Natalie Don-Innes
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Marie McNair: I am proud of the policies that the Scottish National Party Government has introduced, which make childcare more accessible. We know that wraparound childcare is essential to ensuring that parents can find and retain employment, and that the impact of that policy is keeping children out of poverty.”
“Families in Clydebank and Milngavie, like those throughout Scotland, benefit from our investment of £1 billion annually in the provision of 1,140 hours of high- quality early learning and childcare.”
“I have welcomed the opportunity to visit a wide range of settings during my time in office, seeing our support and funding in action and witnessing the passion, dedication and skill of our childcare professionals, who seek every day to get it right for every child.”
“That work will be developed with adoptive families and delivery partners to ensure that it reflects lived experience and supports a consistent national approach.”
“Although we have invested heavily in CAMHS, there might be more to do to ensure that children and young people get the support that they need. I have acknowledged the challenges that adoptive families face, the need to strengthen support and the dedication of the practitioners who support those families.”
“I will respond to a number of points that were raised in today’s debate, but, given that this is my final speech, I will take a minute to thank the people of the constituency that I represent— Renfrewshire North and West.”
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“I have reiterated that to Liz Smith, and I have been clear that those concerns must be fully considered and addressed if the bill passes at stage 1 today—I refer specifically to the concerns on affordability, equity of provision and workforce implications. Liz Smith: I am grateful to the minister, because I think that the Scottish Government has moved its position. I am more than willing to engage on the challenges, as I always have been—we have had good meetings about that. Can I ask about the timescale for engagement? It is very important that we have a relatively quick timescale to resolve the differences. Natalie Don-Innes: Absolutely—I was going to set that out. I am willing to start the discussions right away. We have had good engagement to date, and I am willing to continue that to try to get this delivered.”
“The Scottish Government believes that all children and young people should have the opportunity to engage in progressive and creative outdoor learning experiences. I have been consistent in stating that throughout my engagements on the bill. The Government values the incredibly important work that outdoor education centres do—indeed, I saw at first hand the positive impacts of that when I visited the Outward Bound Trust’s Loch Eil site last year. That is why we provided £4 million in emergency funding to the sector during the pandemic. The Government will be abstaining in the vote today. Let me be clear why. We are of course supportive of the underpinning aims of the bill, but our initial significant reservations, which we set out to the committee last year, remain unresolved, as yet.”
“I apologise for missing the very beginning of the debate. Before I begin, I will take a moment to pay tribute to Christina McKelvie. She was a wonderful woman. She was kind-hearted, warm, brave and bold, and she had a fantastic sense of humour. Similar to many members who have spoken today, I found Christina to be extremely supportive. I remember how encouraging and helpful she was when I first entered the Parliament in 2021. I know that she will be terribly missed in this Parliament and across Scotland, and my deepest condolences go to Keith, Jack and Lewis and all her family and friends. I thank the member in charge of the bill for her engagement so far. I also thank the lead committee and all the stakeholders who came forward during stage 1.”
“I intend to allow around 20 minutes, after which we will need to move on to the next item of business. I would be grateful if members who wish to ask a question could press their request-to-speak buttons now, if they have not already done so.”
“It is clear that, since January, improvements have been and are being made. I want to reassure all those who are involved in the provision of secure care, from the children who need its support and the staff in secure care centres to local authorities and community and justice partners. My message is that the Government will work with them to take urgent supportive action where it is needed, and to develop sustainable and integrated solutions. Our priority will always be to ensure that children have access to the care and support that is necessary to keep them, and others, safe. I am aware that members will have further questions, and I would be pleased to answer those now. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The minister will now take questions on the issues raised in her statement.”
“As with all Promise-keeping efforts, there is a shared responsibility between national and local Government alongside delivery partners. I want us to improve the co-ordination and integration between different parts of the system to ensure that our system is both compassionate and responsive. Children in secure care often require multiple services, including mental health support, education and vocational training, among others. We therefore need to foster greater collaboration with health services, local authorities, education providers and the third sector. We are also considering where quantitative data, real-time data and enhanced management information can help us to predict and forecast demand. I hope that this statement reassures members as to our focus and resolve on these matters.”
“Also ahead of the summer recess, we will publish our response to the “Reimagining Secure Care” reports, which will set out our longer-term vision for the future of secure care within a trauma-informed, Promise- keeping context. I expect that response to confirm the continuing necessity of secure care and to underline the value that we place on those specialist services, but also to cover the need to extend secure care beyond its current configuration. We will focus on a holistic approach that includes preventative measures, improved alternatives to secure care and a stronger focus on transitions to support children to return to their communities, and to their families, wherever that is safe and appropriate.”
