As a corporate parent, the Scottish Police Authority is committed to using its profile to advocate for the care experienced community. The Authority was delighted to be nominated in partnership with Who Cares? Scotland for the Voluntary Sector Partnership Award category. This nomination and recognised the joint work undertaken to amplify the voices of care experienced people. The Authority will continue to build its profile as a vocal advocate for the care experienced community in future.

At the December 2023 meeting of the Policing Performance Committee (PPC), the Authority presented an update on the current Corporate Parenting Plan. As part of this update, Authority also presented the planned approach for developing the next iteration of the plan. PPC Members endorsed the approach going forward, which will see the Authority work closely with partners over the coming months to develop a new plan which puts the needs of care experienced people at its heart.

In addition to presenting the update on the Corporate Parenting Plan, the Authority also launched its Children’s Rights and Corporate Parenting Report2020-23. This report details the Corporate Parenting activities conducted by the Authority, as well as wider work to uphold the rights of Scotland’s children and young people.

Highlights within the report include the work of the Authority in partnership with Police Scotland to host the Places of Safety event in November 2022 and the Joint Assurance Review of the acquisition of biometric data from children arrested in Scotland conducted in partnership with the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner.

The Authority continues to work with Police Scotland and other partners to help to improve the outcomes of children and young people in Scotland.

The Authority's Sam Curran is pictured at the Voluntary Sector Partnerships Awards with Emma Brannigan-McQueen (left) and Lynsey Emery (right) from Who Cares? Scotland.