Lib Dems pledge ‘realistic and practical policies’ to help families and children

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton says his party has a package of “realistic and practical policies” that will make Scotland the best place in the world to grow up.

The Liberal Democrats want to open family support hubs which they say would provide emotional, practical and financial support.

The party is also promising parents help with the cost of childcare, while a Youth Work Bill will aim to help young people not in formal education.

Other policies would see specialist staff to support young carers installed in every school in Scotland, while the party is also championing the use of mother and child recovery facilities for those affected by substance misuse.

Mr Cole-Hamilton, a former youth worker, said he had spent 19 years “trying to make young lives better” before entering Holyrood.

With Lib Dems having previously pushed the Scottish Government to increase support for babies born addicted to drugs, he said it was “a privilege” to be able to use his past experience in Parliament.

Campaigning on the issue in the run-up to next month’s Holyrood election, he said: “I want to make Scotland the best place in the world to grow up.

“That’s why I am putting forward a package of practical and realistic policies to make that a reality, like giving infants access to a named GP, developing family support hubs, or new help for young carers balancing education and caring for their loved one.”

He was speaking during a visit to Rachel House in Kinross, which is operated by Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (Chas).

A deal between the Scottish Government and the Liberal Democrats to approve the Budget resulted in an extra £14.4 million of funding for hospices – with the party now looking to help those with terminal illnesses get support with energy bills, and bring forward a right to palliative care.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “Rachel House does amazing work and makes a world of difference to hundreds of families a year.

“I’m proud that our negotiations secured millions of pounds to help the hospice sector recruit the brilliant staff they need to support families like these.

“Now we want to help people with terminal illness with their energy bills and give people of all ages a legal right to palliative care.

“Too often, politics is dominated by parties that oppose everything and deliver little. There is another way of doing things.

“Budget by budget, case by case, Scottish Liberal Democrats care to use our leverage as MSPs to deliver change with fairness at its heart.”