Independent review of children’s care legislation in Scotland
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 review, to be concluded within 12 months, intends to improve and clarify the legislative framework around children’s care by gathering evidence directly from the sector to understand how Scotland’s current legal landscape is impacting children, families and the workforces who support them. The findings will inform any next steps for determining the solutions, benefits and resources to create a more streamlined legislative framework.
This work will build on the findings from CELCIS’s Children’s Services Reform Research study, which focused on improving the understanding of children’s services structures and delivery models in Scotland and how services can best support the needs of children, young people and their families. It will also expand on initial exploratory work undertaken by The Promise Scotland.
Announcing the review in the Scottish Government’s response to the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People’s Committee’s Stage 1 report on the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill, the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, Natalie Don-Innes, said:
“Our aim is for children and young people to receive the compassionate and considerate care they need throughout their care journey, so that they grow up loved, safe and respected.
“Individuals and organisations have told me how challenging it is both to access the right support at the right time and to interpret the law around the care journey.
“This independent review will consider any opportunities to simplify the legislative landscape, to maximise practical benefits for children, their families and the professionals that support them. I am pleased that Professor Norrie has agreed to lead this work, which will sit alongside broader proposals within the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.”
Claire Burns, Director of CELCIS, said:
"We very much welcome this review and the role CELCIS will have here in helping Scotland to move into a position where the future legal landscape underpinning the decisions and approaches taken to support children and their families can deliver better outcomes.
"There is widespread acceptance that Scotland currently has a cluttered legal landscape when it comes to children’s care and we need to better understand the practical impact this is having on children and families and the workforces who support them.
"This review will be an important contribution to how Scotland works to deliver on keeping The Promise."