Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill

This Bill makes changes in the law in relation to the children’s care system. It also changes who is responsible for the planning of children’s services.

This is a Government bill

The Bill was introduced on 17 June 2025 and is at Stage 1

Stage: Introduced Stage: Stage 1 Stage: Stage 2 Stage: Stage 3 Stage: Act

This Bill is at Stage 1 of the process to decide if it should become an Act.

Explore the guidance and rules for Bills

See the process for Bills and how to share your views

Show all stages

Overview

The Bill as introduced changes the services and support provided to people in the children's care system, or who have ever had experience of that system. Those changes include:

giving people who left the care system before their 16th birthday the right to apply for aftercare
requiring Scottish Ministers to ensure care-experienced people have access to advocacy services
requiring Scottish Ministers to publish guidance which promotes understanding of “care” and “care experience”
giving Scottish Ministers powers to limit the profits that can be made from children’s residential care
requiring fostering services to register as charities
giving Scottish Ministers the power to create a register of foster carers
making changes to the children’s hearings system.

The Bill also sets out that integration joint boards are responsible for children’s services planning, alongside local authorities and health boards.

Why the Bill was created

The Bill has been introduced by the Scottish Government. It is part of the Government’s commitment to implement the recommendations of the Independent Care Review (also referred to as “the Promise”) by 2030.

All Bills introduced in the Parliament must be accompanied by specific documents. For most Bills, this includes:

Explanatory Notes: this document provides an overview of what the Bill does, plus a more detailed explanation of individual provisions.

Policy Memorandum: this sets out the objectives of the Bill. It also lists any alternatives considered, details of consultations, and an assessment of the effects of the Bill on a range of areas.

Financial Memorandum: this sets out estimates of costs, savings, and any changes to revenues expected to result from the Bill.

Delegated Powers Memorandum: this is needed if a Bill gives powers to make subordinate legislation or allows Scottish Ministers to issue directions, guidance or codes of practice.

Statements on legislative competence: two short statements, one by the Presiding Officer and one by the Member introducing the Bill. “Legislative competence” means the powers the Parliament has to make law.

Research on the Bill

The Scottish Parliament's Information Centre (SPICe) prepares impartial research and analysis to assist MSPs in their examination of Bills and other parliamentary business.

Research briefing on the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill

The Bill was introduced on 17 June 2025

At Stage 1, the Bill is given to a lead committee. This is usually the committee whose remit most closely relates to the subject of the Bill. The lead committee will consider and report on the Bill. Other committees may also examine the Bill and report to the lead committee. Finally, there is a debate and vote by all MSPs on the general principles of the Bill. If the general principles are not agreed to, then the Bill ‘falls’ and can’t become law.

Timetable for Stage 1

Stage 1 Deadline

On 3 September 2025, Parliament agreed motion S6M-18697, that consideration of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be completed by 16 January 2026.

Lead committee examines the Bill

The lead committee for this Bill is the Education, Children and Young People Committee.

The lead committee will usually examine the Bill through evidence sessions. This will involve contributions from individuals and organisations, known as 'witnesses', with knowledge of the subject matter. The committee might also discuss the Bill in private sessions.

Call for views (closed)

The Committee's call for views was open between 27 June and 15 August 2025. Responses to the call for views have now been published:

Call for views for individuals with care experience and those providing support

Call for views for organisations and academics

We issued Easy Read and BSL versions of our call for views:

Easy Read call for views (printable pdf file) (8MB, pdf) posted 21 July 2025

Easy Read call for views (editable pdf file) (4MB, pdf) posted 21 July 2025

Call for views for BSL users

Correspondence: lead committee

Corrections to the Delegated Powers Memorandum for the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill

Letter from the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, 4 September 2025

Stage 1 report by the lead committee

The lead committee will publish a Stage 1 report before the debate on the general principles.

Work by other committees

If a Bill is relevant to more than one committee, 'secondary committees' may consider and report on the general principles of the Bill to the lead committee. Some Bills may also be considered by the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee or the Finance and Public Administration Committee.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scrutiny of the Financial Memorandum