“"Scotland’s public services are already working to keep the Promise, but no organisation or body can do this alone. Improving the lives of care-experienced people requires joined-up action from the Scottish Government and from across local government and other public services. We must use the Public Service Reform agenda to think differently about how we offer support, how we take decisions better informed by the voices of young people in care and how we ensure we all pull together in the same direction. Through early prevention and early intervention, we must move away from services that wait until families reach crisis. Our approach is one where services work together around the needs of children and families rather than expecting families to navigate complicated systems themselves. When something works, we need to understand why and help it spread. Where progress is too slow, or where a child’s experience of support depends on where in Scotland they live, we need to understand why and act. By 2030, the ultimate test will be whether change can be felt by children and young people at the heart of the Promise. Ensuring that happens is the task ahead. Together we will keep the Promise."
New Coalition to Accelerate Progress for Care-Experienced People in Scotland
Minister Siobhian Brown announces delivery coalition to improve lives and keep the Promise by 2030.
By Morag Henderson
••3 min read
AI
Generic image of a coalition meeting for social progress with Scottish Parliament in background.
A new delivery coalition has been formed in Scotland to accelerate progress towards keeping the Promise for care-experienced people by 2030, as announced by Minister for the Promise Siobhian Brown.
Organisations across Scotland are being encouraged to leverage public service reform opportunities to enhance the lives of care-experienced individuals. Minister for the Promise, Siobhian Brown, announced the formation of the coalition during Scotland's Care Experienced Week, aiming to drive forward the commitment to 'keep the Promise' by the end of the decade.
The coalition will focus on understanding and connecting existing workstreams while fostering expertise in children and family services. Minister Brown highlighted key achievements to date, including the introduction of the £2,000 Care Leaver Payment, a national minimum allowance for foster and kinship carers, and over £30 million invested in Bairns’ Hooses.
Further progress includes over £80 million allocated since 2018-19 for mentoring and educational activities through the Scottish Attainment Challenge. The number of care-experienced university entrants has risen annually since 2016-17, with guaranteed places and a £9,000 bursary. The Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Act has been passed, and the placement of children in Young Offender Institutions has ended.
The delivery coalition will be jointly chaired by Minister for the Promise Siobhian Brown and Education Secretary Màiri McAllan. It will bring together partners from national and local government, public services, the third sector, and individuals with lived experience. Further details are expected later this year.
Based on information from the official source: Scottish Government (gov.scot) (27/10/2026)
