Developing a universal definition of ‘care experience’

Overview

The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on the need for a universal definition of ‘care experience’ and what the potential impacts of this could be.

The Promise tells us that while it is not a legal term, ‘care experience’ is a term that has a special and different meaning for many of the people who identify with it. This includes infants, children and young people, and adults who may choose to identify as ‘care experienced’. Reasons for this could include that they feel it describes the situation that they have grown up in, or that this describes an understanding of their personal identity. However, not everyone who could identify as ‘care experienced’ will choose to do so for a number of reasons, including that for some people it may feel like a stigmatising term.

The Promise also tells us that a universal definition of ‘care experience’ will help to normalise care as more people can understand and relate to it. The Promise sets out that there must be a more universal, commonly understood definition as it relates to rights and entitlements and an understanding that the purpose of those rights and entitlements is to support people with care experience.

In response to our commitment to keep The Promise, The Scottish Government Keeping the Promise Implementation Plan set out the cross-Government actions and policies that will be taken to bring about the transformational change required to keep the Promise by 2030.  This includes a commitment to work with partners across Scotland, including The Promise Scotland, to develop a universal and inclusive definition of ‘care experience’ so that more people can understand and identify with it.  

Read the consultation paper. The consultation paper contains full background information for this consultation. You may find it useful to read or refer to while responding.

Easy read version

Why your views matter

A definition provides a collective understanding of the meaning of a word or phrase.  A universal definition would mean that there is a single description that everyone understands to be the meaning of a word or phrase. 

The Promise tells us that the term ‘care experience’ has meaning for many people and that it can be helpful as an understanding of personal identity. As well as providing a sense of identity, there are existing supports and entitlements available to people with care experience, particularly young people with care experience.

We want you to play a key role in how we develop a universal, commonly understood definition of ‘care experience’.