“Refreshed guidance on community alternatives to depriving children of their liberty has also been prepared and was published last week. I thank the Children’s and Young People’s Centre for Justice and the Youth Justice Improvement Board for bringing that work to fruition. As members know, secure care should be used only when absolutely necessary. We are also working with third sector organisations to identify high-intensity wraparound services, which are intended to offer credible support to high-need children, and to encourage safe, early step down from secure care. The Parliament will be updated further on that before summer recess. In the medium to long term, we are committed to developing a more resilient and responsive system of secure care provision, capacity preservation and placement management.”
“The policy and practice adviser will work alongside officials in Scottish Government to enhance our partnership with local government and improve the co- ordination of relevant services across the country. The post should also enable us to accelerate our collective efforts to evolve Scotland’s secure care provision, in line with the Promise. We also continue to focus on alternatives to secure accommodation, focusing on early intervention and preventative services. We are backing our contingency actions with up to £2 million this year alone. In addition, following the recent budget, funding of up to £8.4 million is being made available by the Scottish Government to cover the placements of sentenced and remanded children over the next two years. That is a significant further financial commitment to support the system and its sustainability.”
“That will directly alleviate some of the pressure on secure care accommodation. That fully funded resource is expected to be operational in the next month, subject to Care Inspectorate registration. I am grateful to Rossie for its agility and innovation in helping to identify a tangible solution. The centre has just had very positive Care Inspectorate gradings, and members can be confident that the new provision will be a significant and effective augmentation to Scotland’s offer. As well as boosting capacity directly, we are also supporting improved awareness and confidence among professionals working in Scotland’s placing authorities. I am therefore pleased also to confirm that we are funding a dedicated professional lead at Social Work Scotland for the next 12 months.”
“In my previous statement, I outlined the Government’s commitment to work collaboratively with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Social Work Scotland and others to develop a secure care contingency action plan, and I thank all providers and partners for their contributions. I will write to the conveners of the Criminal Justice Committee and the Education, Children and Young People Committee with fuller details in April. On immediate priorities, we have moved to restore Scotland’s secure accommodation capacity. I am therefore pleased to announce the establishment of a new four-bed national contingency resource with support from the Scottish Government. Part of Rossie’s specialised residential estate will be repurposed and specially staffed in order to offer a new four-bed secure care provision.”
“This morning, there was one place available in secure accommodation in Scotland, but it is entirely possible that that position could change during the course of my statement. That unpredictability in demand is why our key actions relate not just to restoring capacity, but to improving confidence among practitioners and decision makers when it comes to suitable alternatives to secure care. Meeting the needs of children who may require secure accommodation is not just about numbers of vacant beds. It is about creating and sustaining environments where children receive the highest quality of care. Those services require a specialist and skilled workforce, and I acknowledge and pay tribute to the dedication of that workforce.”
“Following a further visit on 13 March, the Care Inspectorate was satisfied that significant improvements had been made in a number of areas, and it agreed to lift the improvement notice. St Mary’s has been focusing on meeting the requirements of the improvement notice, and its focus is now on moving towards sustainable restored capacity as soon as safely possible. The centre is redoubling its efforts to augment staff capacity over spring. Work to fill those specialist roles is already in hand, but will, of course, take some time. I will update the Parliament further on that progress before summer recess, and I visited St Mary’s earlier this month to hear directly about the centre’s improvement journey. As members are aware, secure accommodation demand is complex and volatile—capacity can shift at least daily.”
“It is with thanks to secure providers and wider care and justice partners that we can proudly say that Scotland does not imprison our children. Those reforms—although they were the right thing to do and were well prepared for—have required a period of adjustment. That is why, in these early post-commencement stages, it is important that we continue to work with that same collaborative, learning spirit as matters settle. Members will recall that, following its inspection in October, St Mary’s Kenmure was served an improvement notice by the Care Inspectorate. That rightly triggered a pause on new admissions while improvements were made. That total pause on admissions was lifted by the Care Inspectorate on 18 December, but the maximum capacity at St Mary’s has been capped at 12.”
