And that concludes our live coverage from the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 26 May 2015.

Remember you can catch up on business from Holyrood at BBC Scotland's Democracy Live.

Ms McLeod says there is a need for greater fairness in the provision of allowances for kinship carers.

The minister says the Scottish government got a benefits disregard from the DWP a couple of years to ensure kinship carers did not lose out on benefits.

She says kinship carers face a maze of jargon and officialese when they begin caring, which is why the government are funding CAS and Children 1st.

Ms McLeod concludes saying Through Our Eyes is a "wonderful" book that emphasises the challenges as well as the happiness.

The minister says she believes that this book will become part of the body of evidence for practitioners and social work students.

Children and Young People Minister Fiona McLeod says the Scottish government's preference is for a child to remain with a kinship carer rather than being removed from the family, it it is safe and possible.

Ms McLeod praises the work of kinship carers and says Through Our Eyes is a "delight" as well as a moving read.

Children 1ST, external is developing a comprehensive training, information and support service for kinship carers.

Image source, Children 1st

This will include:

• A telephone advice service via ParentLine (0800 028 2233) with dedicated staff and volunteers trained in kinship issues.

• Training for kinship carers on issues that they and the children they care for can face, including alcohol and drugs misuse and managing relationships within families.

• Work to help existing local family support groups or address gaps in local support, as well as the creation of a national forum for kinship carers to strengthen their voice in future policy development.

• The provision of family group conferencing - a way of bringing the whole family together to find solutions for problems affecting children within a family.

• Training on the working of the children's hearings system and implications for families.

• Find out more about Children 1ST services in your local area.

According to the government Citizens Advice Scotland, external maintains a confidential helpline for kinship carers, providing assistance with legal and financial matters (including benefits advice).

The Helpline can be contacted on 0808 000 006. Useful information can also be found on the Citizens Advice kinship care webpage.

Image source, CAS

Advisers at every Scottish Citizens Advice Bureau, external can help kinship carers access specialist advice for complex cases. Details of your local bureau are listed in the phone book or can be found on the Citizens Advice Scotland website.

If a looked after child cannot remain with their birth parents they can be placed by a local authority in the care of family or friends, for either a short or long period of time.

Under the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009, these 'kinship carers' are defined as "a person who is related to the child (through blood, marriage or civil partnership) or a person with whom the child has a pre-existing relationship".

Ms Grahame says Through Our Eyes is "essential reading", not just for all MSPs but also for anyone with an interest in kinship carers.

Image source, (C) British Broadcasting Corporation

Image source, Kinship Carers Midlothian

Grandparents Parenting Again & Kinship Carers (Midlothian), external was formed in 2005.

The Group is a self-help support Group RUN FOR KINSHIP CARERS BY KINSHIP CARERS.

The Group provides a listening ear, peer support, direction and guidance to Kinship Carers, and in turn to the children they look after, who have found themselves, usually at a moments notice, in a position of raising kin children.

This unique service meets the needs of kinship carers who, in many cases, also have the added burden of conflict with their own children.

Ms Grahame reads out emotional and moving stories from Through our Eyes.

Ms Grahame says carers who can find themselves raising children at a moment's notice commend the charity's book, Through Our Eyes, which is a collection of stories and poems by individuals telling their unique experience of becoming kinship carers.

These stories include I don't want this, Where do I begin?, It was Only for a Couple of Weeks!, Our Precious Grandchildren, Life Changes, A Long Road Ahead, It's Hard Thinking Back and the many heartfelt poems.

The SNP MSP commends this book to all involved with the welfare of looked-after children for the insight that it brings to the trials and sacrifices of the kinship carers but more importantly their selflessness and love of the children and young people they find themselves caring for, often with hardly a moment's warning.

SNP MSP Christine GrahAme is leading a debate entitled 'Through our eyes'.

In her motion Ms GrahAme highlights the invaluable role of grandparents and other kinship carers throughout Scotland but, in particular, Grandparents Parenting Again and Kinship Carers (Midlothian),, external, which was formed in 2005 and provides a listening ear, peer support, direction and guidance to kinship carers and the children they look after.

The Scottish government motion from the Equity and Excellence in Education debate was passed, with 67 MSPs backing it.

The opposition amendments all fell.

The minister concludes the attainment for all children must be raised as well as closing the attainment gap.

She says she was once from a poor family and she is very thankful as she was well supported, but also experienced being written off.

Ms Constance says we must have the highest hopes and dreams for all our children.

Ms Constance says there has not actually been a fall in classroom assistants, in fact there has been a 6% rise.

The education secretary says the government will never allow austerity to limit the ambitions of young people.

She says the Attainment Challenge Fund of £100m will benefit 50% of Scotland's poorest children in the first place, but other areas will be looked at shortly.

Ms Constance says college reform has been challenging and not without controversy, but colleges are doing more for under 19s now than before.

The education secretary says under this government we have seen a massive expansion of childcare and early learning.

Ms Constance says the government has done more than any previous administration on this issue.

Education Secretary Angela Constance says she has discussed concerns of parents with the SQA, regarding last weeks maths and biology exams.

Ms Constance says the SQA has assured her that they have robust procedures in place.

Image source, Getty Images

Mr Griffin says he is glad the government are making educational attainment a priority but says he hopes they will improve their plans by redistributing money to where it is needed.

Labour MSP Mark Griffin says the additional revenue from the introduction of a 50p income tax rate would allow the investment of an additional £25m a year, over and above the government's proposals, to address the attainment gap.

Mr Griffin says Labour would recruit and retain literacy specialists and increase teacher and support staff numbers.

The Tory MSP says the seven most deprived council areas to receive £100m from the Attainment Challenge Fund are not the council areas with the lowest attainment.