Education, Culture and Sport Committee, 22 Mar 2000

Meeting date: Wednesday, March 22, 2000

Official Report 134KB pdf

---

Children (Leaving Care) Bill

Item 4 is the Children (Leaving Care) Bill. We asked the Executive for a statement on this, and its response has been circulated to committee members. Do we have any questions or comments?

I have two points to raise. First, from the Executive's response, I see that it will be quite a long time before anything happens. I am pleased about that, as it gives us a chance to make suggestions. The people who will be most affected by the bill—the young people themselves—do not appear to have been directly consulted. The committee has said all along that it is fine to approach the organisations, but that the Executive should ensure that young people are consulted as well.

Secondly, the University of York is conducting a study of the bill at the moment; a report is due in August. That report should be sent to the committee as well as to the Executive, so that we can have an early sight of it. It might inform any future deliberations that we have on this matter.

I am sure that that report would be made available to us, but it is worth asking for it. Your other point is particularly relevant, given the interest that the committee has taken in involving children and young people in discussions on decisions that will affect them. I understand—although I may be corrected—that Who Cares? Scotland is going to take the lead on that. As an organisation that specifically provides a voice for young people who are leaving care, it will enable young people to have their voices heard. However, we will clarify with the Executive that that is the case, to ensure that young people will have a voice on a matter that will clearly affect their futures.

I welcome the final sentence in the letter from Sam Galbraith:

"Until such time as the new arrangements are ready, the present arrangements for DSS benefit entitlement for Scottish careleavers will continue."

We were all concerned that nobody should be put in a position that would be detrimental to their future and that would leave them in a worse situation than the one they were in. That sentence provides reassurance on that point.

We will take item 5 in private.

Meeting continued in private until 10:50.