33 organisations join The Promise Scotland to call on the next Scottish Government to keep the promise
33 organisations have joined us in calling for all parties running in the Scottish election to include in their manifestos a commitment to keeping the promise by 2030.
The call was made in a joint letter sent to all parties ahead of the next Scottish elections.
Alongside the letter, we sent out our election publication: Ensuring Scotland’s children grow up loved, safe and respected: How the next Scottish Government and Parliament can make sure that Scotland keeps the promise.
The election publication covers the areas which must be prioritised after the next election and helps to support discussions and guide decisions. It asks:
- All political parties to state their commitment to the promise made to Scotland’s children in their manifestos.
- The next Scottish Government and all parties in the next Parliament to work collaboratively to address the systemic barriers getting in the way of change by:
- Creating a clear legislative environment.
- Ending short-term and siloed funding, engendering good practice within commissioning.
- Improving data collection.
- Strengthening scrutiny, accountability and governance.
- Using unique levers to enable shared responsibility and long-term outcomes, not to drive compliance or blame, signalling trust in the workforce and creating conditions for confident, collective decisions rather than risk-averse ones.
- The next Scottish Government to support the development of Plan 24-30 and the implementation of the route maps for change.
It also sets out specific actions for the next Scottish Government, set out under the five foundations of the promise.
It also sets a vision for 2030, where:
- Children and families will get early help and support, including those living ‘on the edges of care, so they can stay together where safe to do so.
- Children and young people who cannot live with their families will have consistent caregivers and belong to a safe and loving home, with their brothers and sisters when safe to do so.
- Children and young people transitioning out of care will be safe, happy, loved and prepared as they move from childhood to adulthood.
- Care experienced adults will know and understand the rights they have and how to access help and support whenever they need it.
Fraser McKinlay, chief executive of The Promise Scotland, said:
When the promise was made in 2020, it was made with enthusiastic support and commitment from all parties in the Scottish Parliament. This support was reaffirmed in November 2024.
A lot of progress has been made, which has to be celebrated; much of this would not have been achieved without cross party support. So this election must see a commitment to see the promise kept by 2030 from all parties, and we are delighted to be joined by so many across the sector in calling for this.
The next Scottish Government and Parliament are in a privileged position to be the ones who keep the promise, so they must grasp this opportunity and create the environment for it to happen.