Young people leaving care are still being left homeless and at risk, in unsuitable hostels surrounded by drugs, or too afraid to sleep at night despite a Scottish Government "promise" to ensure they are given a safe and loving home for as long as needed, The Ferret has heard.

The failures are being highlighted by a new report - due to be released this week - which calls for urgent action to be taken to prevent homelessness for care leavers.

The "progress report", which The Ferret was given exclusive sight of, marks the fifth anniversary of then-first minister Nicola Sturgeon's flagship care review - known as 'The Promise'.

The Promise - aimed at improving the life chances of children in care homes, foster and other forms of state care - was launched in February 2020. It said all children in the care system must grow up "loved, safe and respected". Its recommendations are due to be fully implemented by 2030.

But now the Promise oversight board, appointed to oversee the commitment, has made a sharp critique of the Scottish Government's failure to address youth homelessness in its latest report, due to be published on 5 February.

What young people need is not just housing - it's a home.

David Anderson, The Promise Oversight Board

While commending progress in some other areas, the report will say that the oversight board's direct requests for the government to address the number of children leaving care homeless have gone unheeded.

"No reasonable explanation" has been given as to why action has not been taken, according to the report.

The chair of the review's oversight board told The Ferret "the promise has already been broken to some young people" and said the commitments to young people in care could not be fulfilled unless their right to a home was upheld.

In the last two years there has been a 14 per cent increase in care leavers under 25 being homeless or threatened with homelessness, according to the latest Scottish homeless data.

Pressure on housing is well established. In May 2024 the Scottish Government announced a national housing emergency, following similar declarations by councils in Glasgow and Edinburgh the year before.

Homeless crisis sparks call for Scotland to declare 'national housing emergency'

The Scottish Government said tackling the housing emergency for everyone, including those in care, would "remain the Scottish Government's focus for 2025".

The row over the lack of homeless support dates back to October 2022 when the Scottish Government "paused" a 2019 agreement with local authorities which stated young people leaving care should have priority for housing support.

The Promise oversight board raised concerns in its second report in July 2023. Four months later the board wrote to both housing minister Paul McLennan and Marie Todd, minister for social care and mental wellbeing, calling for the government to reconsider.

Both letters made the link between homelessness and the raised risk of "tragic early death" for young care leavers. Yet despite follow-up meetings the policy has remained stubbornly on hold.

The oversight board's latest report disputes the government's claim that "current action is sufficient" and reassurance that "local authorities are continuing to prioritise young care leavers," pointing out that the homeless statistics show the situation is getting worse not better.

"We strongly urge government to either reinstate or replace this provision," the report adds. "The right to a home is fundamental to the promise being kept."

The report also calls for more affordable homes, particularly those suited for larger families and for action to be taken on the number of children spending months or longer in temporary accommodation, which puts pressure on already stretched families.

People need to think 'what if it was my child?'

Emily Cutts, G20 Works

Speaking to The Ferret , the board's chair, David Anderson, acknowledged work towards resolving the issue was ongoing. Last Thursday a Scottish Gove...