Together responds to the future of foster care consultation

Date: 11th February 2025
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, General measures of implementation

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Together’s response draws on key principles from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and evidence from children and young people, including findings from its recent State of Children's Rights Report.

Together welcomed Scottish Government focus on grounding the reforms in children’s rights, listening to their views and experiences, and tailoring care to their individual needs. Children emphasise that they need foster carers who treat them as family, rather than ‘a job’.

Key concerns raised included the need to avoid one-size-fits-all solutions, a shortage of placements for sibling groups, and limited financial and emotional support for foster carers. Together also emphasised the need for enhanced training, improved support for foster carers, and learning from international examples to strengthen the foster care system. The response highlighted that better support for foster carers is essential, especially against the backdrop of a crisis in recruitment and retention, and as more children enter foster care with complex needs and trauma.

• Click here to read full response