The Promise Scotland

Statement from Fraser McKinlay, Chief Executive, which reads "The promise is clear that Scotland must strive to become a nation that does not restrain its children. These latest stats show there were still over 6000 incidents of restraint, and it’s important to understand why these happened and to take learning from them. Statistics alone can never tell the whole story as every number is a child or young person. But they can help improve understanding and monitoring progress to stopping its use."

Fraser McKinlay, Chief Executive of The Promise Scotland, comments on the release of the @careinspectorate.bsky.social statistical bulletin on restrictive practice in 2024. Read the full statement here: ow.ly/Nxk150WzZOm

Missed the latest edition of our newsletter? Check it out here ➡️ ow.ly/ynY150WvWGZ

Want to get updates on our work and work happening across Scotland to #KeepThePromise directly to your inbox? Sign up to The Promise Scotland newsletter today 📨 ow.ly/8JaI50Wvc4t

Illustration of a graph sheet of paper with an outline of a promise heart (a heart made up of two circles, a square, a smaller heart and an outline representing the five foundations of the promise, family, care, people, voice, and scaffolding). Text above reads "Are you facing a challenge in your work to keep the promise? Join the next cohort of the Promise Design School and find the right solution".

Don't miss your chance to join the September Design School Sprint!

Bring your challenge and get the support you need to develop the right solutions that work for those using services and those working in them. Learn more and apply here by 6 August: ow.ly/BKK250WwGuU

Sibling Cafes Seeking care experienced adults and supporters to take part. Now open to: Care experienced adults (16+ years) in Scotland Supporters of care experienced children/adults in Scotland (e.g. foster parent, residential carer) We know that brothers and sisters are important to people who are care experienced. We would like to hear about your sibling experiences to improve research and care in the future. Come along to our Sibling Cafe: Information with activities and time to talk An opportunity to discuss what is important to you about sibling relationships and have your say about how the Scottish Government collections information on siblings. Your sibling, or siblings you support are very welcome to sign up too (if they are 16+ years), but you don’t need to bring them to be able to come along. Café date: Friday 5th September – University of Edinburgh Find out more and sign up: https://edin.ac/4cIYdcs

Are you:
⭐a care experienced adult (16+years) OR the supporter (e.g. foster parent) of a care experienced child/adult in Scotland?
⭐ free on Fri 5th Sept 2-4pm?
Come to the Sibling Cafe to chat about how sibling relationships could be better supported.
More info & sign up: edin.ac/4cIYdcs

Response: Call for views on the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill This week, we have sent our response to the Education, Children and Young People Committee’s call for views on the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill.

Thank you to those who have campaigned and shared their experiences to make this change a reality. Read our response here thepromise.scot/news/respons... (🧵3/3)

@cypcs.bsky.social @bethmorrison.bsky.social

This Bill is a vital step forward towards this goal and it must form a part of continued work to create a clear and coherent legislative framework around restraint in all settings. (🧵2/3)

The Promise Scotland's Response to the call for evidence on the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill. Includes a graphic of a clipboard and a document attached with a heart at the centre.

The Independent Care Review concluded that Scotland must strive to become a nation that does not restrain its children. As it does so, changes must take place to support the workforce and ensure that all instances of restraint are properly recorded and monitored. (🧵1/3)

A photograph to promote 12-month paid internships in the Civil Service for care leavers.

The Civil Service 12-month paid internship is now open for applications for any care leavers aged 18-30 in government departments across the UK. Make sure to apply before 25 July.
Details and apply: buff.ly/ecZbv0D

An arrow points across the image to the yellow centre of a target made of multiple circles of different colours indicating progress towards a goal. The review is of The Promise Scotland's work from August 2023 to March 2025.

The Promise Scotland’s mission is to support the transformation of how Scotland cares for its children and families.

This review looks at our activity and learning over this period and what we will take forward into our current & future work. Read more here: ow.ly/akXE50Wr2Wv

Co-Design Essentials workshop focused on planning, scheduled online for 19 August with a turquoise background and yellow blocks forming a square suggesting building and learning.

Introducing the Co-Design Essentials Series!

