Children in care can achieve the same academic results and have the same life chances as those raised by parents if they have mentors, a study has found.
MCR Pathways, a Scottish charity that assigns volunteers to pupils in care, is seeking government support to make its model the primary approach after a study showed it almost eradicated the attainment gap in key areas.
Children with MCR mentors were more likely to stay on at school and then go to university, college or get a job than other children in the system. Nearly 88 per cent of mentored children achieved at least one qualification at National 5, equivalent to the old standard grades.
