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Policy

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Our policy work helps decision makers to keep the promise.

A lot of work went into securing cross-party support in 2017 when the Independent Care Review started. This remained strong when its findings were published, and when the promise was made in 2020. All parties from across the Scottish Parliament restated their commitment in November 2024.

With Scottish Parliamentary elections in May 2026, that cross-party support is more important than ever. The Promise Scotland’s policy and parliamentary work aims to keep that support.

Arrows pointing forwards and upwards, suggesting progress.

What does our policy and parliamentary work involve?

The Promise Scotland supports effective parliamentary scrutiny — that is, through making sure the Scottish Parliament can effectively examine and investigate the Scottish Government’s policies, actions and spending.

It helps make sure commitment to keeping the promise and to Scotland’s care experienced community remains strong.

And it also supports politicians and decision makers in the development and delivery of policies, laws and practice to deliver the promise.

Our current policy and parliamentary work

Our current work in this area includes:

  • Ensuring cross party support for the promise remains, through briefings, engaging with MSPs and helping to inform the development of party manifestos ahead of the election.
  • Influencing local and national policy, including through the development of Plan 24-30 route maps.
  • Continued work to support the development of laws to deliver legislative, policy and practice change to keep the promise.
  • Increased engagement with UK Government on areas of mutual interest.
  • Engaging with local political leadership across Scotland— including COSLA, recognising their critical role in keeping the promise.
Dominoes beginning to fall, suggesting impact.

More on our policy and parliamentary work

Hearings System Redesign

The Hearings System Working Group existed to bring change to The Children's Hearings System.

Ensuring the law can help to keep the promise

The Promise Scotland is working to make sure that changes to law can do as much as possible to keep the promise.

A national lifelong advocacy service

The Promise Scotland's report around scoping a national lifelong advocacy service for care experienced people and their families.

Position: Secure Care

A summary of The Promise Scotland's response to the current situation in secure care.

Briefings, positions, and consultation responses

Find out more about some of our policy work and our positions in key areas below, as well as reading all of our consultation responses.

The Promise Scotland's response to the Education, Children and Young People's Committee's call for views.

The Promise Scotland's response to the Education, Children and Young People's Committee's call for views.

The Promise Scotland's response to call for evidence on Daniel Johnson MSP's Members Bill on restraint.

Briefing: Promise Bill

Briefings | Policy

A briefing document on all the areas we believe need to be considered and discussed by the Scottish Government when creating the Promise Bill.

A high-level summary of the specific areas identified by The Promise Scotland as potentially requiring legislative change and which therefore should be considered for the Promise Bill.

Table setting out legislation relevant to the 'care system.'

Letter from SHRC, CYPCS, EHRC Scotland and The Promise Scotland to Scottish Ministers, calling for a coherent statutory framework on restraint and seclusion.

Consultation response: Foster care

Policy | Consultation Response

The Promise Scotland's response to the Scottish Government's consultation on foster care.

The Promise Scotland's response to the Scottish Government's consultation on a legal definition of "care experience."

The Promise Scotland's briefing ahead of the Scottish Government's debate on keeping the promise.

The Promise Scotland's response to the Scottish Government's consultation on redesigning the Children's Hearings System.

The Promise Scotland’s response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on ‘Moving On’ from care into adulthood.

Letter to Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Clare Haughey MSP.

The Promise Scotland's response to the Scottish Government's call for views around this Bill.

The Promise Scotland’s briefing ahead of Stage 3 debate on the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill.

The Promise Scotland's response to the Scottish Government's consultation on the proposed Care Leaver Payment

Briefing ahead of the Committee's November 2023 evidence session on keeping the promise. HTML web version.

Briefing ahead of the Committee's November 2023 evidence session on keeping the promise. PDF version.

The Promise Scotland’s response to the Education, Children and Young People Committee’s call for views on the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill.

The Promise Scotland's letter highlights recent research into public responses to the Scottish Government's consultation on a National Care Service.

Analysis of Scottish Government Consultation from researchers Mary Ann Powell, Ruth Friskney, Christina McMellon and Autumn Roesch-Marsh.

Interim analysis of Scottish Government Consultation from researchers Mary Ann Powell, Ruth Friskney, Christina McMellon and Autumn Roesch-Marsh.

Response to Scottish Government consultation on placements into Scottish residential care when a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards order has been granted in England or Wales.

The Promise Scotland approached responding to this consultation guided by one question: will this proposal #KeepThePromise?

See more results.