Keeping the Promise - implementation plan: children's rights and wellbeing impact assessment screening

Child Rights and Wellbeing Screening Sheet for Keeping The Promise Implementation Plan

1. Brief Summary

Just over two years ago the Independent Care Review published The Promise and in February 2020 the Scottish Government signed up to the actions set out within it.

The Promise Implementation Plan has a significant role to play in contributing to the Scottish Government's Purpose and National Outcomes. Our national ambition is that our children grow up loved, safe and respected so that they realise their full potential. In order to achieve this outcome Scotland must implement the recommendations set out by the Independent Care Review and Keep The Promise that we have made to all care experienced children, young people and families by 2030. The key outcomes within The Promise are a system that helps families to stay together where safe to do so by providing preventative whole family support, coupled with a care system for those children that require it that shows love, compassion and consistency for individual children and young people.

In developing the Keeping The Promise Implementation Plan, we have worked together across a number of policy directorates, reflecting the wide ranging and cross-cutting nature of the Promise. We have engaged with The Promise Scotland to inform the Implementation Plan. Policy leads are also engaging with a range of stakeholders on individual policies set out in the Plan, including with COSLA.

We have also considered available evidence across the wide range of policy areas related to the Promise, including evidence gathered as part of the Independent Care Review which heard from over 5,500 care experienced children and adults, families and the paid and unpaid workforce. We will continue to ensure that we work with all of our stakeholders and with the Promise Scotland to listen to the voices and experiences of our children, young people and families with experience of care and improve their lives.

2. What aspects of the policy/measure will affect children and young people up to the age of 18?

Each of the actions and commitments set out in the Implementation Plan will affect children and young people up to the age of 18.

Our vision for Scotland is that all of our children grow up loved, safe and respected so that they realise their full potential. To achieve this we must do all we can to ensure that all of our children grow up in an environment of happiness, love and understanding.

Making this vision a reality by 2030 will require action from the Scottish Government, public, private and third sector partners and the people and communities of Scotland. The actions and commitments in the Implementation Plan are intended to improve the lives of Scotland's children and young people and their families. The Plan will, therefore, affect people of all ages, sex and backgrounds. Taking a person centred approach means recognising that not everybody is the same, thinks the same or needs the same. We must respect, reflect and embrace this in the services and support we provide.

This document is not a substitute for individual policy specific impact assessments which will be undertaken by policy leads at the appropriate stage of policy development.

3. What likely impact – direct or indirect – will the policy/measure have on children and young people?

We anticipate that the actions and commitments set out in the Implementation Plan will bring benefits across the National Performance Framework, including but not limited to outcomes that relate to children and young people. It seeks to have a positive direct impact on the lives of our children and young people, including those with care experience.

Our vision is that by 2030, we will have achieved our statutory child poverty targets and significantly reduced the number of children growing up in poverty and the negative outcomes associated with that. We will have a Scotland where families are supported to stay together through whole family support. We will have significantly reduced the number of children and young people engaged in the care system and our communities will be better supported by the services available to them.

Being care experienced will not be surrounded by stigma. The support available, if required, will be person centred and accessible at a time of need; all transitions will be managed smoothly and the service provided will not be determined by age or geography. The focus of a child's care will always be based on the child's, rather than the systems, needs and it will be underpinned by love and loving relationships. Not every care experienced person is the same. Not every care experienced person thinks, acts, feels or believes the same. Not every care experienced person wants the same outcomes in their life and not every care experienced person needs the same support. However, every care experienced person should grow up feeling loved and supported to live a happy and healthy life.

Fundamentally, we want to significantly reduce the number of children and young people who are living away from their families. To achieve this ambition, where children are safe and feel loved they must stay with their families; and families must be given support to nurture that love and overcome the difficulties which get in the way. Our approach to this is reflective of 'the fundamentals' of change that The Promise Scotland set out in its Plan 21-24:

• To do what matters to children and families
• To listen and embed what we have heard from children and families
• To tackle poverty and the forces that push families into it
• To respect children's rights, and
• To improve our language

The impacts will be further considered in detail as the specific policies and/or legal provisions are developed and implemented up to 2030.

4. Which groups of children and young people will be affected?

As mentioned above, the Implementation Plan will affect the lives of people of all ages, sexes and backgrounds, including children and young people under the age of 18. We recognise that there will be certain groups of children and young people who may be most affected. These include:

• Children and young people with care experience;
• Children and young people living in poverty, including fuel poverty;
• Children and young people with protected characteristics, or living in a household which include adult(s) with protected characteristics.

5. Is a Children's Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment required?

No. The Keeping The Promise Implementation Plan provides a Route Map with milestones and actions and commitments to Keep The Promise by 2030. Our Implementation Plan is neither the end of the story, nor the whole of it. We are on a journey to change and only by working together with our partners and with our care community will we Keep The Promise. We will consider, in consultation with The Promise Scotland, the right time, and the right way, to provide an update on our Implementation Plan and our journey to Keep The Promise.

Whilst direct impacts of the Implementation Plan have been identified and considered, our view is that these should be further explored at a point when specific policies outlined in the Plan are developed to ensure a comprehensive assessment of their impact on children's rights and wellbeing.This will ensure children's rights are considered and upheld in the development of specific policies.

6. Sign & Date

Policy Lead Signature & Date of Sign Off: Emma Stevenson, Policy & Legislation Lead, Keeping The Promise Team - 4 May 2022

Deputy Director Signature & Date of Sign Off: Gavin Henderson, Deputy Director, Keeping The Promise – 4 May 2022