The Scottish Government

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ISBN 1-905501-16-1
This document is also available in pdf format (596k)

Contents

Ministerial foreword

Acknowledgements

Executive summary

Chapter 1: Introduction: A review of looked after children in Scotland
The aim of the review
Our approach
How the review was done
How the review was written

Chapter 2: Looked after children in Scotland today
Context
How many children are looked after?
Who are the children looked after by local authorities?
Gender and age
Children and young people from black and minority ethnic BME communities
Children and young people from different faiths
Children and young people from travelling families
Disabled children
Gay and lesbian young people
Why do children become looked after?
Why looked after children are often further disadvantaged once they become looked after

Chapter 3: Safe children
Keeping children safe - the background
Using the law to keep children and young people safe
Safe recruitment of adults who are responsible for looked after children and young people
Helping children and young people to keep themselves safe
Providing safe care and control
Disabled children
Secure care
Safety from other young people
Safety for young people leaving care
Creating safe environments
Safe adventure
What we can do to keep children safe

Chapter 4: Nurturing our children
The importance of promoting resilience
Providing emotional warmth
The importance of feeling secure
Supporting children and young people when they move
What helps create stability for looked after children?
Links with birth families
Attending school regularly
Friends and social networks
Securing long-term stability for looked after children
Providing nurturing experiences into adulthood
What we can do to nurture children

Chapter 5: Healthy, active children
Risks to health
Looked after children and young people
Mental health and well-being
A framework for promotion, prevention and care
Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003
What helps good health outcomes for looked after children?
Looked after children nurses
Working in partnership with young people and their families
Specialist services for young people who have been sexually abused
Active children and young people
What we can do to keep children healthy and active

Chapter 6: Achieving children
The education of looked after children and young people
The learning environment
Family circumstances
Health or disability
Social or emotional factors
Black and minority ethnic children
Supporting achievement for young people leaving care
What we can do to help children and young people achieve

Chapter 7: Respected and responsible children
Respecting children and young people
The right to participate in decisions
Children's wishes to be cared for within their families - a focus on kinship care
Main findings
Providing services
Circumstances of the 30 looked after children in kinship care and their carers
Children's views
Security in the long term
Local authorities' support for children in their placements
Paying for kinship care
Assessing carers
Improving support for kinship carers
What we can do to make sure children are respected and responsible

Chapter 8: Including children
The challenge of corporate parenting
A skilled residential workforce
Fostering
The place of social work and social care
Resourcing services for looked after children
Including children and young people and their families and carers
Private fostering
What we can do to help children and young people be included

Conclusion

Appendix 1 The Scottish Cabinet vision for children and young people in Scotland

Appendix 2 The SWIA review team members were:

Appendix 3 List of studies

References

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