Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007

An Act made to modernise the law on adoption on Scotland, repealing and replacing the Adoption (Scotland) Act 1978.

Part 1 of the Act reformed adoption law, including: the provision of adoption services; the creation of a national adoption register; and the adoption process.

Part 2 introduced 'Permanence Orders':

  • A court order regulating the exercise of parental rights and responsibilities for children who cannot stay with their parents.
  • A Permanence Order may remove some or all parental rights and responsibilities and grant them to other persons specified in the order.
  • A child subject to a Permanence Order is 'looked after' under the 1995 Act.
  • This allows an alternative to adoption to provide children with long-term stability and security

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Looked After Children and Young People: We Can and Must Do Better

Reports the conclusions of a working group that brought together professionals, Scottish Ministers and the third sector. The group was originally set up to look at the educational outcomes of looked-after children and young people, but its work went much wider, looking at all aspects of a looked-after young person's life.

The report's messages included:

  • the importance of the corporate parent role;
  • the need to raise awareness of the education needs of looked-after children and improve training for the professionals who work with them;
  • the importance of 'flexible and appropriate support' at transitions;
  • the importance of health and wellbeing, and the need for good quality housing;
  • "the importance of clear advice and a range of emotional, practical and financial support for looked after young people as they make the transition to adulthood/independent living"; and
  • the vital importance "of stability and continuity".

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Scotland's National Performance Framework

In 2007 the Scottish Government introduced a National Performance Framework (NPF) to measure wellbeing beyond economic output.

In 2015 this was put on a statutory basis and a revised NPF was launched in 2018, formulated to link in with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The following National Outcomes are particularly relevant to Staf's work:

  • We grow up loved, safe and respected so that we realise our full potential
  • We live in communities that are inclusive, empowered, resilient and safe
  • We are well educated, skilled and able to contribute to society
  • We respect, protect and fulfil human rights and live free from discrimination

The following National Indicators may be particularly relevant to Staf's work:

  • Child social and physical development
  • Child wellbeing and happiness
  • Children's voices
  • Healthy start
  • Quality of children's services
  • Children have positive relationships
  • Children's material deprivation
  • Educational attainment
  • Confidence of children and young people
  • Resilience of children and young people
  • Young people's participation