“Four factors are particularly relevant: the pause on admissions to St Mary’s Kenmure, which limited its secure accommodation capacity from the contracted 24 beds to 12, reducing the capacity across the secure estate by almost 20 per cent, which has displaced demands to the other three providers over the period; the complexity of some children’s needs, which can require the use of multiple beds, and the associated staff, to care safely for a single child; the increased duration of some placements as a result of the increased sentenced and remanded population; and cross-border placements. As I set out in my statement in January, the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 saw Scotland take a major step forward to keep the Promise, by introducing a series of reforms.”
“Since my statement in January, the Government has been taking a range of actions to address Scotland’s secure care accommodation capacity. As I have set out consistently in the chamber, secure accommodation services are the most intensive, restrictive and specialised form of care for children and young people. There are 78 beds across Scotland’s secure accommodation estate, provided by four independent charitable organisations. Based on all known past placement patterns and the higher ends of all evidenced projections, that provision should be sufficient to meet Scotland’s needs. However, in recent months, there has been a considerable strain on Scotland’s available secure accommodation capacity.”
“The definition is similar to the one that was proposed in the Jay review, and both Police Scotland and the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration have stated that they are in the process of adopting the definition to inform internal guidance. In June 2024, a criminal exploitation awareness-raising event took place to raise awareness of the guidance among practitioners and leaders across various sectors and to promote multi-agency working between organisations.”
“In line with the review recommendations, we are taking steps to educate and empower our front-line practitioners through the provision of the resources and training that they need to recognise the signs of child criminal exploitation and to respond appropriately. In 2023, on behalf of the serious organised crime task force, we published guidance for practitioners on criminal exploitation. Many members have referred to the need for a definition. The guidance, which supports a shared definition of criminal exploitation and promotes early identification of those who are at risk, was incorporated into the updated national guidance for child protection in 2023.”
“We want Scotland to lead the way in tackling all forms of child abuse and exploitation, so that we can live up to our ambitions and our shared vision for Scotland, and so that we can keep the Promise. Evidence shows that the most effective way to prevent exploitation is through a focus on education, awareness raising and practitioner training. Last year, I had the privilege of attending the launch of the “You Are Not Alone” resource for schools, which focuses on the risks and harms of child exploitation. Co-developed by young people, I Am Me Scotland and Police Scotland, the resource offers a wealth of information to empower young people to recognise harm and know where to turn for support when they need it most. Michael Matheson pointed to the importance of training.”
“We have engaged closely with Action for Children and other stakeholders including Police Scotland, the Crown Office, the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on the review’s recommendations to strengthen our approach to prevent and tackle this form of abuse. It is important to recognise that a number of the review’s recommendations have already been implemented in Scotland and, indeed, were informed by our approach. That includes the incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which underpins a rights- based approach to protecting children; delivery of a statutory independent child trafficking guardians service; and the operation of the Lord Advocate’s instructions for non-prosecution of victims of human trafficking.”
“I thank Michael Matheson for highlighting the important work that has been undertaken by Action for Children, Alexis Jay and others on child criminal exploitation. Today’s debate provides a timely focus on that deeply concerning issue. As we have heard, local areas face significant challenges in addressing the risk and impact of child criminal exploitation, which often involves vulnerable children and families. Mr Matheson laid out clearly the risks to all children, and I agree with many of the sentiments in today’s debate. Child criminal exploitation is abhorrent.”
“The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that amendment S6M-16844.3, in the name of Paul McLennan, which seeks to amend motion S6M-16844, in the name of Mark Griffin, on children’s rights and temporary accommodation, be agreed to. Amendment agreed to. The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that amendment S6M-16844.2, in the name of Meghan Gallacher, which seeks to amend motion S6M-16844, in the name of Mark Griffin, on children’s rights and temporary accommodation, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division. The vote is closed.”
“Motion, as amended, agreed to, That the Parliament recognises the challenges that have faced a number of island communities with ferry service disruptions but notes that CalMac crews delivered 95.8% of services in the last recorded contract year; welcomes the provision of over £530 million in 2025-26 for maintaining and improving ferry services, replacing vessels, upgrading ports and harbours, and investing further in low-carbon inter-island ferries, with at least £21 million to progress phase 1 of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme; acknowledges that the delivery of six new large vessels, providing fleet resilience, and the procurement of seven new small vessels, which is currently in the 10-day 'standstill period', and the replacement for the MV Lord of the Isles, will provide 37% of the total fleet with new vessels, helping to reduce emissions and create more sustainability, resilience and reliability for residents, businesses and communities; notes that public engagement is being undertaken in Orkney and Shetland to inform the procurement of two new freight vessels for the Northern Isles services; acknowledges the work underway to make a direct award for the next Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract, and the roundtable with all stakeholders, including the Ferries Community Board and trade unions, to collectively discuss ambitions for the contract, including putting public service delivery and accountable key performance indicators developed with communities at its heart, and agrees that delivery of the award will then provide the space and opportunity for more fundamental reform of governance.”
