Health-Themed play sessions to help Scottish pupils learn about their rights

Date: 22nd July 2025
Category: General measures of implementation, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

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Children’s Health Scotland has delivered 21 engaging Health-Related Play Box sessions to schools across the country as part of Health Week celebrations, helping children to understand their right to access to the best possible health.

From Edinburgh to the Highlands, schools welcomed the sessions, which used storytelling and play to explore children's health rights in a fun and meaningful way. One highlight was Bear’s Big Hospital Adventure, a story that helped younger pupils feel more confident about hospital visits and understand how their rights would be respected during healthcare experiences.

The sessions reached schools including Ratho Primary in Edinburgh, Our Lady of the Annunciation in Glasgow, Wishaw Academy in North Lanarkshire and Burghhead Primary in the Highlands. The visit to Burghhead marked a special milestone as the first virtual session, showing how powerful learning could be even from a distance. Older pupils took part in deeper conversations about physical, mental and social health, learning about Article 24 of the UNCRC, which says every child has the right to the best possible health.

Rhianne Forrest, Officer at Children’s Health Scotland, highlighted the importance of using play to help children understand healthcare:

"Play is a fundamental right. These sessions let children explore health situations in a safe way, helping them feel valued, heard, and supported."

These sessions are recognised in the My Health, My Rights Charter, created by children and young people living with health conditions in Scotland. The Charter outlines their ten most important health rights. Some of these rights include: a right to be me, a right to information in a way we understand, a right to be educated on our health, a right to access beneficial food and water, a right to fun.

These sessions develop children’s understanding about their health (Article 24) as well as facilitate education about their rights (Article 29).

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child also highlights the importance of this work. It encourages all countries to develop strong strategies to educate children, parents, professionals and policymakers about children’s right to health. Furthermore, it emphasises that everyone has a role to play in making that right a reality.

Schools interested in hosting a Health-Related Play Box session can contact Rhianne at CYPHRS@childrenshealthscotland.org.

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