NewsStory

Scottish evaluation links school mentoring to higher retention among pupils with care experience

KROV newsroom

13 Nov 2026, 9:19 pm IST1 min read

DiscussionThe story behind the news.

Illustrated school classroom with two chairs and notebooks

Pupils with experience of Scotland’s care system who took part in MCR Pathways were more likely to stay on at school, according to an Ipsos evaluation published by the Scottish Government on 12 November. Using comparisons with similar pupils, researchers estimated that participation raised the share staying on into the fifth year of secondary school by 8 to 13 percentage points, depending on the method.

The study also estimated that unemployment nine months after leaving school fell by about 5 percentage points for the group studied. Researchers found no robust evidence of an overall improvement in attendance.

The numerical estimates apply to pupils with care experience in MCR Pathways. The researchers could not construct a robust comparison group for other MCR participants or for those in the separate Columba 1400 leadership programme.

Cover image is an AI-generated editorial illustration.

Sources and credits

Credit: Ipsos, Scottish Mentoring and Leadership Programme final evaluation, published by the Scottish Government. Crown copyright where applicable.

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