Debbi McCulloch, Chief Executive Officer of the Spartans Community Foundation, gave evidence in the Parliament yesterday, where she spoke extensively to the Education, Children and Young People’s Committee about the Foundation’s work in Pilton and the wider community.
During the evidence session Ms McCulloch said that North Edinburgh has fantastic networks and collaboration, referring to R2 and that network’s ability to signpost and help individuals and directly help individuals who might otherwise be missed:
Ms McCulloch said that 94% of young people surveyed by the Spartans said that they felt like they had a trusted adult at the foundation.
"It gives people a chance and a place where they can feel safe and they can feel that they ultimately belong to something that can give them hope." – Debbi McCulloch, @Spartans_CF at our meeting on community sporting initiatives for young people: https://t.co/ep3Vl7OxoSpic.twitter.com/t4GZGQ8DAz
— Education, Children and Young People Committee (@SP_ECYP) March 19, 2026
She says the Foundation’s work has increased employment and volunteering opportunities and has provided families with a place where they can come and be listened to in a dignified way:
Ms McCulloch also gave examples of the impact of the Foundation’s work, referring to Naomi Hume, who is now the Assistant Operations Manager, who started off attending the Foundation’s Street Football offering:
The work of organisations and individual campaigners, such as Beth Morrison and Kate Sanger, has been commended by the Holyrood’s Education, Children and Young People Committee as it backs proposals that would minimise the use of restraint and seclusion in Scotland’s schools.
In circumstances where restraint and seclusion must be used, schools would need to follow legal guidelines, which includes informing parents or carers if their child is subject to restraint and seclusion and this use.
The Committee unanimously supported these general principles, but in doing so, expressed its disappointment at the amount of time it had taken for changes to be made despite the tireless efforts of campaigners.
Evidence, including personal testimonies, presented to the Committee was concerning, with witnesses raising their fears that restraint and seclusion was too often seen as a first approach. The Committee was particularly concerned by the inappropriate use of the practice on children with an additional support need or disability.
The Committee’s report recommends improvements to the Bill, including refining the definitions of restraint and seclusion to avoid any ambiguity or unintended consequences and ensuring same day informing on the use of restraint and seclusion for parents or carers.
Speaking as the report was published, Committee Convener Douglas Ross MSP said:“We unanimously support the general principles of this Bill, which will be a vital tool in ensuring the safety of children and young people in Scotland’s schools.
“Our Committee heard disturbing evidence about the use of restraint and seclusion. This practice is being carried out inconsistently and, worryingly, sometimes parents are not even aware restraint and seclusion have been used. Scotland needs a consistent approach, which makes restraint and seclusion a last resort. That’s why it’s important that this Bill becomes law.
“There is still some work to be done to ensure the Bill fully achieves its aims, however we must commend the campaigners, including Beth Morrison and Kate Sanger, for raising this issue in Parliament, and Daniel Johnson MSP, who brought forward this much needed Bill.”
As part of the Promise, the Scottish Government committed to tackling excessive profit in residential care. Under the proposals, certain residential care providers would need to provide financial information about the operation of their services to help the Scottish Government understand the fees charged for placements and the final costs paid by local authorities.
The Committee understood the Government’s motivations for doing this but says the changes are underdeveloped. The Government failed to consult on the issue ahead of the Bill’s introduction and the Bill does not outline how the Government would define an excessive profit.
The Committee also raised its concerns about what impact this could have on a fragile market and whether this could lead to services closing or diversifying. More broadly, many key stakeholders felt they had not been fully engaged in the development of this Bill and told the Committee that the Bill’s provisions were the poorer for this.
The general principles of the Bill have been supported by the Committee, including proposals to extend aftercare and to offer life-long advocacy to care experienced children, young people and adults. However, the Committee is also clear that more information about how these would work practically will be required before the Bill becomes law.
As currently drafted, the Bill does not allow this to happen, as sections 1 and 2, which relate to aftercare, and section 10, which relates to a register for foster carers, amend legislation that pre-dates the Scottish Parliament. The Committee therefore urges the Scottish Government to explore how it might remedy this, as the Bill progresses through Parliament.
The Committee also called for further consideration around proposed changes to the Children’s Hearing System, recommending the Government consider:
retaining three member panels when substantive decisions are being made
clarifying the roles of specialist members at Children’s Hearings, who may have particular expertise in child services or healthcare
revisiting plans for post-referral discussions, to ensure they are more closely aligned with the recommendations of the ‘Hearings for Children’ report.
