Foster care fornight

Sir, There can be no doubt that the commitment made by foster carers is life changing and vital to supporting children and young people who can’t remain at home.The Fostering Network’s Foster Care Fortnight gives us all the chance to recognise the incredible contribution foster carers are making every single day. We also use this time to encourage others to think about fostering.

As minister for early years and childcare, I want to ensure we are doing all we can to support looked after children and the people who give them a home. I have written to carers from all across Scotland as I want to hear their views on how we make things better. The Scottish Social Services Council is leading a consultation on the introduction of new learning and development standards for foster carers and I would urge people to make their voice heard before that closes in August. A new review group will be formed shortly to look at how we can go about creating a scheme that will give foster and kinship carers across the country consistent support.

Improving the care available to looked after children has been important to this government since we came to office. So far we have extended the age that a young person can remain in care and raised the age they are entitled to financial support. All of this relies on there being foster carers opening their families to vulnerable children and young people who may not have had the best start in their lives.

Mark McDonald, Minister for early years and childcare.