The Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise is a junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a junior minister, the holder 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.
The post holder is responsible for:[3]
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.[3]
The current Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise is Natalie Don.[3]