“For Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Rona Mackay] Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn] McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McKelvie, Christina (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn] McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Alba) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Against Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (Con) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con) Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Abstentions Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on motion S6M-16845, in the name of Claire Baker, on reforming Scotland’s west coast ferries, as amended, is: For 58, Against 52, Abstentions 6.”
“Amendment disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that motion S6M-16845, in the name of Claire Baker, on reforming Scotland’s west coast ferries, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect. I would have voted no. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Don- Innes. We will ensure that that is recorded. For Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (Con) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con) Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Against Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Rona Mackay] Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn] McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McKelvie, Christina (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn] McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Abstentions Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on amendment S6M-16845.1, in the name of Sue Webber, is: For 52, Against 56, Abstentions 7.”
“Given the potential impact on charities, the health and care sector and businesses, the UK Government should have looked across the range of tax powers that are at its disposal before pushing through that increase to employer national insurance contributions.”
“Early learning and childcare is only one of many vital public services that are delivered in the public, private and third sectors, and we estimate that the UK Government’s increase could add more than £700 million to the costs of public services in Scotland. The Scottish Government has been clear that the Treasury must fully fund those costs, but the Treasury has indicated that we will instead receive a much lower-value Barnett share of spending in England. We maintain that additional support must go beyond a simple Barnett share and recognise the differing size and configuration of public services in Scotland.”
“Clare Haughey: A partnership nursery in my Rutherglen constituency has estimated that the impact of changes to national insurance, coupled with wage rises that its staff deserve, will cost approximately £2,500 per employee. Does the minister agree that it is deeply regrettable that the Labour UK Government voted specifically to exclude an exemption from the rise in employer national insurance contributions for early learning and childcare settings—thereby adding significantly to their costs—especially given their vital contribution to the education of Scotland’s children? Natalie Don-Innes: Absolutely. I fully agree that there is much to regret in the UK Government’s increase in employer national insurance contributions and fully appreciate the concern among providers in relation to that rise in costs.”
“Through my regular engagement with the childcare sector, I am keenly aware of the concerns about the United Kingdom Government’s changes to employer national insurance contributions. Our estimates indicate that those changes will add £5 million per year to partner providers’ costs for the delivery of funded ELC. The First Minister and the president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities welcomed the support of childcare sector representatives when they wrote to the chancellor in January, calling again for the Treasury to meet the costs for Scottish public services in full. The Scottish Government will continue to advocate for the interests of funded ELC providers at every opportunity.”
“However, I know of several cases in which it simply is not working in the interests of the child or of the class. I know that there is a balance, so I ask the minister to keep it under review. We want the child and the class to get the best out of the situation. Natalie Don-Innes: Last year, the Education, Children and Young People Committee led an inquiry into additional support for learning and considered the issues thoroughly. We accepted the committee’s recommendations and are taking further action. I will keep the points that Ms Grahame raises in mind. The Presiding Officer: That concludes general question time. First Minister’s Question Time 12:00 National Health Service (Single-sex Spaces) 1.”
“Our young people should learn in the environment that best suits their needs. We continue to seek ways to improve the experience of inclusion for all our young people, and the draft budget sets out an additional £29 million for additional support needs. Our most recent relevant analysis, which was undertaken in the Morgan review in 2020, found no deficit in the legislative framework for additional support for learning. Indeed, the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000 has clear exceptions to the presumption of mainstream education to enable children and young people to learn in a special school or in a specialist unit if that best suits their needs. Christine Grahame: I fully support the presumption on inclusion that was introduced in legislation more than two decades ago.”
“Together, we are working hard towards changes that I believe will have a positive impact for all of Scotland’s care-experienced children and young people, and I look forward to hearing the perspectives of members across the chamber this afternoon. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The minister will now take questions on the issues raised in her statement. I intend to allow around 20 minutes for questions, after which we need to move on to the next item of business. Members wishing to ask a question should press their request-to-speak buttons if they have not already done so.”
