Care-experienced Young People (Housing)

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, as I am a Falkirk councillor.

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding the provision of housing for care-experienced young people. (S7O-00480)

It is essential that the housing needs of care-experienced people and families are considered, to support improved outcomes. We are testing that through our funding for homelessness prevention pilots.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing housing need and demand and setting out how that need will be met, through their local housing strategies and strategic housing investment plans. The Scottish Government recently published refreshed local housing strategy guidance, which makes clear that local authorities should explain how the housing needs of care-experienced people will be considered and met. That work supports our commitment to keep the Promise, recognising the importance of safe, stable and affordable housing and support for care-experienced people.

The Promise plan 24-30 requires all public services to work together on the needs of children and young people, rather than in silos. To ensure that young people do not leave care only to face homelessness, housing insecurity or lengthy periods of temporary accommodation, what assurance can the cabinet secretary give to Parliament that housing, homelessness and children’s services are working together so that every young person leaving care has the option of a safe, settled home and does not have to navigate the homelessness system at the point that they leave care?

Gary Bouse is quite right to point out the responsibility that we all have to ensure that we are there collectively, in all parts of Government, for care-experienced people. We know, from the work that we do on homelessness in general, that preventing homelessness before it occurs is the best way of dealing with any situation, but that is perhaps particularly the case for care-experienced people, as we do not want them to have to navigate the homelessness system at any point.

The ask and act duties in the new Housing (Scotland) Act 2025, for example, will be exceptionally important, as is the work that has been undertaken as part of the Promise to ensure that those young people are being looked out for and looked after, in respect of any requirements that they have around housing, to prevent a crisis and prevent homelessness from happening in the first place.