childrens rights

Getting it right for every child: draft Children's Services (Scotland) Bill consultation

Scottish Executive consultation on a draft Bill intended to support the implementation of Getting it right for every child, the reform programme for children's services.

The bill would place duties on agencies to promote the well-being of children and to work together. Also included in the bill are measures to ensure that the views of children are taken into account. Grounds for referral to the Children's Hearings system would also change if the bill were passed as legislation.

Improving the lives of children in Scotland - are we there yet? Findings from national seminars: January-February 2009

The Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights (SACR) was asked by the government to organise four seminars designed to allow professional and interested parties in Scotland to gather together to discuss the United Nations Committee for the Rights of the Child recommendations.

Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People and the Children’s Rights Officers’ Network worked with SACR in organising the events.

Advocacy for Children and Young People in Scotland

This draft report summarises the key findings of a National Research Study conducted by the Advocacy Safeguards Agency. The study looked at why children and young people need advocacy, the laws relating to children and advocacy and the views young people hold about advocacy including what they would look for in an advocate. The report also identifies types of advocacy, barriers and enablers to advocacy, and examines the issues raised by adults interviewed about advocacy.

GIRFEC: implementation plan

Scottish Ministers issued for consultation 23 proposals for the reform of children’s services and invited all those with an interest to let us know what they thought.

This report represents the plan implemented by the Scottish Government in order to reduce the bureaucracy that gets in the way of ensuring children are protected. Children must have their needs met and, where necessary, action must be taken to protect others from children’s behaviour.