinars, we explore how services across Scotland are working collaboratively to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. Guided by the Scottish Government’s Routemap and National Principles of Holistic Whole Family Support, the session highlights the importance of keeping children and families at the centre, improving access, working across whole systems, and strengthening workforce culture. Drawing on learning from Glasgow City HSCP and East Lothian, the webinar shares practical insights into collaborative leadership, planning and decision-making, and what helps effective collaborative working to flourish.
To begin this new Emerging Insight Series of free, online webinars, we set the scene and considered what AI might mean for children’s social care in particular, by
- exploring some of the fundamental questions and potential opportunities and challenges of how AI is being used in practice,
and, in responding to the care and protection needs of children and young people, and supporting their families,
- looking at what is beginning to be understood about the influences and impacts of AI in children’s and young people’s lives.
This CPD accredited session with SCALE and SCIE provided an opportunity to think through some of the ethical and practice considerations involved including what does this mean for relationship-based practice, how the human inputs into AI affect the outputs, and how AI could complement practice.
In this blog post, Dr Alex McTier, Evidence and Evaluation Specialist at CELCIS, reflects on his visit to a Family Centre in Sweden, on what he believes are key ingredients for successful holistic family support, and how he hopes co-located family support services will be introduced into more local communities.
The Scottish Government has announced (13 January) an independent review of children’s care legislation in Scotland, which will be led by Professor Kenneth Norrie, a leading authority on family law in Scotland and CELCIS, the Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection.
The Scottish Government has launched a new consultation on the future of Scotland’s secure accommodation and secure care transport standards (8 January).
Plans designed to reverse the decline in foster carer households in England have been announced (30 December) by the UK Government following figures, published by regulator Ofsted, that showed a 10% decline from 2021 to 2025.
In this blog post for Foster Care Fortnight, Hope Lynch-Gerrard, Policy and Public Affairs Officer for The Fostering Network in Scotland, explains the ideas behind this year’s theme and the hopes she has in the changes new legislation will make for foster carers.
AI is now integrated into the digital technologies most of us use every day. How AI tools are used and what this technology is asked to do is rightly under scrutiny. And no more so than in the context of child protection. What does the use of AI now mean for keeping children safe from harm and preventing sexual abuse?
To provide an insight on this for people with a professional and personal interest in the care and protection of children, on 27 May, we’re bringing together an opportunity for expertise and new information to be shared.
Join us to understand more about where the harm and risk is happening, what that looks like, and who is experiencing the harm.
In this webinar, partners from Glasgow shared how they have used data to better understand systems, inform practice, and improve outcomes for children and families. The session explored collaborative approaches to building learning systems, alongside key insights and challenges encountered in supporting whole system change.
Scotland is reviewing the legislative framework that shapes the children’s care and protection system. Described by the Independent Care Review (2020) as “cluttered, complex and does not provide a clear frame to support children, families, decision makers and service providers”, the aim of this review is to understand what needs to change so that the legislative framework upholds children’s rights, improves experiences for children and families, and better supports those who work with and alongside children and families.
In January 2026, the Scottish Government announced[SF1.1] an independent review of the Scottish legislative framework for children’s care.
The review will run from February 2026 to February 2027 and is taking place an at important moment.
The Scottish Government has published (28 April) the latest official annual Children’s Social Work Statistics for 2024-25.
The information, collected from all of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, covers data on the care of children who are formally ‘looked after’, young people living in Continuing Care, and support for care leavers. The statistics represent data collected for the year of 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025.
CELCIS has responded to part 2 of the Scottish Government's consultation on the potential reform of various aspects of family law in Scotland. Part 2 of the consultation looked at whether legislation should be brought forward in the Scottish Parliament to raise the age at which a person becomes eligible to enter into a marriage or civil partnership from 16 to 18.
This is CELCIS's response to the Scottish Government's consultation on the Future Sustainability of Secure Care. The consultation put forward proposals aimed at strengthening the sustainability of secure care and enhancing support for vulnerable children.