Douglas Ross MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, said:“Every Member of the Committee agrees with the Promise made to Scotland’s care experienced children and young people, and as a result we unanimously support the general principles of this Bill.
“However, we are disappointed by the lack of clarity around some of the crucial provisions in this long-awaited Bill and what stakeholders told us about the lack of consultation they experienced ahead of the Bill’s introduction. This includes issues with proposals to tackle excess profits in residential care, which had not been properly consulted on and do not seem to be well thought through.
“We are now calling for substantial amendments to be made before the Bill becomes law. This is an opportunity to bring about real and lasting change for the care community and it is vital that the Government gets this right.”
The Bill also puts forward changes to children services planning, which aim to enhance collaborative working and join up planning across adult and children’s services. The Committee found that the rationale for these proposals was unconvincing and called for further explanation so that benefits, and any unintended consequences, of these changes are clearer.
Proposed changes to the services and support provided to people who are in, or have experience of, the children’s care system are set to be scrutinised in Holyrood.
MSPs from the Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee have launched a call for views on the Scottish Government’s Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.
The Bill forms part of the Scottish Government’s response to the recommendations made in the Independent Care Review known as “The Promise”.
Proposed changes include an expansion in the right to apply for aftercare, wider access to advocacy services for care-experienced people and the creation of a national register of foster carers.
The Bill also proposes changes designed to avoid people or organisations making excessive profits from the care of children. It would set limits on the profits that can be made from children’s residential care and require fostering services to register as charities.
Changes to the Children’s Hearing System, which the Scottish Government describes as offering legal protections to children who are in need or at risk, are also proposed in the Bill. In a move designed to strengthen accountability, the Bill also sets out that, in future, all Integration Joint Boards will have responsibility for children’s services planning, alongside local authorities and health boards.
The Committee now wants to hear from care-experienced people, parents, carers, foster carers, kinship carers and adoptive parents, and others, to share their views on the proposals.
The call for views is open now and will close to responses on 15 August 2025. The Committee plans to hold evidence sessions with stakeholders in autumn.
Douglas Ross MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, said: “In 2020 the Independent Care Review set out a series of promises to Scotland’s care experienced children and young people.
“We have kept a constant eye on progress towards meeting those promises and it is clear, from hearing from care experienced young people and those supporting them, that there are many challenges still to overcome.
“The Committee will look closely at this Bill, listen to the views of everyone affected by it, and assess whether it will bring about the changes needed to ensure that all care experienced children and young people can enjoy the childhood they deserve.
“If you are care experienced, or work to support care experienced children and young people, please share your views on the proposals in this Bill.”
Should schools be recording and reporting on the use of restraint and seclusion? This is just one of the questions a Scottish Parliament committee is asking as it considers a new Bill.
The Education, Children and Young People Committee will be considering the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill, which has been introduced by Daniel Johnson MSP.
The Bill aims to minimise the use of restraint and seclusion in schools, as well as stating that schools would need to inform the parent of a child or young person subjected to restraint or seclusion about the incident and annually report on the use of either approach.
Restraint and seclusion have been used in schools to manage children’s behaviours, but there have been serious concerns about both practices for several years, with campaigners calling for change.
If the Bill is passed, schools would need to be issued with detailed guidance about the use of restraint and seclusion. Schools would also need to inform parents of when restraint and seclusion have been used and maintain a report on the use of these approaches.
The Committee would like to understand whether the measures outlined in the Bill are appropriate.
Douglas Ross, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, (who knows a fair bit about bad behaviour! – Ed.) said: “The use of restraint and seclusion has been controversial for many years.
“This Bill aims to minimise the use of restraint and seclusion and we want to understand the implications of adopting this approach on children and young people, parents and professionals.
“The Committee is keen to hear from people who have views on the use of restraint and seclusion in schools. We’re also interested in hearing from teachers, school leaders and specialists to give us a broad perspective of views on the proposals in this Bill.”
A Scottish Parliament Committee is to examine changes to the way that funding is provided for post-school education and skills training.
The Education, Children and Young People Committee has opened a call for views on the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill.
The Bill introduces changes to funding arrangements for apprenticeships, work-based learning and training for employment.
Currently, some of the responsibilities for ensuring access to Scottish apprenticeships and work-based learning are held by Skills Development Scotland. However, under the proposals, the Scottish Funding Council would take responsibility for this.
The Bill also sets out changes to the procedures and governance of the Scottish Funding Council.
The Committee is keen to hear what Scotland’s colleges, universities, unions, training providers, employers and students make of the changes set out in the Bill.
The Committee’s call for views is open now and will run until 11 April 2025.
