The landscape for Care Experienced young people is shifting rapidly across the UK, and it is vital that we continue to advocate for greater rights and equity for all Care Experienced people in the UK. Care Experienced History Month has provided a platform to celebrate the milestones while equally championing the work that must continue.

Scotland

The Scottish Government recently launched their Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2026-31: Bringing Hope, Brighter Futures. Their commitment to supporting Care Experienced children and young people was evidenced in their investment of a further £1 million into MCR Pathways to ensure up to 5,500 Care Experienced young people across Scotland can benefit from a Trusted Adult. This investment will ensure that every young person, especially those from Care Experience backgrounds, have the support, opportunity and confidence to achieve their potential by having a Trusted Adult Volunteer Mentor in their corner.

The Scottish Government also launched their new £2,000 Care Leavers Payment. This one-off payment is estimated to benefit 1,300 young people. It serves as a crucial intersection between poverty prevention and Keeping the Promise, offering essential support during the transition into adulthood – a time often significantly more challenging for those with Care Experience.

Other recent headline news has been the unanimous passing of the Children (Care, Care Experience, and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill in the Scottish Parliament. The cross-party support of this Bill was a powerful moment and testament to years of campaigning and advocacy led by the Care Experienced community. Throughout the process of the Bill, MCR Pathways have been an active supporter of WhoCares? Scotland’s Action for Advocacy Campaign. This included campaigning for a definition of Care Experience in regulation rather than just guidance, and including greater accountability measures so all responsible bodies, such as Corporate Parents, are bound to a higher standard of continuity to keep the Promise by 2030 and beyond. MCR Pathways will keep working to ensure the implementation of this Bill truly benefits all Care Experienced young people in Scotland.

While these legislative milestones are welcome, a key challenge is that implementation gaps and a lack of sustained funding could prevent these rights from reaching young people who need them most.

For The Promise to be fully realised by 2030 and sustained beyond, the next Government must treat this is a core national priority. High-level commitments must be backed by thorough, well-funded action to ensure the Care Experienced community in Scotland feels the impact of these changes in their daily lives. 

Central to this impact is the power of a Trusted Adult. MCR Pathways calls for the role of the Trusted Adult Volunteer Mentor to be formally recognised as a vital, consistent component of this national support structure. A commitment to a Trusted Adult Guarantee would ensure the stability provided by a mentor is not a matter of choice, but a right for every young person who needs it.

UK

While Scotland moves forward with legislation, there are also updates South of the Border. MCR Pathways has been closely monitoring the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Care Experience in Westminster, driving forward national priorities and advocacy to standardise support across the country. They have recently launched a new inquiry to examine how the care system protects and supports children’s relationships. 

As an organisation, MCR Pathways will contribute to this piece. There are opportunities for others to have their say too. If you are Care Experienced, under the age of 27 and spent time in care in England you can register your interest for information sessions around the inquiry here. MCR Pathways maintains that the consistent relationship with a Trusted Adult Mentor is key and can have transformative impacts for young people, as they have someone to help them find their way.

The Children, Wellbeing and Schools Bill is currently in its final stages of amendments and will hopefully pass very soon. This Bill has been recognised as “landmark” child protection legislation, putting children at the core of education and social care. It aims to reform children’s social care and similar to The Promise in Scotland, ensure that every child has the opportunity to “grow up in a stable, loving environment”. 

A recent amendment to the Bill has been the right for children and young people to have the right to maintain contact with siblings. This means that all local authorities in England and Wales will have to promote and facilitate contact for those in care who are separated from their siblings, making it an equal priority to parental contact. This is a vital amendment as evidence has shown that maintaining and building sibling relationships can improve the life of many children and young people in care by maintaining stability and emotional support. Further action proposed in the Bill includes reducing care placements far away from home, the creation of more foster care places for sibling groups and further investment to help keep families together.

It is also encouraging that The Department for Education has recently updated their statutory guidance to safeguard children as well as the Children’s Social Care National Framework. Recent announcements of expanded free services – most notably free prescriptions for Care Leavers in England – are also welcome steps. These ‘levelling up’ measures are essential safety nets and must extend into the ‘Care Cliff’ of early adulthood ensuring that young people can transition into adulthood with full support and resources. 

Moving Forward

The passing of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill in Scotland was a victory and it is hoped it will feel the same for the upcoming Children, Wellbeing and Schools Bill for England, but it is just the start. As Scotland moves toward a new election cycle, MCR Pathways’ mission is to ensure that The Promise remains at the top of the agenda as it impacts real people’s lives, backed by finances, resources and societal will to make it a reality.

For MCR Pathways, a Trusted Adult Guarantee is the essential link between national policy and individual impact. It ensures MCR Pathways’ work across Child Poverty, Widening Access, Care Experienced and Young People’s Rights, and Volunteering, translates into a meaningful, constituent Trusted Adult for every young person who needs one. This is why the recent Manifesto 2026 ahead of the Scottish Election in May is centred on the Trusted Adult Guarantee to forge paths to brighter futures, positively impact the above policy areas.