Report: The Independent Care Review – Concluding reports and recommendations (Scotland)

The Independent Care Review has today called for a radical overhaul of Scotland’s ‘care system’ and published, for the first time, the human and economic cost of the current provision and its failures.

Unprecedented in scope, methodology and model, the Care Review has listened to more than 5,500 experiences.

Over half of those were children and young people with experience of the ‘care system’, adults who have lived in care and their families. The rest came from the unpaid and paid workforce.

These experiences are the heart of the Care Review’s work and guided and shaped its conclusions.

The in-depth examination of all aspects of care in Scotland has revealed a system that is fractured, bureaucratic and unfeeling for far too many children and families. It also doesn’t adequately value the voices and experiences of those in it.

The Care Review has calculated that services which deliver and surround the ‘care system’ cost £1.2 billion annually – this includes children and families support services; Children’s Panels; Children’s Hearings Scotland; Scottish Children’s Reporters Administration as well as delivery of other universal services like education and mental health to children in care.

The Care Review also calculated the costs of the ‘care system’ letting down children and their families at £1.6 billion; a combination of £875 million in meeting the needs care experienced people have as a result of the ‘care system’ failing them and £732 million in lost income tax and national insurance.

The Care Review has produced five main reports:

  • The Promise (and a Pinky Promise for younger readers)
    The Promise reflects what over 5,500 care experienced children and adults, families and the paid and unpaid workforce told the Care Review in the hope that Scotland is listening.
  • The Plan 
    The Plan explains how this change must happen.
  • The Money and Follow the Money
    The Money and Follow the Money explain how Scotland can invest better in its children and families.
  • The Rules
    The Rules demonstrates the current legislative framework and how it must change to achieve The Promise.

You will also see a Thank You to the army of thousand who have contributed to the Care Review.