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Chamber and committees

Fair Access to Education for Looked-after Children

  • Submitted by: Alison Johnstone, Lothian, Scottish Green Party.
  • Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2012
  • Motion reference: S4M-04517

That the Parliament recognises what it considers to be the continued good work of the Care Leavers Foundation and its initiatives such as National Care Leavers Week, which runs from 24 to 30 October 2012; commends the work and achievements of similar organisations in Scotland, such as Buttle UK and the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland, and their continued efforts in promoting and enhancing the rights of looked-after young people and care leavers; understands that 9 of Scotland's 17 universities have, or are working toward, the Buttle UK Quality Mark and encourages the others to aspire toward this; expresses dismay that, in its view, care leavers continue to be hugely under-represented in higher education, with just 2% of young people who enter higher education directly from high school coming from a looked-after background; endorses NUS Scotland's view that, while universities cannot do everything to achieve fair access, they can do a great deal more, especially for those from a looked-after background, and calls on the Scottish Government to work with all stakeholders to improve access to further and higher education by care leavers.


Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Claudia Beamish, Neil Bibby, Malcolm Chisholm, Neil Findlay, John Finnie, Rhoda Grant, Patrick Harvie, Hugh Henry, Jamie Hepburn, Mike MacKenzie, John Mason, Anne McTaggart, Graeme Pearson, Dennis Robertson, Richard Simpson, Drew Smith, Sandra White