The Scottish Parliament held a debate on the proposed Disabled Children and Young People (Transitions to Adulthood) (Scotland) Bill, and at decision time the majority voted against the Bill ensuring that it did not pass Stage 1.
The aim of the Bill, as introduced, is to improve opportunities for disabled children and young people as they grow up and it considers children to be under 18 and young people to be between 18 and 26. Johann Lamont MSP introduced the Bill because she thinks disabled children and young people need extra support to help them transition to adulthood. This will help them have the same opportunities as other children and young people.
The Bill would require:
- the Scottish Government to have a strategy explaining how they are going to improve opportunities for disabled children and young people.
- a Scottish Government minister to be in charge of improving opportunities for disabled children and young people moving into adulthood.
- local authorities to have plans for each disabled child and young person as they move into adulthood.
The Scottish Government’s Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise, Natalie Don, in her speech noted the cross-party consensus for doing everything to improve the experiences of transitions to adulthood for disabled young people but that the Bill is not the best way to deliver those aims.
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