Embedded Files
This page is intended to support practitioners in their ongoing development and understanding of the legal obligation in Scotland to ensure that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is embedded into every day practice and policy.
This page will be constantly developing and updated regularly with new information and examples of good practice as they are shared. If you have examples that you would like to share with us, we would be very happy to post them here.
What is happening to protect children's rights in Scotland?
What is happening to protect children's rights in Scotland?
The UNCRC informs many aspects of policy and practice for children and young people in Scotland including Getting It Right For Every Child and Keeping the Promise. The Scottish Government have a clear ambition that Scotland should be the best place to grow up and that all children should have a good start in life and a safe, healthy and happy childhood.
On 7 December 2023, the Scottish Parliament unanimously passed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill (‘the UNCRC Bill’ or ‘the bill) for the second time. The Bill gained Royal Assent in January 2024.
The ambition of the UNCRC Bill is to deliver a proactive culture of everyday accountability for children’s rights across public services in Scotland. It will require all Scotland’s public authorities to take proactive steps to ensure the protection of children’s rights in their decision-making and service delivery and make it unlawful for public authorities, including the Scottish Government, to act incompatibly with the UNCRC requirements as set out in the Bill. The Bill means that public authorities will be required to comply with the UNCRC requirements when delivering devolved functions conferred by or under Acts of the Scottish Parliament or under common law powers.
Resources to Support Practitioners
Resources to Support Practitioners
Taking a children's human rights approach: guidance
Taking a children's human rights approach: guidance
Published 8 January 2024
Guidance to provide information and resources to support public authorities and other organisations to implement a children’s human rights approach.
The Voice of the Infant Best Practice Guidelines and Infant Pledge have been coproduced to provide guidance on how to take account of infants’ views and rights in all encounters they may have with professionals in statutory or third sector services, or in public spaces such as shops, libraries or galleries.
The purpose of the Consulting our Youngest children Toolkit is to provide adults with strategies that will support young children to:
share their ideas and make choices
share their thoughts, feelings, likes, dislikes and worries
recognise their views matter
know they are listened to
support their sense of belonging
develop confidence and self-worth
develop their communication skills
This website has information about UNCRC included simplified articles including ideas for visuals that can be used for each article.
A poster to show clearly the UNCRC articles.
A one-stop-shop for Children’s Rights in ELC - collated by the Edinburgh Early Years Team.
A one-stop-shop for Children’s Rights in ELC - collated by the Edinburgh Early Years Team.
The Infant Pledge has been co-produced by members of the Voice of the Infant Short-Life Working Group. It is written in simple language from the baby’s perspective. It details what a baby can expect from the adults around them and encourages mindful commitment to facilitate infants to express their feelings, consider their views, uphold their rights and take action accordingly. It is a reminder it is everyone’s responsibility to listen to the voice of infants. The Pledge is available as a one page sheet that can be printed and put up as a poster in places welcoming babies.
A summary of the incorporation of the UNCRC into Scots Law
A useful tool with links as to what the UNCRC is and how to embed it into your practise.
Children's Rights in the Early Years:
Children's Rights in the Early Years:
Children's Parliament and NSPPC present a discussion with Professor Kay Tisdall
“What kind of changes, tools and practices are needed in the system to allow infants’ voices to be meaningfully heard and understood in decision making, given the incorporation of UNCRC into Scots Law?”
UNCRC+-+the+foundation+of+getting+it+right+for+every+child.pdfIt is easy to acknowledge the importance of children’s rights, but how do we ensure that they are reflected in the practical approaches we adopt every day to support children and families? This paper describes in detail the linkages between the Articles of UNCRC and the key elements of the Scottish Government’s Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) approach. Fundamentally, the GIRFEC approach promotes practitioners:
• to consider each child as an individual with their own needs, risks and rights
• to engage and involve the child as far as practical in discussions and decisions which affect his or her future
• to seek out and consider the voice of the child
• to plan and review activity to improve outcomes, based on well-being.
Getting it right for every child is the methodology for ensuring that any practitioners helping children and their families work in a way that fully embraces UNCRC.
what, why, how participants booklet (1).docxThis useful document contains:
Whole School Self Evaluation and Personal Self Evaluation (adapted from the Common Core) Pg 44
A Brief Review of some historical precursors to human rights
An outline of two historical proponents of Children’s Rights
An Overview of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
An overview of how human rights legislation has been developed in Europe and Scotland
Overview Sheet
The Articles of the UNCRC
Summary articles of the UNCRC
This Youtube channel has some great videos relating to UNCRC
Guide_to implenting_GC7.pdfFurther Reading.
This document from UNICEF and the Bernard van Leer Foundation goes into greater depth to explore inclusion and children's rights internationally, and is included for reference and professional reading.
Resources to Support Children
Resources to Support Children
UNCRC book
UNCRC book
Children and Young People’s Commissioner Bruce Adamson launched a new illustrated book on human rights for young children today.
The Commissioner read ‘Let’s Explore Our Rights’ – aimed at children aged up to five – to children at Lochardil Primary School Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) in Inverness.
I Have the Right to Be a Child
Written by Alain Serres & Illustrated by Aurélia Fronty
Resources to Support Parents
Resources to Support Parents
How can parents support children’s rights?
How can parents support children’s rights?
Parents are the first educators of their children. Children can learn about and experience their rights at home. Parents can support their children by ensuring they know and understand what children’s rights are and by discussing with their child how these rights apply to them and the lives of other children around the world.
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