Members' Business — S6M-11227 Martin Whitfield: Keeping the Promise Oversight Board Report

That the Parliament notes that on 16 March 2021 the Scottish Parliament committed to delivering what it considers a “revolution in children’s rights”, by unanimously passing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill; acknowledges The Promise Oversight Board Report Two, which was published in June 2023; notes that the report examines three thematic areas, including education, brothers and sisters and homelessness; further notes the Oversight Board’s concern that Keeping the Promise is not being fully considered and implemented across all relevant policy areas; notes the findings of the report, which highlight the challenging financial landscape facing local authorities and the fears that resources focus more on supporting existing services, rather than upscaling to meet the aims of The Promise; further notes the request in the report for greater evidence that funding is not being used to simply mitigate cuts, and for a strategic investment plan to deliver the required change so that at least 5% of all community-based health and social care spend will be on preventative whole-family support measures by 2030; notes the view that all care experienced children and young people must have a range of individual in-school relationships that they can trust and rely on, with school staff being trauma-informed and using nurture practices, and school moves avoided; further notes the view, according to the report, that there must be more data transparency on informal exclusions, as well as on the use of limited timetables and attendance data specifically for care experienced young people, and that reduced timetables must be reviewed regularly and must not become another form of exclusion, with care experienced young people being supported in attending and attaining all subjects, at all levels; notes the belief that, where living with their family is not possible, children must stay with their brothers and sisters, where it is safe to do so, so that they belong to a loving home; understands that care experienced people have more than double the chance of experiencing homelessness, usually before their 30th birthday; notes the view that more must be done so that there are housing pathways for care experienced young people, including restarting the prevention pathway for care leavers; further notes that, according to the report, “care experienced” is not defined in statute and that this is expected to be rectified in the Scottish Government’s forthcoming The Promise Bill; notes the view that it is important to recognise all types of care experience and to understand what it means for the individual person and their family so that their experiences are not discounted, and further notes the belief that Keeping the Promise is non-negotiable and that any delay would not keep the promise made to children, families and the care experienced community, including in the South Scotland region.