New guidance on taking a children's human rights approach

Date: 9th February 2024
Category: General measures of implementation

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This guidance from Scottish Government provides a brief summary of human rights, children’s rights and the UNCRC, it also raises awareness of the ambition for children’s human rights in Scotland and sets out the Scottish Government’s actions to implement the UNCRC to date. It provides information and resources to support you to take a children’s human rights approach to planning and delivery of services.

A children’s human rights approach is not just relevant to children and young people’s services. All decisions made about, and actions taken to deliver public services may impact on the rights and wellbeing of children and young people. It is vital to the realisation of children’s rights for all those carrying out public functions to consider children’s rights in their work.

This guidance was published on a non-statutory basis, to provide those involved in public service delivery in Scotland with an introduction to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and support them to implement a children’s human rights approach and give effect to children’s rights in practice.

The purpose of this guidance is to provide information and resources to support public authorities and other organisations to implement a children’s human rights approach. This may also assist public authorities to meet their current duties under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and to prepare for their duties under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation)(Scotland) Act, which will place a duty on public authorities not to act incompatibly with the ‘UNCRC requirements’ as defined by section 1 of the Act.

• Read full report here