Given the financial pressures faced by local services, vital funding could be spent in other areas

A charity has called on the Scottish Government to protect cash earmarked for care leavers.

Staf, the Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum, wants a commitment to £9.3 million worth of funding for increasing the age young people can leave care enshrined in the Scottish Budget.

It is expected that from April 2019, young people in care will be able to stay in their care placement up to the age of 21 – through a Scottish Government policy known as Continuing Care.

The Scottish Government expects the net cost of the policy to be £9.3 million in 2019-20 but has not ring-fenced the funding allocated.

Given the financial pressures faced by local services, this vital funding could be spent in other areas.

Staf has asked finance secretary Derek MacKay to ensure that doesn’t happen when he announces his budget on Wednesday (12 December).

Chief executive Norma Corlette said: “We believe that in a compassionate country like Scotland the life chances of our young people should never be determined by their care experience.

“Raising the age at which young people can stay in their care placement to 21 is a big part of realising our shared national ambitions for care experienced young people.

“Our members have expressed concern that £9.3m funding expected to be allocated to councils to deliver this policy won’t be ring-fenced.

“We have a clear message for the finance secretary: don’t leave out care leavers – protect the funding required to fully implement Continuing Care.”