Focusing on Change: The Promise Scotland’s priorities for 2025/26

The Promise Scotland has published its Strategic Work Programme for 2025/26. It sets out what the organisation will focus on over the next 12 to 18 months, a critical period for Scotland’s commitment to keep the promise by 2030.

I am proud of the work that the team has delivered over the past year or so and I thank them, and all our partners, for their continued commitment and compassion. We have learned a lot over the last 18 months. A great deal has been achieved; some things have not gone as planned; and some decisions have not worked out. We will say more about our achievements and learning in a review of the last work programme, to be published in April.

I am grateful to everyone that has been in touch with feedback over the last period, both positive and constructively challenging. Whether that has been about Plan 24-30; the publication of the Promise Progress Framework; the need to do more to bring an anti-racist lens to the work; the continuing need to amplify voice in everything we do; or the need to better understand progress in localities.

The Promise Scotland is committed to being an organisation that is open to honest and constructive feedback, and which acts on that feedback. The only thing that matters is what needs to be done to keep the promise— there is no space for organisational or personal egos.

Focusing on change; focusing on the future

In the meantime, the focus is very much on the future. The Oversight Board’s calls to action are clear, as is the need for everyone to focus their efforts towards the work ahead.

As we look ahead to another period of change for Scotland, I am certain that The Promise Scotland continues to play a vital role in the delivery of the promise. Five years on from the publication of the Independent Care Review and the promise being made, it is more important than ever that change is felt in the lives of children, young people, families and care experienced adults all across Scotland. That is what drives the work, day in and day out.

Everything The Promise Scotland does is based on a clear commitment to not being here by 2030, at the latest. The need to avoid building the organisation into the system is a core guiding principle, and it is threaded throughout the work programme for 2025/26. It recognises that for the promise to be kept by 2030 – and for the work to continue beyond that date – the people with responsibility for delivery need to lead and own the changes demanded by the Independent Care Review, delivered via the Plan 24-30 route maps.

With all of that in mind, 2025/26 is focused on four things:

• The development of detailed route maps for Plan 24-30
• The continued development of the Promise Story of Progress, including how Scotland measures the extent to which change is being felt in people’s lives
• Policy and parliamentary engagement, particularly with the Promise Bill due to be laid this year and the Scottish Parliamentary elections in May 2026
• Continued support for the Oversight Board and the Independent Strategic Advisor

Delivering across these four areas will ensure that Scotland is crystal clear on how the necessary changes will be delivered and by when; who is accountable for those changes; and how progress will be measured to 2030 and beyond.

I am very much looking forward to working with all our partners as Scotland increases the pace and scale of delivery, and builds even more momentum towards 2030. There is a lot still to do and The Promise Scotland is committed to playing its part in full.

Please do get in touch with any feedback on the Strategic Work Programme.

Thank you.

Read our new strategic workplan here.

About the author

Photo credit: Sarah Maclean

Fraser McKinlay

Chief Executive

Fraser has been Chief Executive of The Promise Scotland since September 2022. Prior to that, he spent 16 years working for Audit Scotland, including ten years as Controller of Audit and Director of Performance Audit and Best Value.

Before joining Audit Scotland, Fraser was a public services consultant in Edinburgh and London. He specialised in leadership, change management, facilitation and process improvement.

Fraser is committed to systems change, focusing on how public money is spent more effectively to enable better lives for children, young people, care experienced adults, families, and communities.