“Although that will provide a substantial step forward in facilitating the next stages of our work, I am conscious that the legislative landscape surrounding the care of children and young people is already wide ranging, and further legislative direction should not add unnecessarily to that. I am conscious that legislative change must be accompanied by the required capacity, resource and finance to ensure the implementation of the legislation. I do not shy away from the task ahead. We should reflect positively on the progress that we have made, and we should look ahead with optimism. It is important to consider that the oversight board says that we can deliver the promise by 2030, but we must be open and honest about the work that we still have to do.”
“It recognises that some people, organisations and systems are not yet doing enough, and I second its call to step up, to prioritise and to engage. There is a role for legislation in helping to enable that, and the Scottish Government is actively working to develop the policy and the legal understanding that are required to prepare a bill for introduction later this year. That is informed by what The Promise Scotland tells us must change and by recent engagement and consultation work on children’s hearings redesign, moving on from care into adulthood, the definition of care experience and the future of foster care. I am keen to continue that engagement with all stakeholders, particularly the care-experienced community, as the legislative drafting happens and progress is made through Parliament.”
“For our young people who are transitioning out of children’s services, we continue to work with staff, The Promise Scotland and key stakeholders to increase the coherence around the package of support that is available, including by continuing to invest in continuing care and aftercare, broader financial and education supports and the introduction of the care leaver payment later this year. In delivering that change, the importance of the relationship between national and local government is key. The Scottish Government continues to provide £2.8 million to fund the work of The Promise Scotland and to fund a dedicated Promise post in the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to work across all 32 local authorities to help to build that important link. The oversight board is clear that there is still a way to go.”
“As I have said before in the chamber, this is of particular importance to me personally, as I experienced informal kinship care in my childhood. I am determined to strengthen the support that is available, ensuring that kinship carers have the resources that they need to care for the children in their families. To do that, we have updated the kinship care guidance and have introduced a new kinship care assessment framework to provide clearer and more consistent support for carers and practitioners.”
“We recognise our role in working alongside partners in implementing the “Improving Care Leavers Housing Pathways” report, and work is progressing on all the recommendations. On foster care, the contribution that is made by our foster carers and foster families is of the highest value. In November, I launched the next stage of our work to set a vision for the future that is shaped by the voices of children and young people and that prioritises their experiences. Our commitment is not only that foster care provides stability and support but that our foster carers are well equipped, supported and empowered to continue nurturing the children in their care. The role that kinship carers play must also not be understated.”
“It is by stepping alongside families early on that we can break the terrible pattern that results in too many children having to live away from home. Every children’s services planning partnership has received a share of that funding and has delivered a range of support, including holistic support for parents with mental health or substance abuse issues, welfare rights advice and community- based family support hubs. However, I recognise the calls to action that the oversight board has identified, and I am pleased to say that further engagement is already under way. On homelessness, Scotland has the strongest rights across the United Kingdom nations for people experiencing homelessness, and the duties of local authorities and corporate parents to support young people leaving care are set out in legislation.”
“The Government is committed to a programme of national public sector reform that will support Scotland to move away from crisis intervention, and my colleague Mr McKee led a meeting earlier this week to support the next steps in greater alignment and delivery in public services. Our commitment to whole-family support is central to that. Since 2022, we have invested more than £110 million through whole family wellbeing funding. I was pleased that, earlier this month, the First Minister announced that an additional £6 million will be allocated to children’s services planning partnerships as part of the 2025-26 budget. That increase means that the share of the whole family wellbeing funding that is provided to children’s services planning partnerships will rise from £32 million to £38 million in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 financial years.”
“In June 2024, the Parliament passed the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill and ended the placement of children in young offenders institutions in Scotland. Significant steps have been made in introducing the bairns’ hoose model, with 10 pathfinder and affiliate test sites up and running, backed by almost £10 million of investment to date. In education, we are investing £1 billion in the Scottish attainment challenge, including more than £130 million in pupil equity funding in the budget, as well as additional funding to support care- experienced children’s and young people’s attainment and wellbeing. Since 2021, we have invested £20 million through the Promise partnership fund to support local projects and initiatives.”
“Although that figure tells only part of the story, the recently launched Promise progress framework puts the framework in place to track and review progress and to inform the action that is required over the next five years. The framework consolidates nearly 50 different streams of national data into one place—the first time that that has happened—and lets us paint a picture of the state of play nationally. The framework means that organisations can contextualise their own progress and use it for their own reporting, to change their processes and, in turn, to change the system. The system is changing. In August 2023, we introduced the Scottish recommended allowance for kinship and foster carers, bringing the benefit to more than 9,000 families.”
