To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it provides to local authorities and/or the voluntary sector to deliver community care services for children and their carers who have been adversely affected by substance abuse by the children’s parents.

The Executive provides a range of direct and indirect funding to deliver community care services. Directly, it contributes £750,000 per annum to the Partnership Drugs Initiative, a unique funding partnership with Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland and Atlantic Philanthropies. The initiative provides almost £2 million per annum to voluntary sector organisations across Scotland working with children and young people affected by substance misuse. Twenty-nine of the 95 grants awarded to date have been for work with children affected by parental substance misuse.

We are also providing £65.5 million this year through the Changing Children’s Services Fund for the co-ordination and delivery of locally prioritised multi-agency children’s services, including for children affected by the substance misuse of their parents.

Indirectly, resources are provided to local authorities, NHS health boards as well as to a range of voluntary sector organisations to provide support to families, which may include those affected by substance misuse.