Douglas Ross, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee said: “The structure of the post-school education and skills training landscape is critical to Scotland’s employers who are looking to recruit people who are ready to work.
“The changes in this Bill aim to improve the way that funding is provided for post-school education and skills training. Our Committee is keen to understand whether these objectives will be met.
“We would encourage anyone with an interest in post-school education and training to share their views on these proposed changes.”
The Call for Views is available to respond to here:
A Bill that would allow all pupils in state and grant-aided schools to have at least four nights and five days of residential outdoor education during their school career has been supported by a Holyrood committee.
Following a vote, members of the Education, Children and Young People Committee agreed with the general principles of the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill. However, the Committee unanimously agreed that concerns related to the costs, provision for pupils with additional support needs and the impact on teachers need to be resolved if the Bill is to become law.
The Bill was introduced by Liz Smith MSP against a backdrop of declining provision of residential outdoor education, with only a quarter of Scotland’s primary pupils and a third of secondary pupils having the chance to attend.
During evidence the Committee heard strong arguments for the Bill based on the “life-changing benefits” residentials have on pupils’ confidence and resilience. Several witnesses also spoke about the positive impact this can have on pupil-teacher relationships and attainment.
The Committee heard that residential outdoor education could be particularly beneficial to pupils from more deprived areas, however these pupils were often not able to go on trips as they were unaffordable for many parents.
The Committee identified several practical concerns that would need to be overcome though for the Bill to be delivered, with costs proving a significant barrier.
Estimates suggest delivering the Bill would cost the Scottish Government between £20 million and just over £40 million a year. However, in its report, the Committee says that national funding of residential outdoor education is a good example of preventative spend where the benefits are well documented.
The report also raises concerns about staffing, which currently is provided by teachers on a voluntary basis. While teachers were positive about their experiences, if residential education became statutory it might lead to a renegotiating of teachers’ terms and conditions, adding further barriers to delivering the Bill.
Douglas Ross MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee: “Throughout this inquiry we heard about the hugely positive impact that outdoor residential education can have on the development and attainment of children and young people.
“While we agree with the general principles of the Bill, there are financial challenges attached to the delivery of outdoor residential education that need to be overcome for it to become law.
“We want to see the Scottish Government and the Member who introduced the Bill, Liz Smith MSP, work together to resolve these.”
Bill does not provide sufficient support and protection to Gaelic and Scots
Scottish Gaelic is in a ‘perilous state’ according to a new report released today by the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee.
The Committee’s report details reservations about the practical impact of the Scottish Languages Bill, which aims to support Scotland’s indigenous languages. The Committee recommends the Bill should proceed to the next stage of scrutiny, but says that more needs to be done to effectively support Gaelic and Scots.
The Committee understood the symbolic importance for stakeholders of designating Gaelic and Scots as official languages in legislation, and the general aims of the Bill were widely supported.
However, witnesses expressed significant concerns about the lack of tangible support for communities using these languages and dialects, concerns the Committee shares. In the report it warns that without additional support, the Bill’s aim to strengthen the support for and promotion of the languages will not be achieved.
In particular, the Committee describes Gaelic as being in a ‘perilous state’. During evidence sessions, most witnesses, including the Deputy First Minister, agreed that action beyond legislation was needed to solve the problems facing the language.
The Committee’s report calls on the Scottish Government to explain how it would use the powers in the Bill to improve the position of Gaelic.
Sue Webber MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, said:“We have serious concerns about the future of Gaelic.
“On its own, we believe the Scottish Languages Bill does not address the challenges facing the Gaelic language or provide the necessary support to either Gaelic or Scots.
“While our Committee has recommended that the Parliament backs the general principles of the Bill, the Scottish Government must do more to avoid it being purely symbolic.
“We’re also concerned by the lack of clarity around what the obligations attached to this Bill mean for public bodies and local authorities regarding Gaelic and Scots. We would expect the Scottish Government to provide clarity on this, and the other concerns in our report, as scrutiny of the Bill continues.”
The report also highlights concerns about one of the flagship proposals in the Bill, which would see areas of linguistic significance established in areas where there are high proportions of Gaelic speakers.
The Committee agreed with witnesses that the Bill does not explain:
what an area of linguistic significance would look like in places with smaller proportions of Gaelic speakers
how public bodies would work in these areas to deliver opportunities for Gaelic speakers
what funding would be available for local authorities to establish and maintain an area of linguistic significance
The Bill is expected to be considered by the Scottish Parliament in a Stage 1 debate in the autumn.
Proposals to ensure that every school pupil in local authority or grant-aided schools can attend a course of residential outdoor education are to be scrutinised by the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee.
