Care Leaver Payment (Scotland) Regulations 2026: child rights and wellbeing impact assessment (CRWIA)

Conclusion

7. As a result of the evidence gathered and analysed against all UNCRC requirements, what is the potential overall impact of this proposal on children’s rights?

Applicable answer(s): Positive

8. If you have identified a positive impact on children’s rights, please describe below how the proposal will protect, respect, and fulfil children’s rights in Scotland.

The CLP will provide vital financial support at a critical life stage, helping eligible young people transition from care into independent adulthood. Evidence shows that care leavers face higher risks of poverty, housing instability, and poor mental health due to a lack of family support. A one-off payment can ease this pressure, enabling eligible young people to afford essentials like housing, education, or training.

Feedback from care-experienced young people, and learning taken from the Welsh Basic Income for Care Leavers pilot, show that financial support improves wellbeing, reduces stress, and empowers care leavers to make confident, stable choices. The CLP would not only address immediate need but also promote long-term resilience and equality.

9. If a negative impact has been identified please describe it below. Is there a risk this could potentially amount to an incompatibility?

Mitigation Record

What options have been considered to modify the proposal in order to mitigate a negative impact or potential incompatibility?

Please summarise mitigation actions taken below

Issue or risk identified and relevant UNCRC requirement

Not applicable.

Action Taken/ To Be Taken

Not applicable.

Date action to be taken or was taken

July 2025.

10. As a result of the evidence gathered and analysed against all wellbeing indicators, will the proposal contribute to the wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland?

Safe: Not Applicable

Healthy: Not Applicable

Achieving: Not Applicable

Nurtured: Not Applicable

Active: Yes

Respected: Yes

Responsible: Not Applicable

Included: Yes

If yes, please provide an explanation below:

The CLP will contribute to three of the wellbeing indicators, Active, Respected and Included.

Healthy

Young people should discuss receipt of the CLP with trusted adults, in part through existing planning discussions with the social worker and they should be supported to make decisions that best meet their needs.

Achieving

The CLP will support young people, through relationships with trusted adults and social workers, to make decisions that best meet their needs to promote long-term resilience.

Active

The CLP will create a level of equity for eligible care experienced young people in comparison with their non-care experienced peers. The additional financial security will allow young people to participate in activities that they might not have otherwise had the opportunity to do so, depending on how the young person chooses to spend the payment.

Respected

Whilst the intention is that young people should discuss with trusted adults how they wish to spend the payment, in part through existing planning discussions with their social worker, ultimately, the young person has free will to determine how the payment can best meet their needs.

Included

As above, the CLP will create a level of equity for care experienced young people in comparison with their non-care experienced peers by providing additional financial security and reducing some of the financial barriers they face as they move on from care and into adulthood and more independent living.

11. How will you communicate to children and young people the impact that the proposal will have on their rights?

The rights of eligible care leavers are not likely to be negatively impacted as a result of their receipt of the CLP.

Work is currently underway to develop guidance to sit alongside the delivery of the payment, in particular guidance to support young people as they receive the payment. This was discussed in depth during engagement sessions with young people which will inform the guidance and will be tailored to best meet the needs of the eligible young people. The guidance will highlight that receipt of the payment will be the right of the young person and that this payment will be automatic, without the need for the young person to apply.