Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41194 on 7 November 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/questions-and-answers.

The Scottish Government does not collect this information. However, the Care Inspectorate collects and publishes data on service cancellations and registrations, available on the Care Inspectorate’s website: Statistics and analysis.

The Scottish Government and COSLA are continuing to progress the longer-term reforms to the sustainable rates setting process as set out in the 2023 joint Sustainable Rates Review.

The joint 2025-26 sustainable rates guidance, published 20 February 2025, reflects the recommendations of the Review – in particular by encouraging local authorities to introduce greater standardisation in the rate setting process. Local authorities are expected to make progress towards reflecting the changes outlined in this guidance during 2025-26.

Full implementation of these changes requires more robust and reliable data to improve the sustainable rate setting process, as recommended by the Review. To support this new national ELC cost surveys are being undertaken independently by the Diffley Partnership. When the survey data is available the Scottish Government and COSLA will consider carefully with the sector its potential implications for policy, guidance and funding in future years.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41513 on 7 November 2025. The Taskforce will bring together work from across Government. The Scottish Government is engaging with a wide range of third sector bodies, including those representing children and young people, as well as public sector stakeholders in developing and delivering work focused on tackling online harms to children and young people. This includes the various stakeholders involved in the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group - gov.scot.

The Taskforce will be considering how engagement on the government’s overarching approach to online harm can be enhanced further to support a more joined up dialogue with stakeholders including the third sector.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

As referenced in the Scottish Government Programme for Government 2025-26: Building the Best Future for Scotland, the purpose of the Taskforce is to strengthen our approach to keeping children safe online, providing oversight and direction across Scottish Government and identifying what more can be done to protect children and young people. In meeting this purpose it will bring together work from across government to better effect, maximising the funding available across government to keep children safe online and help promote wellbeing through positive behaviours.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41513 on 7 November 2025. The Taskforce currently plan to publish a strategic plan bringing together work from across Scottish Government to protect children and young people from online harms and promote positive online behaviours at the turn of the year. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The Scottish Government recognises the valuable and high quality support provided to young people by youth workers.

The Scottish Government regularly engages with Community Learning and Development (CLD) Managers Scotland, Youth Scotland and YouthLink Scotland in connection with the grant funding provided to each organisation. These organisations represent large parts of the CLD youth work sector, and the meetings provide a valuable opportunity for the Scottish Government to receive feedback on youth work.

As part of the independent review of CLD, Kate Still engaged and consulted with a broad range of CLD stakeholders, including youth workers as well as learners accessing youth work. Findings from this engagement are reflected in the Learning: For All. For Life. report which can be found here: Learning: For All. For Life. A report from the Independent Review of CLD.

In addition, HM Inspectors of Education review and report on the quality of CLD provision across Scotland and evaluate the progress that local authorities and their CLD partners are making to improve the quality of provision and services in their areas. Individual reports can be found here: CLD Inspection Reports.

The Fostering_and_adoption_statistical_bulletin_2024-2025.pdf were published on 28 October 2025.

At 31 December 2024, there were 133 children and young people who had been approved for adoption across 23 local authority services and were waiting to be matched with approved adopters.

Of the children waiting to be matched in 2024, 36 (27%) had been waiting for over one year, down from 47 (36%) the previous year.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41186 on 7 November 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41186 on 7 November 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/questions-and-answers.