Plan 24-30: A message from Fiona Duncan

Fiona Duncan is Independent Strategic Advisor – the promise.

The Independent Care Review concluded in February 2020 and was accepted in full across all political parties. It was clear from the outset that collaborative implementation across Scotland, within and between sectors, is needed to #KeepThePromise. To meet this need, a series of successive plans, each covering a three-year period, and each designed to build on the progress of its predecessor, was envisaged.

However, one month post publication of the Independent Care Review’s concluding reports, Scotland went into lockdown. Consequently, the collective work to unpack, sequence and allocate all the changes the main report, ‘the promise’ , demanded, and fit them into the series of plans spanning the full 10-year implementation, did not happen in the way intended.

Instead, The Promise Scotland team brought hundreds of people, representing over 100 organisations, together virtually to devise Plan 21-24 , the first of the three intended plans, which began on 1st April 2021. This approach, although suboptimal, did galvanise commitment to #KeepThePromise and start to set out what action needed to be taken, by who and by when. It covered 25 priority actions required to be progressed by the end of March 2024 to ensure the promise was kept, in full, by 2030 at the latest.

Scotland is now three years into its journey to #KeepThePromise and Plan 21-24 is coming to an end

As The Promise Oversight Board Report TWO reflected, the challenges over the last three years, including COVID and the cost of living crisis, mean that delivering the original aims of Plan 21-24 is not realistic by next year.

There is a lot of positive work underway within Plan 21-24 that is making a difference to the lives of children and families and this must be celebrated and built on. In addition to this, significant efforts are required to ensure that Scotland does #KeepThePromise by 2030 at the latest.

Keeping the promise by 2030 continues to be entirely achievable if everyone plays their part

The timeline is set. The conclusions of the Independent Care Review and the change demanded by the promise are fixed and although time has passed, they have not changed.

Scotland is clear ‘WHAT’ it has to do to and by ‘WHEN’

The experiences and circumstances that children and their families live in have changed significantly since the promise was made and will continue to do so over the coming seven years. The organisations committed to #KeepThePromise are also operating in different circumstances.

Nonetheless, the promise has to be kept.

For Scotland to #KeepThePromise there must be a shared single, shared route map in place across all organisations that have a role to play.

The route map must make clear where responsibility lies for all aspects of Scotland's 'care system', including but not limited to, its legislation, decision making, investment, culture and service delivery. Ultimately, the route map must show how organisations across Scotland will meet the responsibility they have to children and families.

Scotland needs its route map to be dynamic and able to flex and change as the world changes, making sure the focus stays on doing what is needed to make the changes demanded.

This task is difficult, but deliverable.

A new plan is needed to lay out ‘HOW’ Scotland will do this, and by ‘WHO’

This plan cannot be written by any single organisation or person, no matter how much power they hold. All organisations with a role and responsibility must be involved and the planning process must make clear how they will be held to account. The plan must also reflect and honour the work that is already ongoing to support families to stay together and to facilitate a good and loving childhood for children who have to live away from home.

The commitment for Scotland to #KeepThePromise is shared and the work to do so must be too, starting with the creation of Plan 24-30.

I will lead the work to co-devise Plan 24-30

With less than a year to go before the end of Plan 21-24, this work must start now. In my new role of Independent Strategic Advisor, I will lead this, and build upon the inclusive methodology I designed and undertook to deliver the Independent Care Review.

The starting point will take account of the impact and effectiveness of the work undertaken within Plan 21-24, following a rapid review. Over the summer, I will consult on how to co-devise Plan 24-30 with the methodology set out in autumn 2023.

My commitment to the care community, to families waiting for the promise to be kept, and to organisations working to keep it is: I will remain focused on what is needed to ensure the promise made is kept.

The collaborative and inclusive approach required starts now

In leading the work to co-devise Plan 24-30, I will be working to a set of core principles.

Plan 24-30 must:

Remain rooted in the needs and aspirations of the care community, children, and their families

The work to co-devise Plan 24-30 will be relentlessly focused on delivery, with the care community actively and meaningfully involved throughout all stages of the work, including in monitoring and governance. Co-devising Plan 24-30 ensures it will meet both the needs of the care community and children and their families, and give confidence it is entirely deliverable by the paid and unpaid workforce.

Provide a single shared plan which sets out a route map to #KeepThePromise by 2030, demonstrating a shared understanding of what is required across Scotland to achieve the vision of the Independent Care Review

Plan 24-30 will be published in spring 2024. It will map the milestones, timelines, roles and responsibilities required to #KeepThePromise, including a mid-point review of progress in 2027.

Provide a common understanding of how progress across Plan 24-30 will be measured and be able to keep track

The co-devised methodology will ensure an agreed monitoring framework is established and make clear governance and accountability arrangements.

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The dedication, commitment and momentum shown across Scotland, including in Parliament, at the conclusion of the Independent Care Review in February 2020 remains in place today. 

Scotland has all the levers it needs to make the change demanded a reality and the willingness to do so. Despite everything that has changed, this has sustained and the unique opportunity Scotland was given is still in grasp.

Get in touch with the Independent Strategic Advisor.