Children’s Commissioner’s annual report laid before Parliament

Date: 7th August 2014
Category: General measures of implementation

The Commissioner's annual report for the 2013/14 financial year was laid before the Scottish Parliament on 6th August 2014, and discusses work done over the previous year.

The UK signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1990 and it came into force in 1992. This means that all policies and practices by governments in the UK must comply with the principles and requirements of the UNCRC.

A campaign by organisations who wanted a voice to represent children and young people's rights in Scotland followed and this led to the establishment of Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People.

Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People promotes and safeguards: children's and young people's rights by: raising awareness of rights; talking to children and young people about rights; considering law and policy that concern rights; and communicating best practice about rights.

The Commissioner works for all children and young people under the age of 18, or up to 21 if they have ever been 'looked after' or in care.

As well as detailing the expenditure of the Commissioner and his office, the annual report discusses the work done over the previous year. Particular highlights include:

• influencing the development of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014;
• the Flushed with Success? campaign, which aimed to set a higher standard for Scotland's school toilets;
• commissioning research exploring the impacts of spending cuts on disabled children, young people and their families, which was launched at a major conference in September 2013.

Download the Commissioner's annual report for 2013/14 here.