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Oversight Board for the Promise launch new report

  • Area of Work: Children and Young People
  • Type: News Item
  • Published: 30th September 2026

The Oversight Board for the promise has launched their fourth report into Scotland’s progress in keeping the promise.

The Oversight Board for the promise have published their fourth report into the progress made to keep the promise. Report FOUR has found that too much of the promise remains on paper, not in practice or peoples lives. The Oversight Board are calling on those with power to act, saying there is a “real but narrowing opportunity for this Parliament to demonstrate what Scotland is capable of when it turns commitment into change in people’s lives.”

The Board believe the promise remains Scotland’s clearest commitment to creating that change, urging “this is the time to move faster, with greater urgency and a determined focus on what changes people’s lives”. In creating the report, the Oversight Board heard of stretched teams, limited capacity and resources that do not match need. However they have found progress in important legislation being passed, effective partnerships, longer-term funding providing stability and workers being given the flexibility to build and protect relationships. The report has a key focus on children experiencing care at home. In this area they found examples of strong relationships, committed staff and improvements to practice. However they also found all of this this to be inconsistent.

The Oversight Board are also using this report to call on Scotland to be clearer in what changes are made as a result of people with care experience sharing their views and experiences. The report sets out 10 actions the Board want to see happen. David Anderson, chair of the Oversight Board, said: “There is no more important responsibility than securing the futures and wellbeing of Scotland’s children. “We have seen that progress has been made. But the promise has to be judged by whether those changes improve people’s lives. Activity is not the same as action and Scotland must show whether support is reaching people, whether barriers are reducing and whether experience is changing.”

Read the report at www.oversightboard.scot. 

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