UNISON has written to MSPs about the Children (Care, Care Experience & Services Planning) Bill which goes before the Scottish Parliament on Wed 14th Jan.
The Bill is hugely flawed. The Scottish Government say they want to remove profit from children’s care – but the Bill will not do this.
The simplest and most cost-efficient way to remove profit from children’s care is to require all children’s social care providers to be registered charities. This is the approach already legislated for and being implemented in Wales. The Bill takes this approach to foster care services, it’s failure to do so for residential care, secure care and other children’s social care makes no sense.
The Bill must be amended to deliver the commitment to remove profit from the whole children’s care system.