Fostering in Scotland unfair?

Sarah Lurie, director of Fostering Network Scotland writes in the Guardian, crticising the current lack of regulation by the Scottish Government in fostering, which has left local authorities and independent fostering providers to set their own fostering allowance rates, and foster carers potenitally being asked to care for higher numbers of children than in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, where the limit for unrelated placements is 3 at one time. This year the Scottish Government conducted a consulation exercise for the proposed Children and Young People's Bill. The new bill will hopefully bring Scotland into line with the rest of the UK in the above areas. Additionally Lurie is hopeful that proposals for payment for foster carers in line with the remuneration of staff in residential children's care will increase recruitment and retention of foster carers.

Poverty in the UK

The new UK Government has published its State of the nation report: poverty, worklessness and welfare dependency in the UK (2010), Cabinet Office.
Scottish executive have also published on poverty this week. Growing up in Scotland is a longitudinal study funded by the Scottish govenment and carried out by the Scottish Centre for Social Research:
Growing up in Scotland: the circumstances of persistently poor children summary report.
Further information on the Growing up in Scotland study and further research findings can be found at the Growing Up in Scotland website

Children looked after statistics 2008-2009

This statistical report has been published online by the Scottish Executive, collating for returns for each individual looked after child, for the first time, from all 32 authorities.

Higher Inspirations, Brighter Futures launch - NRCCI

The National Residential Child Care Initiative, led by SIRCC, yesterday released a set of reports on the future of residential childcare in Scotland. The NRCCI was commissioned by the Scottish Executive to undertake a strategic review of  residential childcare services and to provide a blueprint for their future develoment, with the aim of making "residential care the first and best placement choice for those children whose needs it serves". Findings include that residential care can make a lasting and positive contribution to young peoples' lives, rather than always being a service of last resort, as it is currently perceived by the public and some professionals. See also a digest at Learning and Teaching Scotland.

Prison Population Rises

Scottish Prison Statistics published yesterday show that the Scottish Prison population increased by 6% last year, with 75% of people completing short prison sentences going on to reoffend.