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The Herald Scotland
24-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
SNP 'failing' to keep care leavers out of temporary housing
But a recent report revealed ministers were on course to miss the flagship target. Now, figures obtained by The Herald through freedom of information (FOI) requests, shows that 1,049 adults leaving the care system in 2024 were placed in temporary accommodation. These figures only cover 23 of Scotland's 32 local authorities, meaning the scale of the problem could be far higher. WhoCares? Scotland told The Herald its helpline is inundated with housing support requests, while 440 care leavers over the age of 16 raised concern between 2021 and 2024, while 37% were homeless. It comes as the Scottish Government unveils new legislative plans to help meet The Promise. However, it fails to remove the 2022 pause on prioritising social housing for care leavers. Read more: SNP must 'reinstate housing pledge for care leavers' Sturgeon urges Scotgov to pick up pace on 'promise' to vulnerable kids 'People will die': Housing Secretary urged to end 'political choice' of homelessness Scottish Tory MSP Roz McCall told The Herald: "This data lays bare the Scottish Government's failure to uphold its most basic duty to care-experienced young people: to ensure they have a safe and secure home. "Temporary accommodation is not a long-term solution, and the scale of the crisis is deeply alarming. "Behind every number is a young person who's been through the care system and is now being let down again. "Ministers talk about Keeping the Promise, but these figures show a government that is still not listening." "We cannot let this fall through the cracks," Ms McCall, who is a Mid Scotland and Fife MSP, added. "If the Government is serious about changing outcomes, we need proper accountability, consistent data, and a national housing guarantee for care-experienced adults." The Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) Bill proposes extending the aftercare support currently available for 16 to 26-year-olds who were in care on their 16th birthday to those who had left care beyond that point. It aims to introduce smoother transitions between children's and adult services. The recording of care leavers in temporary accommodation varies widely across local government, with the charity warning The Promise cannot be met unless the true scale of the problem is known. Edinburgh and Glasgow had the highest number of care leavers in temporary accommodation, with 131 and 142 respectively. However areas like Dumfries and Galloway, Falkirk, West Lothian and Ayrshire also recorded high levels. The figures in these areas could also be higher as local authorities either do not ask the question on housing applications, or the care leaver does not declare it. Read more: 15,000 jobs at risk from 'irreversible' UK inheritance tax changes Pro Palestine campaign group to be banned, says Home Secretary Nicola Sturgeon news, interviews and updates on the former FM Louise Hunter, chief executive of WhoCares? Scotland, said: 'Everyone deserves a safe, secure home – a foundation that allows them to build a life, feel connected, and plan for their future. 'But this data shows that too many care experienced people are being placed in temporary accommodation, facing instability and uncertainty. 'Housing is consistently one of our top advocacy issues that we support care experienced people aged 16 and over with. 'But behind each number is a person who has experienced care and is now being let down by a system that should protect them. 'If Scotland is serious about Keeping the Promise, we must recognise that a stable home is not a privilege, it is a right.' The charity heard care leavers are often not given any say on their housing placement, with one reporting she was forced to take a flat on the same street her father was murdered. In February, the oversight board - a group created to monitor progress to meeting the promise - warned the Scottish Government was not even halfway there to keeping The Promise, while stressing there was no "reasonable explanation" for delay. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Young people leaving care from age 16 are a priority for having their housing needs met and social landlords should also consider care leavers when they allocate houses. 'We are investing £768 million this year in affordable housing, including £40 million to support acquisitions of existing properties to increase the supply of social and affordable homes with 80% of the funding targeting the five local authorities facing the most sustained temporary accommodation pressures. 'The Cabinet Secretary for Housing is determined to ensure that the Housing (Scotland) Bill delivers strengthened rights for everyone experiencing homelessness, including those leaving care.'
The Herald Scotland
02-06-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Secure accommodation units at risk amid capacity concern
Capacity was already stretched, with the previous intake accommodating 78 young adults. Admissions were paused at St Mary's Kenmure in Bishopbriggs – one of the four independent charities offering secure care – after the Care Inspectorate raised 'serious and significant' concerns, warning taking in more people could create 'serious risk to the life' of residents. New admissions resumed in December, but capacity was restricted to 12 of the overall 24 spaces. The Scottish Government announced four new beds in March, made available at Rossie in Montrose. Capacity issues have been ongoing but exacerbated by law changes which requires under-18s sentenced to prison to be transferred to secure accommodation units. Read more: Scottish Tory MSP Roz McCall raised concerns vulnerable children may be 'overlooked' for secure care without more social workers and more beds. While the Children (Care and Justice) Act has been welcomed, she told The Herald: 'It was to stop young people going into young offenders units. Nobody wants to be putting someone under the age of 18 into jail – but where were the judiciary going to put them? They were going to just look at it and send them to secure accommodation. 'That is exactly what has happened, which means that people who need to go to secure accommodation for their own wellbeing are now being overlooked because the judiciary is using the spaces. 'Those vulnerable young people are either left in an environment at home that might be a very toxic and traumatic experience for them, or they are going to have to put them into residential care, which comes with its own problems.' She added: 'We just don't have the social workers. We said at the time the Care and Justice Act was going through parliament that we needed 500 more social workers to be able to enact this. 'We're a year on and we do not have the social workers. The whole system is grinding to a halt and the Scottish Government is not prepared.' 'This is not just an urgent problem, I think it is beyond urgent,' she said. 'It is a categorical failure. "With every day that goes on and you're talking about a child from a traumatic background who experiences trauma, if they don't get the right support and they don't get the right care, then that just exacerbates that trauma. Read more: "Not only have they had a traumatic experience in their family, but that it is being made worse by a system that is meant to help them. That is a problem. "The current state of the system is quite shocking. We are not looking after people properly. "I am very, very concerned that if this is the status quo, the next time we have another statement from the minister, or another six months down the line, the amount of children that we will have failed will be absolutely shocking and what happens to them for the rest of their lives?' The change in law followed a spate of suicides of young people detained in young offenders' institutes. It freed up around 70 prison places and followed former first minister Nicola Sturgeon's pledge to 'keep the promise', which committed to ending the placement of 16 and 17-year-old's in young offenders' institutions. Figures on secure accommodation are updated daily, with Good Shepherd Centre in Bishopton, Kibble Education and Care Centre in Paisley and St Mary's in Bishopbriggs at capacity. Rossie, in Montrose, has just two spaces available if a vulnerable young person is sent there. A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'Secure accommodation is the most complex form of care for children in Scotland and means capacity can shift daily. We have increased the number of beds available since the start of this year and there is currently capacity in the secure care estate. 'Decisions around the placement of children in secure accommodation remain with the relevant expert decision makers and the best interests of each child are prioritised in placement decisions. 'While employers are responsible for ensuring there is sufficient workforce capacity, the Scottish Government is contributing to capacity-boosting efforts and increasing access to social work qualifying programmes. 'From the next academic year, we are uplifting the annual postgraduate social work bursary to £11,000.'
