Annual Report 2024-25: Reflecting on a year of progress

We are pleased to share our Annual Report 2024-25, which highlights a year of significant developments in the promotion and protection of the human rights of babies, children and young people across Scotland.

Introducing our annual report, our Chair, Susan Hunter, says:

“This year has felt like a turning point for children’s rights in Scotland. With the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 finally coming into force in July, Together has moved from years of campaigning to the practical work of making rights a reality.”

[Image description: a screenshot of annual report. An icon with train tracks and Rights Express train].

Annual Report 2024-25

Research launch: Access to Justice for Babies and Young Children Across 12 Jurisdictions Report

In partnership with the University of Edinburgh’s LLM in Human Rights Law, we are launching a timely report to showcase ongoing efforts to ensure that children’s rights are meaningfully realised in Scotland. It follows the work of Together’s “Tiny Rights Detectives” project, which explored how the youngest children experience and understand their rights.

The investigation highlighted serious gaps in access to justice for babies and young children, sparking the need for a deeper exploration of international practices. A key learning from this work is that babies and young children are largely invisible when it comes to access to justice mechanisms. Despite being rights-holders from birth under the UNCRC, their needs are often excluded from mainstream justice discussions, making this invisibility a central finding of the report.

Children's Rights Skills and Knowledge Framework

We're delighted that the Children's Rights Skills and Knowledge Framework is now available.

The Framework provides access to resources and training on children’s rights and on taking a children’s human rights approach.

The resources can be used across a wide range of sectors, giving users an enhanced understanding of how they can respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights.  

[Image description: The project logo of a child underneath a rainbow that says 'Happy, Healthy, Safe']

https://www.togetherscotland.org.uk/framework/

Get involved!

If you're passionate about children's rights in Scotland, there are a number of ways you can get involved in the work of Together:

Become a Together member
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Latest News & Events

13th February 2026 — Refugee , migrant and asylum-seeking children
Together responds to earned settlement consultation

Drawing on the UNCRC, recent UN recommendations, and evidence from children and families, we raise serious concerns that the proposals are incompatible with children’s rights.

30th January 2026 — General measures of implementation

Rights Empowered: Children’s Access to Justice Project - Year 1 Update

The Rights Empowered: Children’s Access to Justice Project is a three-year project funded by the Independent Human Rights Fund for Scotland (delivered by Corra on behalf of a partnership of eight funders). The project aims to maximise the incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in the lives of all children in Scotland, by supporting Together’s membership to use community action and strategic litigation to challenge decision making and address systemic rights breaches.

20th January 2026 — Care Experienced children

Promise Bill passes at Stage 1

The Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill – sometimes referred to as “The Promise Bill” – was approved by MSPs on 14th January 2026. The Bill, which seeks to make changes to the children’s care system and who is responsible for planning of children’s services, will now move to Stage 2.

20th January 2026 — General measures of implementation

Religious Observance and UNCRC Act amendment Bill: Stage 2 update

The Bill passed Stage 2 on 16 th December 2025. While Together was pleased to see an amendment which seeks to end the conflation of Religious Observance (RO) and Religious and Moral Education (RME), we were disappointed that MSPs voted against an amendment to introduce an independent right for children and young people to opt out of RO. Together will continue to call for further strengthening of the Bill ahead of Stage 3, including bringing the changes it makes within the scope of the UNCRC Incorporation Act. Together is now preparing its briefing for MSPs ahead of Stage 3 (dates still to be confirmed). If members wish to share any information or views to inform this briefing, please email info@togetherscotland.org.uk with the subject “RO Bill”.

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