15 January 2020

New statutory guidance on children's services planning in Scotland

This revised Guidance was developed as a result of a public consultation in 2019, and will affect Children's Services Plans from 1 April 2020 onwards. It provides local authorities and health boards, and other stakeholders, with information and advice about how they should exercise the their functions in order to improve outcomes for all children and young people in Scotland by ensuring that local planning and delivery of services is dedicated to safeguarding, supporting and promoting child wellbeing.

The legislation aims to improve outcomes for all children and young people in Scotland by ensuring that local planning and delivery of services is integrated, focused on securing quality and value through preventative approaches, and dedicated to safeguarding, supporting and promoting child wellbeing.

The duties set out by Part 3 of the 2014 Act replace the duties set out under section 19 (local authority plans for services for children) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995.