#2026/16Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Act 2026
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
This law expands support for children and young people who are in care or have experience of the care system in Scotland. Local authorities must provide advice, guidance and practical help to eligible young people aged 16 to 18, unless their welfare clearly does not require it. Some people aged 19 to 25 can also apply for support where they have eligible needs. The Act also creates wider changes to Scotland’s children’s care system, including rules for a foster carer register, changes linked to children’s hearings, and planning duties for children’s services. Local councils, care providers, foster carers and organisations working with care-experienced young people will need to review how they identify eligible people, assess needs and deliver support.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- Requires local authorities to provide aftercare support to eligible care-experienced young people aged 16 to 18 unless their welfare does not require it
- Allows eligible people aged 19 to 25 to apply for advice, guidance and assistance where they have qualifying needs
- Introduces wider reforms covering foster carer registration, children’s hearings and planning of children’s services
Obligations
What this law requires
Responsible local authorities must provide advice, guidance and assistance to eligible persons aged 16, 17 or 18 who ceased to be looked after by that authority on or after their 16th birthday and have not subsequently been looked after elsewhere in the UK, unless the authority is satisfied that the person’s welfare does not require it.
Responsible local authorities must provide advice, guidance and assistance to eligible persons aged 16, 17 or 18 who were looked after by that authority before their 16th birthday, have not subsequently been looked after elsewhere in the UK, and apply for support, unless the authority is satisfied that the person’s welfare does not require it.
Responsible local authorities must assess applications from eligible persons for advice, guidance and assistance and, where satisfied that the person has eligible needs that cannot be met other than by authority action, provide the advice, guidance and assistance the authority considers necessary to meet those needs.