Chamber and committees

Every care experienced young person, aged between 16 and 19 years, is potentially eligible for an Activity Agreement (AA) – if it is assessed that it is the most appropriate route for them.

Eligibility to participate on an AA is not determined by a young person's status, for example by having had a care experience. To participate on an AA a young person undergoes a referral and assessment process which considers the young person’s strengths, needs and interests and identifies their current skills and experience. Young people participating on an AA may face multiple barriers and not disclose previous care experience. Robust assessment considers what is needed to help each young person engage and sustain informal learning, moving towards more formal learning and training and ultimately work.

In 2016-17 there was an increase in onward progressions from Activity Agreements. Of the 2,287 young people who left their Activity Agreement, 1,764 (77%) moved on to employment, training or further learning, an increase from 74% in 2015/16. 31% of AA leavers moved on to further training (Stage 2 and above); 25% to further education; 19% gained employment (including Modern Apprenticeships and Community Jobs Scotland places); 2% to volunteering.

In the period 1 April – 30 September 2017 1,365 young people in Scotland were on an Activity Agreement. We do not currently collate statistics for the numbers who identify with particular groups other than gender. However, some Local Authorities may keep a breakdown of this information for their area. The progression rate for the same period is 83%.

The member refers to question S5W-11406 answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 October 2017. It is assumed the reference should be to question
S5W-11416 answered by Mark McDonald on 3 October 2017.

In considering a sustainable and effective model of advocacy provision for the children's hearings system, the Scottish Government has commissioned a number of Action Research projects beginning in 2015.

These were undertaken across a number of locations to gain an understanding of how the practical issues around enacting Section 122 of the Children's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 would fit alongside existing practice, roles and responsibilities. Research Project Reports are available from SPICe - BiB number - 59312.

Barnardo's - Fife - 2015-16

This pilot provided advocacy to children aged 3 to 17 who have been referred by the Children’s Reporter for an initial children’s hearing. Furthermore the project provided advice, support and training as necessary to other people supporting children at children’s hearings. This included family members, teachers or carers.

Barnardo's - Fife - 2017-18 and Your Voice - North Lanarkshire - 2015-16 and
2016-17

Barnardo's are currently undertaking a further pilot which explores the provision of advocacy at short notice and the provision of a duty model which involves meeting at their offices located within the Glenrothes hearing centre itself, just before the child's Hearing. They will also provide advocacy at Pre Hearing panels if it is likely a child might be excused from attending their hearing but still wants their views to be heard.

Like the Barnardo's Project in Fife, Your Voice explored the provision of short term advocacy in the North Lanarkshire area. They were located within in the Bellshill hearing centre, and provided advocacy under the same circumstances.

Who Cares? Scotland (WC?S)- Dundee and Highlands - 2015-16

WC?S delivered advocacy through current and enhanced provision to children in Dundee and Highland as part of their project.

In addition they undertook a 2 month scoping exercise exploring what children and young people understand about advocacy and how they find out more about it and what awareness levels amongst relevant professionals were.

The learning from all of these projects has been significant. The Scottish Government has benefitted from information about logistical issues, barriers to accessing advocacy. The studies have highlighted benefits for both children and young people, professionals and panel members. The connections made with advocacy providers and the advocacy sector have proven invaluable as we move forward to the next phase where we are designing the delivery and practice models.

Jayne-Anne Gadhia, CEO of Virgin Money UK, was appointed Chair of the independent review of student support in October 2016. The Programme for Government published earlier this year stated that the review will report this autumn. The review is on track to publish to that timescale.

The Scottish Government is working with the Scottish Legal Aid Board to improve the information it collects on ‘looked after children’ who have received legal representation at children’s hearings. We regularly review the statistical information we collect and report on, this process is specified in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics and involves extensive discussion with users and suppliers. This ensures that the information meets user needs, is meaningful and is of a proportionate burden to data suppliers. However it should be noted that it may not always be appropriate for a young person to be legally represented at a hearing there are other means of support such as advocacy services that may be better placed to assist them in such settings.

Under Section 122(5) of the Children's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011, Scottish Ministers have the power to enter into arrangements (contractual or otherwise) with any person other than a Local Authority, Children's Hearings Scotland or the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration for the provision of the advocacy service. It is therefore likely that when we introduce our delivery model, any national scheme funding will be delineated from Local Authorities in order to ensure independence and integrity.

It is anticipated that the Queensferry Crossing will be fully operational by the end of the year. We opened the bridge in August 2017 to deliver the benefits as early as possible and, as is normal for a project of this scale and complexity, final testing and commissioning will run into 2018.

The scope and intention of the statutory provisions do not map across directly to children with existing care experience. Rather, they relate to those children who are involved in a children's hearings referral, which may be for the first time. Two mapping exercises conducted by Inspiring Scotland on our behalf in the last two years illustrated a patchy provision of advocacy in relation to children's hearings.

Any future demand led national children's hearings advocacy scheme will require additional capacity.

Since 2015 the Scottish Government has worked closely with Who Cares? Scotland, Barnardo's and Your Voice. In addition we have consulted with the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA), the national membership body for independent advocacy organisations in Scotland. We will continue to broaden our partnerships as we progress with this work.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) Through-care Support Service has been running since April 2015. 42 Through-care Support Officers (TSOs) work across 11 SPS establishments. The TSO service is available on a voluntary basis to all adults leaving SPS establishments at the end of short term sentences (except for individuals either already accessing other throughcare support services, or subject to post-release social work supervision). This service is not for care experienced people alone but is flexible to enable the TSO to identify and respond to each individual’s needs, and where necessary to assist them to engage with other specialised services as required.

SPS commissioned an independent evaluation of the Through-care Support Service. That study shows that the service has been effective in supporting those serving short sentences in Scotland to address some post-release issues and to support better transition from custody into community. Over the past 2 years, 78% of those who have engaged with the TSO service have never returned to custody.

Launched in July 2017, the Scottish Government’s Vision and Priorities for Justice is explicit on the need to ensure that people released from short prison sentences are well-prepared for liberation, and are provided with effective support following release.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-12412 on
15 November 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx