Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise explained

Post:Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise
Native Name:Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Ministear na Cloinne, na h-Òigridh agus An Gealladh
Incumbent:Natalie Don
Incumbentsince:29 March 2023
Style:Minister
(within parliament)
Children's Minister
(informal)
Scottish Children's Minister
(outwith Scotland)
Appointer:First Minister
Formation:17 May 2007
Inaugural:Adam Ingram
Reports To:Scottish Parliament
Salary:£106,185 per annum [1]
(including £72,196 MSP salary)
Seat:Edinburgh

The Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise is a junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the Minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet. The incumbent reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, who has overall responsibility for the portfolio, and is a member of Cabinet.

The Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise has specific responsibility for the social services workforce, childcare and preschool, children's services, children's hearings and the Care Inspectorate.[2] The current holder of the role is Natalie Don who was appointed in March 2023 upon the formation of the First Yousaf Government.

Overview

The post holder is responsible for:[3]

History

From 1999 to 2000, responsibility for Children and Early Years rested with the Minister for Children and Education, which became the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs in the McLeish Government of 2000 to 2001. From 2001 to 2007 the portfolio rested with the Minister for Education and Young People.

The Salmond government, elected following the 2007 Scottish Parliament election created the junior post of the Minister for Children and Early Years to assist the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. The post was renamed Minister for Children and Young People in June 2018.[4]

The post was further renamed in March 2023 when Humza Yousaf became First Minister to Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise, before later being changed to Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise when Yousaf was replaced by John Swinney. This was to further the work that the Scottish Government had taken forward for those young people who are or had been care experienced.

Minister

The current Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise is Natalie Don.

Namewidth=75PortraitEntered OfficeLeft OfficePartyFirst Minister
Minister for Children and the Early Years
Adam Ingram17 May 200720 May 2011Scottish National PartyAlex Salmond
Minister for Children and Young People
Angela Constance20 May 20117 December 2011Scottish National PartyAlex Salmond
Aileen Campbell7 December 201118 December 2014
(on maternity leave)
Scottish National Party
Fiona McLeod18 December 201431 August 2015Scottish National PartyNicola Sturgeon
Aileen Campbell31 August 201518 May 2016Scottish National Party
Minister for Childcare and Early Years
Mark McDonald18 May 20167 November 2017Scottish National Party
Maree Todd7 November 201727 June 2018Scottish National PartyNicola Sturgeon
Minister for Children and Young People
Maree Todd27 June 201820 May 2021Scottish National PartyNicola Sturgeon
Clare Haughey20 May 202128 March 2023Scottish National PartyNicola Sturgeon
Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise
Natalie Don28 March 2023IncumbentScottish National PartyHumza Yousaf

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MSP salaries . parliament.scot . 10 May 2024 . The Scottish Parliament.
  2. Web site: Ministerial responsibilities: Education portfolio . . 16 November 2012 . 15 July 2014.
  3. Web site: Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise. 2024-06-11. www.gov.scot.
  4. Web site: Minister for Children and Young People. 30 June 2018. Scottish Government.