Number Of Scots Kids In Care Hits 25-Year High

The number of Scots kids in care has soared to a 25-year high. Ministers and council chiefs yesterday admitted the system was failing as it was revealed most youngsters left with few qualifications and little hope of a job.

Children’s minister Adam Ingram said: “The status quo is simply not good enough.”

Councils’ social work spokeswoman Isabel Hutton said: “We’re absolutely clear more needs to be done to improve outcomes for young people in care.”

A government report out yesterday showed 14,886 kids were under the protection of local authorities in March.

The total was up six per cent on the previous year and the highest since 1983.

It means more than one in 50 Scots kids were under the protection of local councils.

The biggest proportion – more than 6000 – stay at home with their parents under a Children’s Panel supervision order.

Another 4243 were placed with foster parents.

But more than 1600 were in residential accommodation.

Hutton said “improved identification and intervention with families” could be a factor in the increase. But the report raised concerns over the quality of local authority care.

Of the older teenagers leaving care, fewer than a third, 1144, carried on at school or found a job or training place.

Nearly half achieved no Standard Grades and just three per cent had a Highers pass to their name.