If passed, the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill would give all state school pupils the chance to have four nights and five days residential outdoor education. The Scottish Government would be expected to fund the proposals.
The Committee is now asking for views on the proposal to see whether this would work in practice. It is also keen to hear views on the school year during which pupils should be entitled to residential outdoor education, and whether this should be specified in the Bill, and the requirement for the Scottish Government to fund the programme.
The Bill was introduced by Liz Smith MSP, who has stated the importance of outdoor education as being one of the most valuable and rewarding learning experiences that a young person can have access to.
Sue Webber MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, said:“This Bill would enshrine in law that all state school pupils must have the chance to attend residential outdoor education during their school careers.
“According to the documents presented alongside the Bill, many pupils do not have access to this.
“Our Committee is really keen to hear what the public, and particularly young people, think of the proposal in general and some of the specific ideas within it, before we embark on detailed public scrutiny.
“Please share your views with us by visiting the Scottish Parliament’s website.”
The call for views is now open and will run until 4 September 2024:
A Scottish Parliament Committee has reported its alarm at the gap between the ambitions and implementation of a policy that aspires for children and young people with additional support needs (ASN) to be taught in mainstream education.
Holyrood’s Education, Children and Young People Committee unanimously agreed that the policy behind mainstreaming is the best route forward, however its inquiry found that the Scottish Government and local authorities are failing to implement it properly.
Speaking as the report was published, Sue Webber MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, said:“The situation faced by children and young people with additional support needs is intolerable.
“During our inquiry, we were extremely concerned to hear about negative experiences of additional support for learning provision, the educating of children and young people in mainstream schools and the detrimental impact this has had on some pupils, their parents and carers, and teachers and support staff.
“Things must change. The Scottish Government and local authorities have been repeatedly warned about the consequences of failing to improve support for children with additional support needs. With a rising number of children reporting with additional support needs, a third of pupils in some areas, the Government and local authorities must not ignore the concerns and recommendations made in this report.”
During the inquiry, children and young people told the Committee that it can be hard to understand when someone does not give them the support they need and that a lack of support staff to cope with the number of pupils who need support can leave them feeling frustrated.
The Committee was particularly concerned by evidence that highlighted challenges of getting children the support they required.
In evidence to the Committee, the National Autistic Society said: “We see continually that autistic children and young people are forced to “fail” in mainstream settings before any other option or support is offered.
“Families have to fight the system to get that support, with many being forced into legal action and having to engage a solicitor before a solution is found.”
Other concerns raised in the Committee’s report look at the problems with a move towards open-plan schools, which could prove extremely overwhelming for children with autism and the number of neurodivergent children who are masking at school.
To improve the situation, the Committee makes several recommendations including reviewing placing requests, undertaking research on the prevalence and impact of masking, and urgently addressing gaps in specialist provision.
Responding to the report, a spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition commented: “The report by the Parliamentary committee on a lack of support to children and young people with additional support needs (ASN) is not a surprise to any of those involved in the sector.
“We have consistently warned of a potential ‘lost generation’ of those in this group, now amounting to more than 259,000 children.
“The number of those with ASN, such as autism, dyslexia and mental health problems, amounts to more than a third of pupils, a doubling in numbers over the past decade, including an increase in those with complex needs.
“As a coalition of organisations that support vulnerable children and young people, we have however for many years shared the concerns of the committee over a lack of resourcing to support an escalating number of pupils with ASN, including a lack of specialist teachers and support staff.
“There has, for example, been a cut in ASN spending per pupil of just under £2,000 over the last decade, and the number of specialist ASN teachers has fallen by just under 400.
“Under the new First Minister, we need a ‘national crusade’ to address of the needs of more than a third of our children and young people, providing the necessary resources to address their needs.
“While we support the principle of mainstreaming, that all children and young are taught in mainstream classes unless exceptional circumstances apply, it is difficult to see how this can work effectively when those with ASN are in many cases not receiving the necessary care and support.
“This situation is putting an incredible level of pressure on teachers and other staff, with an impact also in terms of surging levels of school violence and poor behaviour we are witnessing.
“The committee noted this gap between policy ambition and implementation, which is leading to mainstream education being ‘intolerable’ for many children and young people with ASN.
“There are also many of those in mainstream education, whose complexity of needs would be far better served in a special school setting, delivering what is best for their educational and social requirements.
“The Scottish Government, local authorities, health and other agencies need to work in collaboration with the private and third sectors to provide the necessary resourcing and support to address the needs of children and young people with ASN.“