This series aims to provide facilitators with the skills, tools, and confidence they need for successful co-design journeys. The first session focuses on planning for impact.

Sign up here: ow.ly/40Hk50WmZ9t

Graphic of a hanging sign with a steaming coffee cup with a yellow outline of a heart on the side and the words "Co-Design Cafe". Text below reads "Bring your own challenge, 25 July at 11 am".

Don't miss your chance to join the Promise Design School to come together with others working to #KeepThePromise to share wins, learning, and challenges in your co-design journeys.

Click here to learn more and sign up: ow.ly/hfVy50W93iI

A photograph to promote 12-month paid internships in the Civil Service for care leavers.

Calling all care leavers!
The Civil Service 12-month paid internship is now open for applications for any care leavers aged 18-30 in government departments across the UK. Make sure to apply before 25 July.
Details and apply: buff.ly/YGn1KMZ

Infographic of the areas in which engagement to develop route maps for Plan 24-30 is underway including health, education, scrutiny and inspection, family support, and transitions from care. Engagement will continue to advance across the other Plan 24-30 themes and updates will be gives once a co-designed route map is published on plan2430.scot.

The Promise Scotland is working with partners & stakeholders to develop and populate the 25 route maps for each of the five themes within Plan 24-30.

Find out more about the engagement process & how route maps will evolve through to 2030 in this update ⬇️ ow.ly/MAJt50Wimjx

Illustration of a graph sheet of paper with an outline of a promise heart (a heart made up of two circles, a square, a smaller heart and an outline representing the five foundations of the promise, family, care, people, voice, and scaffolding). Text above reads "Are you facing a challenge in your work to keep the promise? Join the next cohort of the Promise Design School and find the right solution".

The next Promise Design School sprint starts in September! These sessions use design thinking to help those working in the system to develop solutions alongside those who will be impacted by them.

Interested? Apply here by 6 August: ow.ly/Tzo850Vp4YQ

A group of young people gather in front of a colourful mural on a brick wall picturing rolling hills with a highland cow and a unicorn standing in the field. Flowers line the grass and a purple butterfly flies out of the image.

This story of change focuses on the Blairgowrie High School Champs Board and their journey to create two incredible graffiti murals at their school – helping them to work as a team, while tackling stigma.

Read more here 👉 thepromise.scot/news/blairgo...

To mark 2025 as the halfway point to keeping the promise, we are sharing stories of change in action from across the country to reflect on positive changes and highlight learning that can be carried forward as Scotland continues to work to #KeepThePromise by 2030.

Graphic of a light bulb with a heart in the middle suggesting learning. Title of the event is Collaborating for Families: Developing the Edinburgh Disability and Neurodiversity Hub. Event takes place online on 11 July 2025.

Join us to explore the development of the EDAN Hub🤝

Learn how the project brought together 7 partners, combining statutory & volunteer sector agencies with different standards & practices, to provide accessible early family support.

Sign up here: ow.ly/LEnY50W8Zmo

Text reads "Are you working to keep the promise? We want to hear from you! Ayrshire, 28 August 2025". An orange heart built with individual bricks and supported by a metal structure is surrounded by different shapes and colours representing scaffolding support to grow and thrive. Below is the logo for The Promise Collaboratives with a jigsaw puzzle forming a lightbulb with one piece coming together to complete the image indicating learning and collaboration.

Sign up and submit your input for our next Promise Learning Collaborative today!

This event will be Part 1 of 2 highlighting work happening, challenges and learning around the Plan 24-30 foundation Scaffolding.

Find out more here: eventbrite.co.uk/e/promise-le...

Quote from Fiona Duncan, Independent Strategic Advisor - the promise, reading "The Independent Care Review was clear that legislation would be needed for Scotland to keep the promise. The legal system must ensure families receive the help they need to stay together wherever it is safe to do so, and that children and young people who experience the ‘care system’ grow up loved, safe, and respected — going on to flourish as adults, able to rely on Scotland for the support they might need. The Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill represents an important step towards achieving that. I look forward to working with Scottish Government and other stakeholders to ensure this Bill creates real change in the lives of children, young people and adults with care experience and their families. And on any subsequent steps needed over the coming five years to make sure that Scotland does keep the promise."

