What We Heard
Our Calls for Change
Campaign Reports

The Promise states: 

Scotland’s parenting responsibilities are lifelong and holistic for the young people that Scotland has cared for.
Older Care Experienced people must have a right to access to supportive, caring services for as long as they require them.

However, we hear from the Care Experienced community through participation and advocacy evidence, including our National Advocacy Helpline, that Care Experienced adults are being left to struggle and are still facing stark inequalities in areas including health, socio-economic deprivation, education and employment and housing. 

What we heard

Throughout the summer of 2023, we surveyed over 200 Care Experienced people across Scotland. We heard from them on several issues and found that…

Feeling Stigmatised
Negative Experiences (1)

Our Calls for Change

Change is not just necessary, but very possible. To achieve equality with their non-Care Experienced peers, we have identified two campaign calls. These are:

Extra protection for Care Experienced people of all ages to access their rights

Rights for Care Experienced people must be laid out in policy and legislation to address the additional barriers they face. Support to realise their rights must be available from the cradle to the grave. When these rights are not being met, there needs to be simple and accessible routes to justice to ensure they are upheld.

Independent, relationship-based, lifelong advocacy for every Care Experienced person

Everyone experiences different hardships and struggles throughout their lifetime. During these tough times, people typically rely on different support networks. If they’re having issues at work they could work with a trade union, if they need some support with legal issues they can access a lawyer. In some circumstances, family and friends can also help provide emotional support and help people have their voices heard. For Care Experienced people, there are often many voices that surround them, such as social workers, carers and service providers, all with their own interests. Everyone in our community must have the support they need to navigate life. Independent advocates can provide that support by helping make sure Care Experienced people are informed of their options, rights and ensuring they have their voices heard. In 2025, we launched our Action on Advocacy campaign calling for the right to independent advocacy for every Care Experienced person who needs it, and after decades of campaigning and calling for change by the community, this right is now included in the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.
Find out more about the campaign

Campaign Reports

Following the launch of our Lifelong Rights Campaign, we’ve published a series of issue papers that are linked to the top issues that Care Experienced people, aged 16 and over, raise with us through independent advocacy.

Lifelong Rights Report

Who Cares? Scotland is proud to publish this report to launch our new campaign for Lifelong Rights for Care Experienced people, by outlining the evidence informing our two main calls.

Read here

Housing Issue Paper

This paper is the first in our issue paper series.

Care Experienced people deserve to have access to safe, affordable, high-quality homes so that they can have the best chance at life. We believe that the solutions proposed in this paper go someway to ensuring that can happen for those with care experience all across Scotland.

Read here

Finance Issue Paper

This paper is the second in our issue paper series.

We know through our advocacy data that finance continues to be the top issue raised by Care Experienced people over the age of 16, and this paper emphasises the ongoing need to eliminate barriers to financial support and education.

Read here

Belonging and Connection Issue Paper

This paper is the third in a our issue paper series.

It illustrates that loneliness is a prevalent issue for Care Experienced people; that we need to continue work to keep families together where it is safe to do so; and that lifelong support, unconditional love and equal treatment is essential to sustaining relationships to help Care Experienced adults reach their full potential.

Read here

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