Children and Young People’s Panel on Europe meets the First Minister to discuss UK’s future relationship with Europe

Date: 5th February 2020
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The roundtable on 3rd February brought together 17 members of the Children and Young People’s Panel on Europe, alongside representatives of the Scottish Youth Parliament and Young Scot, to discuss the important issues for children and young people following Brexit.

The First Minister and the Minister for Children and Young People emphasised the importance of hearing children and young people’s views and taking them into account in informing Scotland and the UK’s post-Brexit decision-making processes.

The Panel members raised an array of issues, including:

• Ensuring current human rights and children’s rights protection stays in place;
• Ensuring post-Brexit negotiations do not prolong the incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law;
• Making information on Brexit arrangements accessible and child-friendly;
• Exploring opportunities for Scotland to remain part of Erasmus+;
• Finding ways to replace current EU funding;
• Ensuring high trade standards;
• Combating xenophobia and racism, and protecting multiculturalism;
• Measures for ensuring that public services, including the NHS, are not affected by staff shortages as a result of changed immigration policies.

Panel members presented the First Minister with a copy of their 2019 Listen To Us report, containing recommendations in four key areas (opportunities to work and travel abroad; EU Funding; economy, trade and jobs; and children and young people's rights).

The Panel formed in August 2018 and is supported by Together in partnership with Children in Scotland.

• Read more about the Panel.
• Read more about the second phase of the Panel’s work.