Together’s Stage 1 response to the Education, Children and Young People Committee on the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill

Date: 21st August 2025
Category: General measures of implementation, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities

---

We’ve submitted our Stage 1 evidence on the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill to the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee. Together welcomes the Bill and its commitment to ensuring children grow up loved, safe and respected in line with the UNCRC and the Promise. However, we are concerned that some provisions fall outside the protections of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. We ask the Committee to recommend that:

• The Bill is amended so that Sections 1, 2 and Section 10 are re-enacted as stand-alone provisions in this Bill, rather than amendments to the Children (Scotland) Act 1995.
• The Bill is amended so that all definitions of “looked after” are set out in full within this Bill, rather than adopted from the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, to avoid uncertainty about whether it falls within the scope of the UNCRC Act.
• The CRWIA and Policy Memorandum is strengthened to evidence why the drafting route was chosen, assess the negative impact on children’s access to remedy under the UNCRC Act and demonstrate that the Government’s November 2023 commitment to minimise amendments to UK Acts will be followed.

Read our response here