Our Response to the Scottish Labour Policy

In the run up to the Scottish Parliament 2026 elections, we will be engaging with political parties to amplify the voices and experience of the children, young people and families we support.  

Recently, includem welcomed the opportunity to submit our response to the Scottish Labour Party’s Scottish Policy Forum’s initial consultation – part of their policy development as they look towards their 2026 Manifesto.  

 The consultation focused on four key commissions: 

• Building an Economic Powerhouse to Improve Lives 

• A Modern NHS and Social Care System that Puts People at the Centre 

• From Cradle to Career: Giving Young People the Best Start in Life 

• More Equal and Safer Communities Where We Can All Thrive 

 

Below are some the key points and asks we raised: 

Building an Economic Powerhouse to Improve Lives  

• Commit to longer-term funding of Scotland’s vital third sector. 

• Invest in specialist support employment programmes for those historically inactive. 

• Look into investing in supported and paid work placements to support first time employment and/or those returning to work. 

• More apprenticeship opportunities including financial incentives to reduces the costs of apprenticeship training.  

• An increase in the number of shorter vocationally focussed courses. 

• Enhance the current community benefits requirements when awarding infrastructure or other such contracts (look out more about this topic from us in the coming months!). 

A Modern NHS and Social Care System that Puts People at the Centre 

• Agree a universal definition of social care. 

• Any future reform should consider the four key areas of poverty, trust, complexity and investment. 

• Urged the party to not be constrained over the fear of failure but to be bold in their ambitions to bring about successful and long-lasting change. 

 

From Cradle to Career: Giving Young People the Best Start in Life 

As an organisation working with children, young people and families, supporting some of the most vulnerable in our society, means this was the focus of our response. 

We particularly asked for: 

• Commitment to universal free school meals for all school children and young people. 

• End school exclusions. 

• Review the use of part-time timetables. 

• Increase whole family support such as the services provided by includem. 

• Expand the use of restorative practices. 

• Increase teacher training. 

• Work with third sector organisations to support transitions.  

 Access to Culture, Music and Sports 

• Consider establishing a Third Sector Access to Culture Fund, supporting third sector organisations in providing access for those we support to cultural and other significant events that other families get to experience. 

Additional Support Needs  

• Invest in additional support for learning for all schools. 

• Review existing data sharing protocols so that schools can better support children and young people through communication with parents, third sector support providers and other statutory services. 

Disengagement with School  

• Explore reducing class sizes. 

• Increase teaching assistants. 

• Increase variety of subject choices especially in areas of high deprivation. 

• Invest in better school buildings that support learning and encourage wellbeing.  

School Clothing Grant 

• Double the School Clothing Grant. 

Free School Meals 

• Examine the introduction of a “Meals for All” programme ensuring those who are entitled to free school meals but are not attending school for various reasons still receive the meal they are entitled to.  

Care Experienced Children   

• Support those who are care experienced in securing an apprenticeship. 

• Encourage more efforts by local authorities to deliver the commitments of The Promise. 

• Support the workforce in implementing The Promise 24-30 plan. 

Mental Health   

• Roll out Mental Health Community Support such as our Keeping Connected project. 

Youth Work/Anti-Social Behaviour 

• Work with young people to define Youth Work and how it will meet their needs. 

• Provide free access to school facilities for the purpose of activities run by and for young people.  

• Ensure those who aren’t attending school can also participate in youth work.  

Having a Home 

• Ensure more affordable homes are built. 

• Increase support to first-time buyers such as the reintroduction of the First Home Scheme. 

• Create a Care Experience Independent Living Fund which can provide the financial support required for the first two years of care experienced young person owning or renting their home. 

• Strengthen the rights of Tenants alongside better advocacy provision.  

 

More Equal and Safer Communities Where We Can All Thrive 

 

 Social Justice  

• Take radical action to transform the lives of children and young people by writing off public sector debt. 

• Increase the Scottish Child Payment to £50 per week. 

• Mitigate the end of the two-child benefit cap in Scotland. 

Social Security 

• Increase awareness of, and access to, advice and financial support.  

• Examine the appointment of Social Security Development Officers dedicated to supporting third sector organisations and the people we support for increased access to social security advice and support.  

Justice 

• Ensure young people are actively heard by Community Planning panels by appointing a Youth Rep. 

• Introduce a Hobby Guarantee for all of Scotland’s children and young people -guaranteeing access to a free hobby based around the school day. 

Over the coming months, we will be building our evidence on a few of these key issues and ideas that could transform the lives of the children, young people and families we support and will soon launch the second phase of our Transforming Lives campaign.  

 If you would like to read our submission in full you can do so here. 

If you would like to find out more or discuss any of these asks, our Communications & Public Affairs team would love to speak with you. You can drop them an email at publicaffairs@includem.co.uk