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The Scottish Government’s Care Experienced Children and Young People’s Fund (CECYPF) has provided over £50 million to local authorities since 2018 to support children and young people’s attainment and wellbeing. The Fund is for care experienced children and young people, including those who have been adopted.

CECYPF has been used for a range of work, for example inclusion support teams who provide direct trauma-informed help to young people to be fully included in educational settings. The Fund has also supported extensive staff training, including for primary and secondary school teachers, to develop more trauma informed educators, to enable care experienced children to learn efficiently and effectively.

Education Scotland has also developed a Keeping Trauma in Mind professional learning programme for education practitioners, including primary and secondary school teachers, across Scotland. The programme develops the skills, knowledge and understanding required to support children and young people (including adoptees) who may be impacted by trauma.

Under The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007, local authorities have a duty to assess someone’s needs for adoption support services and then provide that support. This applies to a wide range of people affected by adoption, including all adoptees irrespective of their age.

As part of our commitment to Keep the Promise, the Scottish Government is looking at the package of support available to all care experienced people, regardless of their age. We recognise that the impact of care experience can be lifelong and we are working to ensure that all care experienced people, including adoptees, irrespective of their age, are given the support they need to realise their full potential.

I refer the member to the question S6W-19335 on 12 July 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Scottish Government officials last met with their Welsh Government counterparts on 29 June 2023. The meeting was a Four Nations introductory meeting to share knowledge, policy and practice on foster care. Officials have met their Welsh counterparts on 16 occasions since 2021 to discuss a range of policies relating to children in care and social care.

As Minister for Higher and Further Education, and Veterans, Scotland's Shared Apprenticeships sit within my portfolio of responsibilities.

The Scottish Government is progressing the Fair Fares Review to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares that supports the future long term viability of a public transport system that is accessible, available and affordable for people throughout Scotland – including our ferry services. The Fair Fares Review will report by the end of 2023 and we will continue a meaningful and constructive approach to engaging with stakeholders throughout the process.

Under the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007, local authorities have a duty to assess someone’s need for adoption support services and then provide that support. This may include counselling and guidance for parents who have adopted or may adopt a child, as well as assistance in relation to the adoption process, including preparation for adoption.

In 2023-24, the Scottish Government allocated over £480,000 directly to organisations delivering support for adoptive families and practitioners. This funding supports a range of initiatives, including: a national helpline; services for practitioners; an Adoption Contact Register; Adoption Week Scotland; and Adoption UK’s PATHways service. PATHways is a free therapeutic intervention programme which helps adoptive parents to achieve better outcomes for their children by giving them early access to a clinical psychologist and peer support.

The Scottish Government has also allocated £32 million in 2023-24 to Children’s Services Planning Partnerships in local areas as part of the Whole Family Wellbeing programme of activity, which aims to deliver transformational change to improve holistic whole family support, including for adoptive parents.

Under the Adoption Agencies Regulations (Scotland) 2009, each local authority or adoption agency which is carrying out functions such as the assessment of prospective adopters must appoint an adoption panel.

The Scottish Government’s 2011 Guidance on the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 and the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 sets out that the adoption panel should reflect the community from which children and families may come, as adopters are wide ranging and panels need to be informed and sensitive to issues around ethnicity, beliefs, sexuality and lifestyles.

Scottish Government grant making is allocated across portfolios to various parts of the third sector to improve a wide range of outcomes. Some Scottish Government funding will be issued through third sector intermediary organisations. Spending is not all specifically classified as to whether or not it is allocated to third-sector organisations to deliver services. Consequently the information requested is not available.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19714 on 12 July 2023 for details of the programme for the £5 million pledge for the loss and damage funding.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers