Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41191 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.

As the member may be aware, while the Scottish Government does not collect national statistical data on this matter, in June 2025 Nature Scot, Learning Through Landscapes and Play Scotland have published “School Grounds in Scotland in 2025 Key Points and Reflections from a ‘State of the Nation’ Report”, based on a sample survey of 1,000 schools. While the report contained a number of positive conclusions on progress made since a similar report in 2005, it also contained a number of areas for improvement.

The Scottish Government’s Learning for sustainability: action plan 2023 to 2030 - gov.scot contains a range of actions aimed at improving the way that schools buildings, grounds and policies support Learning for Sustainability, including outdoor learning. Additionally, the Learning Estate Strategy – which was co-produced by the Scottish Government and COSLA – includes a guiding principle that makes clear that outdoor learning and the use of outdoor learning environments should be maximised.

The Scottish Government is currently working with a range of national partners to deliver the actions within the LfS Action Plan, to implement the Learning Estate Strategy and, through the work of the Scottish Outdoor Learning Strategic Working Group, to agree further actions to support and promote outdoor learning.

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/written-questions-and-answers.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41190 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.

The Scottish Government recognises the valuable support provided to young people through high quality youth work. This work contributes to the Scottish Government’s priority of eradicating child poverty and tackling inequality.

The Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013, in effect, requires local authorities to identify need and plan provision in their areas. These regulations require that a Community Learning and Development (CLD) plan is produced every three years by each education authority. The most recent plans were published in September 2024 and can be accessed at: Local Authority CLD Plans.

The Scottish Government respects the autonomy of local authorities to allocate resources to meet the needs of learners, including for youth work. However, the Scottish Government published strategic Guidance to Local authorities to support them to develop their CLD plans in 2024 which can be accessed at: CLD: guidance for 2024 to 2027.

Recognising the important role local authorities play in delivering local services, including youth work, the Scottish Government has increased the total resources available to local government by over £1.1 billion in 2025-26, a real terms increase of 5.5%.

Additionally, by investing national funding in youth work through programmes such as Cashback for Communities, this opens up further valuable opportunities for young people and communities at a grassroots level. This helps empower young people to grow, thrive, and shape their own futures through improved mental health, physical activity, and gain the skills they need for learning, life, and work.

Regarding quality of local authority provision, between September 2023 and June 2024, HM Inspectors carried out a programme of visits to all 32 local authorities as part of the 2023/24 annual programme of inspection. These inspections were designed to support improvement and provide external assurance of the quality of CLD provision across Scotland, specifically evaluating quality and improvement in leadership and governance. Individual reports can be found here: CLD Inspection Reports.

To date, £148.1 million has been allocated through the Whole Family Wellbeing Funding to support transformational change in how services are delivered for families across Scotland.

The Scottish Government has sought to balance value for money with a clear commitment to allocating the full amounts available. This approach ensures that investment is both impactful and aligned with the strategic priorities of government.

Despite the tight fiscal position, we have increased Children’s Services Planning Partnerships (CSPPs) funding from £32 million to £38.1 million per annum in 2025-26. This investment will safeguard the progress already being made, and as set out in our Investment Approach, the Scottish Government’s commitment to CSPPs will continue through to the financial year 2026–27. Funding levels are based on a careful assessment of CSPP readiness and capacity for spend, ensuring that the pace of spend matches CSPP need. This long-term investment reflects our belief in the importance of early intervention and holistic support.

Looking ahead, our investment is being shaped by work across the Scottish Government to explore how preventative investment can be brought together to help Scotland tackle child poverty and Keep the Promise.

It is the responsibility of building owners and managers to check their buildings for Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) and, if identified, to determine whether there is a risk.

From information provided by local authorities and Scottish Futures Trust, the Scottish Government is aware of only one operational local authority early learning and childcare (ELC) setting currently containing RAAC. This has been inspected and assessed as serviceable, and is being monitored by the local authority through an enhanced inspection regime. The Scottish Government does not collect or hold any information on RAAC in non-local authority ELC settings.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government have asked the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) to run twice-yearly surveys to collect data on practising social workers and vacancy rates in local authorities. The most recent report may be found here: Social worker filled posts and vacancies six-monthly survey at December 2024 | Scottish Social Services Workforce Data.

The Scottish Government recognises the valuable support provided to young people through high quality youth work. This work contributes to the Scottish Government’s priority to eradicate child poverty and tackle inequality.

Each education authority is responsible for securing Community Learning and Development (CLD) in their area under the CLD (Scotland) Regulations 2013.

The 2013 Regulations require local authorities to plan and arrange the provision of CLD. In line with the Verity House Agreement, local authorities have the autonomy to deliver services that meet the needs of young people in their areas.

An independent review of CLD was commissioned in December 2023. The Scottish Government welcomed the Learning: For All. For Life. report published in July 2024, which made 20 recommendations varying in complexity and scope. The report can be accessed at: Supporting documents - Learning: For All. For Life. A report from the Independent Review of Community Learning and Development (CLD) - gov.scot.

Publication of the report places our focus firmly on removing barriers caused by inequality and poverty, and presents opportunities for meaningful collaboration between Scottish Government, CoSLA and organisations across the sector.

The report clearly articulated the lifechanging role that CLD, including youth work, can play in supporting individuals impacted by health issues, inequality, poverty or opportunity barriers, to reach their full potential. This was also highlighted in the detailed literature review published alongside the review report which can be found here: Community Learning and Development in Scotland and internationally: literature review - gov.scot.

The Scottish Government and COSLA accepted recommendation 1.1 to set up a joint CLD Strategic Leadership Group (SLG). The Group are considering the remaining recommendations of the report, including those relating to youth work.

The SLG have agreed immediate priorities for 2025-26 which includes establishing a Strategic Delivery Group to progress actions linked to the identified priorities of the SLG.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41191 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.