In a Scottish first, the council is planning to help foster carers provide the appropriate housing needed.

North Ayrshire Council has become the first local authority to make fostering accessible to anyone, regardless of the size of their home.

Until now, all foster carers had to provide a spare bedroom before being considered, but the council is now planning to support applicants to obtain the appropriate housing they need to care for a child.

Councillor Robert Foster raised the motion which was seconded by council leader Joe Cullinane.

The motion also urged all social care professionals who work with care-experienced young people to review the language that is used to make it more suited to a family setting.

The final part of the motion, agreed by council, means the practice of removing children and young people from school to attend hearings, which often leads to bullying, will be stopped.

Speaking at the start of Foster Care Fortnight, Mr Foster said: "This is a really important day for North Ayrshire Council. We are delighted this motion received cross-party support.

"We are serious about making a real difference to our care experienced young people.

"The system doesn't work so it's up to us to find new ways of having a positive impact.

"We want to create a nurturing, loving and caring environment for them.

"We need to create more foster carers who can provide a loving and caring environment and we need to remove the barriers that are currently stopping them. We have to change this."