Today the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill was introduced in Scottish Parliament. Fiona Duncan, Independent Strategic Advisor - the promise, shares her response: thepromise.scot/news/respons...

Text reads "Scaffolding, Perth, 19 June 2025)". An orange heart built with individual bricks and supported by a metal structure is surrounded by different shapes and colours representing support to grow and thrive. Below is the logo for The Promise Collaboratives with a jigsaw puzzle forming a lightbulb with one piece coming together to complete the image indicating learning and collaboration.

Sign up and submit your input for our next Promise Learning Collaborative today!

This event will be Part 1 of 2 highlighting work happening, challenges and learning around the Plan 24-30 foundation Scaffolding.

Find out more here: ow.ly/6RRW50W7BSI

This story of change focuses on Glasgow's My Meeting/My Plan model and how it is helping to create emotionally safe environments for the children and young people they support.

Read more here: ow.ly/VpwY50W7LqK

To mark 2025 as the halfway point to keeping the promise, The Promise Scotland is sharing stories of change in action to reflect on positive changes and highlight learning that can be carried forward as Scotland continues to work to #KeepThePromise.

Who Cares? Scotland and The Promise Scotland to host joint event at Conservative Party Conference The joint event on Jun 14 will look at how the voice of the care experienced community must remain central as Scotland's 'care system' transforms.

There will be time for questions so bring all your thoughts and ideas around embedding voice for our panel or submit a question in advance here: thepromise.scot/footer/help/...

Find out more about the event here: thepromise.scot/news/who-car...

Graphic of two arrows pointing upwards suggesting change. Text reads "Join us for our joint Fringe Event: What matters now? How the voice of the care experienced community must remain central as Scotland's 'care system' transforms When: 14 June, 8:30 am Where: Moncreiff 3 Who: Roz McCall MSP and expert panel". Who Cares Scotland and The Promise Scotland logos are listed at the bottom.

Going to the @scottories.bsky.social Party conference? Join our event on 14 June⬇️

Chaired by @rozmccallmsp.bsky.social, the panel will explore how the voices of those with experience are the most important part of creating change & ultimately, are the ones who can say if the promise is kept.

Graphic of a hanging sign with a steaming coffee cup with a yellow outline of a heart on the side and the words "Co-Design Cafe". Text below reads "What's in it for me?: incentivising participation in co-design, 23 June at 11 am".

Join the Promise Design School for an opportunity to come together with others working to #KeepThePromise to share wins, learning, and challenges in your co-design journeys.

Click here to learn more and sign up: ow.ly/Asn850W3oRR

Logo with a jigsaw puzzle of a lightbulb with one piece coming together to complete the image indicating learning and collaboration. Text reads "The Promise Learning Collaboratives, People, (location) Perth, (date) 19 June 2025".

Don't miss out on joining the next Promise Learning Collaborative! This event will focus on the Plan 24-30 foundation People & will feature inputs from @stirlingcouncil.bsky.social, @stafscot.bsky.social, @mcrpathways.bsky.social, @renfrewshire.gov.uk & The Yard.

Sign up here: ow.ly/lP5T50W396m

A photograph of a stage with a presenter speaking into a handheld microphone and standing in front of a lectern.

"In no way do I underestimate the scale of the challenge. But I am hopeful, because people are hopeful right across the country"

Fraser McKinlay from @thepromisescotland.bsky.social provides the first keynote of #CiSAC25 on #KeepingThePromise

Thanks Ruth, will repost this with ALT text added. Hannah from our team usually does our social, and is very good at this. Nick from our team (that's me) has taken on the social while she is on holiday and is clearly in need of some training!!

Graphic reading Upcoming Events, and a picture of a calendar which says The Promise Scotland

Are you working to #KeepThePromise?

Check out The Promise Scotland's events coming up in May and beyond. Learn more here: ow.ly/UulA50VSxiY

Are you working to #KeepThePromise?

Check out The Promise Scotland's events coming up in May and beyond. Learn more here: ow.ly/UulA50VSxiY