The Scottish Government has published (31 March) the latest official Child Protection Statistics for 2024-25.
The information, collected from all 32 local authorities across Scotland, covers data on child protection processes, including planning and action taken to protect a child from abuse or neglect. The figures represent data collected for the year of 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025.
Young people leaving care in Scotland will be given new financial support when transitioning into adulthood and independent living.
The Scottish Parliament has passed the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.
CELCIS has written to all Members of the Scottish Parliament to share our concerns regarding the implementation of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.
Scotland’s new National Social Work Agency has been launched today (17 March), World Social Work Day.
The National Social Work Agency has been established as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to strengthening support for the social work profession and workforce in Scotland. The agency intends to provide national oversight of social work, co-ordinate policy, advise the Scottish Government, and drive improvements in education and practice.
Scotland’s National Vision for Kinship Care, outlining the support kinship families can expect, has been published by the Scottish Government.
In this blog post for Kinship Care Week 2026, Melanie Bridges, Improving Care Experiences Consultant at CELCIS, reflects on the devoted care of kinship families and the need to ensure these families have the right support at the right times to meet their needs.
This is CELCIS's response to the Scottish Government's consultation on a working draft Vision for Kinship Care in Scotland. The consultation was intended to form the basis for wider engagement, with the vision statement to be revised following analysis of consultation responses.
In this blog post for Care Day 2026, Craig McCreadie, Participation Practice Lead at CELCIS, reflects on his passion for supporting people with care experience and creating spaces for people to take part and have important conversations.
For this webinar, What are the impacts of using AI transcription tools in social care? We explored the experience of using AI tools in note-taking, transcribing meetings, summarising actions for practice, and the wider impacts this has on care.
We heard about the frontline application of these tools in social care practice and insight from some new research into the considerations being made by social workers and local authorities in the UK about how and when to use these.
The Scottish Government has announced (5 February) that £9.5 million will be allocated in 2026-27 to projects across Scotland aimed at supporting the education and wellbeing of care experienced children and young people.
In the second of our 'Sharing the learning from whole family support work' webinars, we explore how services across Scotland are working collaboratively to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. Guided by the Scottish Government’s Routemap and National Principles of Holistic Whole Family Support, the session highlights the importance of keeping children and families at the centre, improving access, working across whole systems, and strengthening workforce culture. Drawing on learning from Glasgow City HSCP and East Lothian, the webinar shares practical insights into collaborative leadership, planning and decision-making, and what helps effective collaborative working to flourish.
To begin this new Emerging Insight Series of free, online webinars, we set the scene and considered what AI might mean for children’s social care in particular, by
- exploring some of the fundamental questions and potential opportunities and challenges of how AI is being used in practice,
and, in responding to the care and protection needs of children and young people, and supporting their families,
- looking at what is beginning to be understood about the influences and impacts of AI in children’s and young people’s lives.
This CPD accredited session with SCALE and SCIE provided an opportunity to think through some of the ethical and practice considerations involved including what does this mean for relationship-based practice, how the human inputs into AI affect the outputs, and how AI could complement practice.
In this blog post, Dr Alex McTier, Evidence and Evaluation Specialist at CELCIS, reflects on his visit to a Family Centre in Sweden, on what he believes are key ingredients for successful holistic family support, and how he hopes co-located family support services will be introduced into more local communities.
The Scottish Government has announced (13 January) an independent review of children’s care legislation in Scotland, which will be led by Professor Kenneth Norrie, a leading authority on family law in Scotland and CELCIS, the Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection.
The Scottish Government has launched a new consultation on the future of Scotland’s secure accommodation and secure care transport standards (8 January).
Plans designed to reverse the decline in foster carer households in England have been announced (30 December) by the UK Government following figures, published by regulator Ofsted, that showed a 10% decline from 2021 to 2025.