MSPs highlight lack of detail in plans to integrate children’s care services

Proposals to integrate children’s health and social care into the controversial National Care Service lack vital information, a Holyrood committee has said.

The cross-party Education, Children and Young People Committee has been scrutinising Scottish Government proposals to centralise care services under the control of ministers.

The MSPs said they have been unable to form a clear view of whether children’s services should be included in the proposals.

Concerns were raised that the Scottish Parliament would not be able to scrutinise any future changes, with any transfer of children’s services being delegated to ministers.

The committee heard that key research designed to inform the decision of whether to integrate children’s services will not be ready until September 2023.

The Scottish Government has also been urged to provide more details on the financial implications of the transfer.

Witnesses told the committee that “significant concerns” exist within the current service, leading to calls from MSPs not to ignore the changes that are required currently amid the structural shift.

Sue Webber, committee convener, said: “We would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their thoughts with us as we scrutinised this Bill.

“The feedback we had has told us that there is not currently enough information about the Bill’s impact on children’s health and social care services for us to form a view about whether this is the right approach for children and young people.

“However, we did hear significant concerns about the way in which these services are operating at present.

“Therefore, our report asks the Scottish Government to ensure that work on this Bill does not delay the improvements that are needed to children’s services now.

“Children and young people need to be at the very heart of those discussions.”

The committee’s report also called on ministers to clarify its plans for letting young people design services at the very earliest stages of work to create the national care service.

The report will now be shared with the Health, Sport and Social Care Committee, which is leading the Parliament’s scrutiny of the Bill.

Minister for mental wellbeing and social care Kevin Stewart said: “Our aim in delivering a National Care Service is to end the postcode lottery in care provision and we will work with partners and those who have experience of the social care and community health service to design the new organisation.

“People will be able to move more easily between different types of care and support as their needs change.

“We welcome Parliament’s scrutiny, including each of the committee reports which we will consider, given the important role MSPs have in strengthening the legislation that is eventually passed.”

Labour education spokesman Michael Marra said the report “adds to the chorus of voices slating the SNP’s botched plans”, calling for the Bill to be paused.

“Ministers can’t even answer the most basic questions about this Bill – with the public left none the wiser on if it will improve or hinder these vital services, or even how much it will cost the taxpayer.

“This would be unacceptable at any time but the children concerned are among the most vulnerable and their safety must be our first concern.

“As we’ve previously seen with the Finance Committee report, even the SNP’s own MSPs are now losing faith in these unworkable, unpopular and uncosted plans.

“Scottish Labour have long led the campaign for a national care service but this shambles makes a mockery of this important principle.

“The SNP have had warning after warning – they must start listening and pause this Bill, so we can take the time to get it right.”

Joanne Smith, policy and public affairs manager for NSPCC Scotland, said: “We recognise the current lack of high-quality support for families requires urgent remedy. But we fear the significant structural reform proposed within this Bill would put added pressure on budget holders and service providers at a time when many families across the country are in acute crisis.”