Current status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 30 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many people who died (a) by suicide, (b) prematurely from non-natural causes and (c) from alcohol-related causes in each year since 2016 were care-experienced.
Regulation 6 of The Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 states that Scottish Ministers should be informed of the death of a child who is looked after. In addition, the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 inserted a statutory duty in the Children (Scotland) 1995 Act requiring local authorities to notify Scottish Ministers and the Care Inspectorate of the death of a care leaver in receipt of a Continuing Care or Aftercare service.
Data from the Care Inspectorate states the confirmed causes of death from 2016 to 15 October 2024 of any young person who was looked after or a care leaver receiving an Aftercare or Continuing Care service.
Year | Cause of death -Suicide | Cause of death – non natural causes | Cause of death - Alcohol related |
2016 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
2017 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
2018 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
2019 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
2020 | 7 | 10 | 0 |
2021 | 3 | 10 | 0 |
2022 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
2023 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
2024 (up to 15 October 24) | 6 | 1 | 0 |
There were no deaths that were solely reported as alcohol related. While some records indicated alcohol as a contributing factor, it was associated with a range of complex issues faced by the individual rather than being identified as the direct cause of death.