Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Act 2026

39 Report on deaths of care-experienced persons

(1) The Scottish Ministers must, as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each reporting period—

(a) prepare a report on any deaths mentioned in subsection (2) which are notified to them during the reporting period,

(b) make the report publicly available, and

(c) lay a copy of the report before the Scottish Parliament.

(2) The deaths referred to in subsection (1)(a) are those—

(a) of children who were being looked after by a local authority at the time of their death and which are notified to the Scottish Ministers by a local authority,

(b) which are notified to the Scottish Ministers by a local authority under—

(i) section 26A(10) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995,

(ii) section 4(4) of this Act.

(3) A report under subsection (1) may include, for example, information about—

(a) the number of deaths,

(b) the age ranges within which those individuals fell at the time of their deaths,

(c) where known, the causes of death,

(d) the types of review (if any) which have been undertaken or are underway in respect of the deaths.

(4) A person mentioned in subsection (5) must comply with any written direction issued by the Scottish Ministers requiring the person to provide such information as is specified by Ministers in the direction (being information which they consider that they require in connection with the production of a report under subsection (1)).

(5) The persons referred to in subsection (4) are—

(a) Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland,

(b) a local authority,

(c) any other person.

(6) In this section, “reporting period” means—

(a) the period of 1 year beginning with the day of Royal Assent,

(b) each subsequent period of 1 year.