The Promise Data and Evidence Group Workplan: July 2026 – June 2027

1. Aims and scope

1.1 Population Groups

This groups last work plan identified four population groups, likely to be intersectional and not mutually exclusive, as within the scope of the work of this group:

• Children currently in the care system and their families
• Children at risk of entering care and their families
• Young people transitioning out of care and into adulthood
• Care-experienced adults

Subsequent discussions have considered whether additional population groups need to be defined more explicitly. In particular, stakeholders have highlighted children who have experienced adoption and their families’, and individuals with prior care experience who are no longer looked after, and questioned how these groups relate to the existing categories.

The importance and relevance of these populations to The Promise is recognised, and the complexities in defining children and families’ varied and sometimes complex journeys in and out of the care system. For example, children who are adopted may not in all cases have ever been formally looked after, while both adopted children and those previously looked after may intersect with existing groups at different points, for instance, where there is a risk of re-entry to care, or in relation to transitions into adulthood and longer-term care experience.

On this basis, the group concluded that these populations are best understood as sitting across, rather than alongside, the four existing groups. They are therefore recognised within scope, but not defined as separate categories. This reflects the complexity of experiences and pathways across the care system.

In addition, in light of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Act 2024, and the additional supports this entitles young care experienced people to, the group has revisited the definition of the third population group, relating to those transitioning to adulthood. It has been agreed that this group should encompass all young people who have experienced care at any point in childhood, as opposed to being limited to those who are looked after at the point of transition.

It should be emphasised that the population groups set out here should be understood as overlapping and non-mutually exclusive, with individuals potentially moving between them over time. This paper contains considerations of which populations each subgroup will focus on over the coming year.

1.2 Sub-groups

To explore data and evidence relating to these population groups, the DEG is split into three subgroups, each with a focus on:

Sub-group one: A review of the quantitative data presented in the Promise Progress Framework to update and maintain the current statistics, in addition to, identifying and working to fill quantitative data gaps in the short to medium term.

Sub-group two: Identification and review of qualitative data which can contribute to the Stories of Progress to complement quantitative data in the Promise Progress Framework.

Sub-group three: Long-term data projects to identify and promote opportunities which use quantitative data, including one-off research projects and improvements to the longer-term data infrastructure, to improve the data and evidence landscape.

The DEG will continue to organise its workstreams in this way over the coming year. In its role to support the development of The Promise Story of Progress, The Data and Evidence Group aims to quality-assure, and support improvements to, evidence across the three strands of the Story of Progress approach:

• How is Scotland doing in its progress towards keeping the promise?
• Does the care community feel the impact of the promise being kept?
• How are organisations doing in their work to keep the promise?

With subgroup 1 currently proving support to answering the first of the above questions, and subgroup 2 supporting the second question.

Support to the third strand of work, looking at organisational activity, was not directly set out in this group’s initial workplan. COSLA is currently leading on the development of the approach to this strand over the coming year, which will be presented to the DEG in autumn 2026. This will provide a clearer basis for understanding how organisational change is being evidenced and articulated, and where existing work and membership of the DEG can best support this strand. Further exploration of its role and contribution will be developed over the course of the year.

The work of all three groups will come together with the shared ambition to improve how Scotland can understand the lived experiences and outcomes for those in and around the care system, to inform longer term policy and monitoring of progress.