One of several reports produced as part of the Scottish Independent Care Review, this report (and the accompanying report Follow the Money) explains how Scotland can invest better in its children and families. This paper was written by Dr Katherine Trebeck and is her reflections on what was found as a result of the work done to Follow the Money, the report of the Independent Care Review that produced the financial argument needed to challenge the way Scotland invests in its ‘care system’. The paper reviews the human costs of the current care system, what was learned from Follow the Money, and what this means for future investment.