- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don on 16 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many children and young people have died in the care of a Scottish local authority prior to their 18th birthday since 2018.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the tragic death of any looked after child or young person is accurately reported on and reviewed to improve services and ensure that children and young people are receiving the best care possible. A total of 49 children and young people have sadly died in the care of local authorities prior to their 18th birthday since 2018 to the present day. These figures include children and young people with complex/life limiting health conditions.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don on 16 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many children and young people from a different legal jurisdiction are currently in a care setting in Scotland, and how it ensures that the rights of any such children or young people under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) are upheld.
Answer
While the Scottish Government does not collect statistical data on the total number of children and young people from a different legal jurisdiction who are currently in a care setting in Scotland, there is a range of data available which enables us to monitor cross-border placements made in to residential and secure care accommodation. This includes –
- The latest Secure Care Statistics which show that, on average, 22 children and young people from outside Scotland were in secure care in 2022-23.
- The Cross-Border Placements (Effect of Deprivation of Liberty Orders) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 , which require placing authorities from other jurisdictions to notify Scottish Ministers, and a range of other Scottish partners, of the placement of children and young people into Scotland who are subject to a Deprivation of Liberty Order. This information is collated and monitored by the Scottish Government. At the time of writing, there were a total of 10 live Deprivation of Liberty order placements notified to Scottish Government.
- A regulatory requirement for residential and secure care services to notify the Care Inspectorate when a child or young person moves in or out of placement in Scotland from a different legal jurisdiction within the UK. This data is collated by the Care Inspectorate and shared with the Scottish Government. From this data, we know, at time of writing there to be approximately 180 children and young people in residential and secure care who have been placed in Scotland from a different legal jurisdiction.
The Care Inspectorate inspects residential and secure care homes at least once each year and has a responsibility to ensure that services are upholding, protecting and promoting the rights of children and young people; meeting their needs; and keeping children, young people and others safe.
The Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill ("the Bill”) is currently proceeding through the Scottish Parliament and contains new powers in relation to cross-border placements. If passed by Parliament, the new powers in the Bill will enable Ministers to bolster the existing regulatory framework in relation to cross-border placements to protect and uphold the rights of all children placed in Scotland. This would include regulating for matters such as: notification of an amendment to/end of placements; ensuring appropriate access to services is secured such as health, education and any other supports that the child or young person may require for the duration of their placement; and transition planning for the child’s return to home jurisdiction.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 April 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 16 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its pledge to provide a free bike to every school-age child who cannot afford one.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 16 April 2024
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what data it collects about care experienced young people's school (a) attendance, (b) achievement, (c) attainment and (d) positive destinations; how any such data is analysed, and when it will next be reviewed.
Answer
Data on education outcomes of care experienced young people is collected and published as part of the annual Education Outcomes of Looked After Children (EOLAC) Official Statistics publication. This covers pupils in publicly funded mainstream schools in the 32 local authorities, and one grant aided school. For the latest EOLAC 2021-22 publication, information was linked from:
Information on the methodology used to match looked after children’s data is available in the background notes of the EOLAC 2021-22 publication. The latest education outcomes for looked after children statistics include analysis for:
- All children looked after within the year
- Children looked after for the full year
- Children looked after for part of the year
- Children who had been looked after at some point for any duration since age 5, and since age 12. These statistics were published for the first time in the 2021-22 publication as Experimental Statistics.
The experimental statistics will be reviewed before the next iteration of the statistics, planned for publication in August 2024.
Data on (b) achievement , (c) attainment and (d) positive destinations is collected annually. Further information on the types of analysis breakdowns provided for these education outcomes can be found in the supporting Tables document of the 2021-22 publication. Data on (a) attendance is collected every second year, and was last published in 2020-21. Further information on the types of analysis breakdowns provided for attendance can be found in the supporting Tables document of the 2020-21 publication. Information on the groups each of these education outcomes is analysed for can be found in the respective section of the publication report, as per the hyperlinks provided above.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by George Adam on 9 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how often it reviews statistical collection and publishing cycles in order to deliver joined-up policy making.
Answer
Scottish Government statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The Code of Practice states that statistics producers should routinely review the relevance and usefulness of statistics, including the timeliness of the statistics and data.
The Code of Practice also requires statistics producers to maintain and refresh their understanding of the use and potential use of statistics, and that they regularly engage with users. This is to ensure that statistics support the public good, which includes the development and evaluation of public policy.
The application of the Code of Practice in Scottish Government is overseen by the Chief Statistician, with decisions about particular collections and publications made on a case-by-case by the responsible statisticians.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 27 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many young offenders currently being held in a young offenders institution are (a) 16 and (b) 17 years old.
Answer
On the morning of 25 March 2024 there were (a) no 16 year olds and (b) five 17 year olds held in Young Offender Institutions in Scotland.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 01 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don on 14 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much Disclosure Scotland has spent on employing temporary staff in each year since 2012.
Answer
I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:
Table: The spend on employing temporary staff each year since 2012. To note, these figures relate to both agency staff and contractors.
Year | Temp staff cost (£000) |
2012 | 1,942 |
2013 | 2,371 |
2014 | 2,407 |
2015 | 3,029 |
2016 | 5,423 |
2017 | 8,029 |
2018 | 16,605 |
2019 | 15,149 |
2020 | 14,701 |
2021 | 9,470 |
2022 | 7,702 |
2023 | 9,175 |
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 01 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don on 14 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many staffing vacancies are currently unfilled within Disclosure Scotland.
Answer
I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:
There are 13 staffing vacancies currently unfilled within Disclosure Scotland.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 01 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don on 14 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many members of staff were employed by Disclosure Scotland in each year since 2012.
Answer
I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:
Table: The headcount of staff at Disclosure Scotland as of 31 March for the years requested.
Year | Staff headcount |
2012 | 290 |
2013 | 315 |
2014 | 336 |
2015 | 341 |
2016 | 494 |
2017 | 609 |
2018 | 413 |
2019 | 447 |
2020 | 474 |
2021 | 468 |
2022 | 465 |
2023 | 456 |
As of 29 February 2024 | 457 |
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments made by the National Autistic Society Scotland that some autistic pupils in Scotland have to “fail” in mainstream education before receiving the support that they need.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2024