“That illustrates the need for the Promise to be embedded across the Government and to be aligned with the progress report’s priority of whole- family support. As “Plan 21-24” said, “To realise a child’s rights, you have to support their family—whether it is one they are born into or not. And all families need support at different times”. Understanding the change that has happened so far is imperative. The further development of “Plan 24-30” can set a clear route map for what needs to be done, by whom and by when, and I welcome the oversight board’s encouragement to all stakeholders to engage in the next stage of setting the strategic direction. Our latest published statistics show that there was a 15.6 per cent reduction in the number of looked-after children between 2020 and 2023.”
“Indeed, delivering the Promise demands that we break down traditional silos, which is what the Government is doing. We have a dedicated Cabinet sub-committee for the Promise, and my ministerial colleagues work closely with me and with one another to bring about the change that we need. For example, the bairns’ hoose commitment involves the Government bringing together the education, health and justice portfolios. Back in January, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care visited the organisation Circle, which I mentioned earlier, so that he could see at first hand how it is supporting young people and families affected by drug and alcohol use in East Lothian. That is part of the Government’s “Grow Your Own Routes” project, backed by £4 million, which is now operating in eight areas.”
“Support and success can mean very different things to different people, and voices must be heard if we want to make real and lasting change. The First Minister made that message clear in the letter that he penned to the care- experienced community in Scotland. Let me address care-experienced children, young people, adults and families—one and all— to confirm my support and my drive to succeed. Let me also pass on my support to the workforce across Scotland who, on a daily basis, keep delivering in our social work departments, in our schools, in our health and justice services and across so many parts of our lives. I have witnessed the energy and activity under way to bring change, and I thank them for their on-going drive and commitment. I call on all members across the Parliament to continue to work together.”
“Just this month, I met staff, volunteers and families at Circle in Edinburgh, the Martha’s mammies service in Glasgow and the whole-family wellbeing support hub in South Lanarkshire. This afternoon, I was due to visit the mother and child recovery house in Dundee, which is run by Aberlour. The service provides 24/7 therapeutic and emotional support to stabilise drug and alcohol use. I apologise to the mums and staff at Cowan Grove for having to postpone my visit, but I look forward to arranging another time to meet them soon. Talking to the children, parents, families, staff and volunteers involved in those fantastic projects provides a clear reminder to ministers that no story is ever the same. There can be no one-size-fits-all approach.”
“Despite the unwelcome distraction of a global pandemic, significant progress has been made, so I agree with the oversight board when it says: “The journey is behind schedule — but still on course.” I also agree with the board when it says: “The destination is clear, and Scotland is heading in the right direction.” We can keep the Promise that we made to young people in this country, and we will keep it. Two weeks ago marked the fifth anniversary of the Promise being made, which was a point to celebrate what has been achieved so far and provided an opportunity to reflect on what needs to be done. It is my privilege as the minister to hear at first hand individual stories and experiences.”
“Keeping the Promise is a commitment steadfastly made by this Government. It is a commitment that I hold close to my heart in all that I do as minister, and it is a commitment made unanimously across this chamber. The independent care review told us what has to change, and the oversight board has recognised that the recommendations that were made have not been filed on a shelf or kicked into the long grass. Instead, they have been embedded into the work that we do across ministerial portfolios, departments and the public sector.”
“We continue to work with Education Scotland to build on the work to date and to identify any gaps. I am aware of Cruse Scotland’s work in supporting children and young people, and I am happy to meet Mr Balfour to explore that further. Police Scotland (Non-criminal Complaints) 8.”
“However, Cruse Scotland and other organisations have pointed out that there is still a lack of a core curriculum to help children learn how to deal with it. Will the minister meet me, Cruse and other organisations to discuss how we can take that forward to benefit children across Scotland? Natalie Don-Innes: All children and young people who have experienced bereavement should be supported. As I have alluded to, and as Mr Balfour is aware, the curriculum for excellence is not a statutory curriculum but more a broad framework that is designed to give schools the flexibility that they require. That being said, programmes are delivered in Scotland to support children and young people through grief and loss, such as the Seasons for Growth programme, whose core element is the promotion of social and emotional wellbeing after a loss.”