Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

A new report has captured the experiences of young people, parents, carers, and professionals in relation to virtual Children’s Hearings which have taken place over lockdown. It highlights that the move to online hearings has created challenges for ensuring the meaningful participation of the child and their families.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Basic Health and Welfare

A survey by Sibs has found that COVID-19 has led to increased caring responsibilities, isolation and poorer mental health issues for siblings of disabled children.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

Lawyers acting on behalf of children in England who have been denied visits and video contact with an imprisoned parent have taken the first step of legal action claiming that the lack of contact breaches children’s human rights.

Date: 22nd July 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Funding

The funding, announced by Deputy First Minister John Swinney, is part of an overhaul of the care system pledged by Scottish Government following the Independent Care Review. The fund will be used to support children and families and help them stay together. 

Date: 22nd July 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

In June, Scottish Children's Reporters Administration (SCRA) ran a consultation asking children and young people to share their thoughts, ideas, worries and questions about the planned return to face-to-face hearings with social distancing. SCRA has now published a report, setting out children and young people’s key concerns and what SCRA is doing to address these.  

Date: 22nd July 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Basic Health and Welfare

The findings, gathered by Carers Trust Scotland, highlight that many young carers have experienced increased pressures due to COVID-19. This has had a negative impact on young carers’ mental health and wellbeing.

Date: 22nd July 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Special protection measures

‘Youth Just Us’ is Staf’s steering group for its Youth Justice Project. The group has launched its monthly newsletter and the July edition includes the group’s art, information about how young people are coping during COVID-19 and what young people are doing to keep busy. The group is also looking for new members to join, to take part in a range of activities whilst creatively influencing change in the care and justice systems.

Date: 22nd July 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

Children’s Hearings Scotland wants to hear from organisations associated with the care sector or those who work directly with children with experience of care in a series of feedback sessions about its Child Rights and Inclusion Strategy. The Strategy aims to ensure children feel able to speak openly and honestly in hearings, that their views are given real weight in the decision-making process and children feel empowered and have ownership of their rights.

Date: 22nd July 2020
Category: Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Family Environment and Alternative Care

The report presents an overview of children’s rights-related progress by and information on the Council of Europe’s actions and achievements under each of the five thematic areas of the Strategy on the Rights of the Child, namely; equal opportunities for all children, participation of all children, a life free from violence for all children, the rights of the child in the digital environment.

Date: 10th July 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

‘Being Heard’ was one of the largest studies undertaken in 2018 into young people’s engagement within Scottish local authorities. This new report, tracking developments one year on, finds local authorities have made progress towards improving the role of young people in decision-making, despite cuts to councils’ youth service budgets. However, in many cases youth-engagement is still not enough and therefore, the report makes 10 recommendations.

Date: 10th July 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

The Care Review has published its Evidence Framework which documents the research and evidence which was collated and analysed as part of the review.

Date: 25th June 2020
Category: Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Family Environment and Alternative Care

Fundamental Rights Agency’s Fundamental Rights Report 2020 report finds that growing intolerance and attacks on people’s fundamental rights continue to erode the considerable progress of protecting and promoting the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Date: 25th June 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

Staf’s campaign would like to highlight and document good practice adopted during the pandemic when working with children and young people in and leaving care, particularly around relationship-based and trauma-focused practice. Examples gathered will be taken to Scottish Government, to build back a better Scotland at the end of this crisis.

Date: 25th June 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

The Children (Scotland) Bill aims to make changes to how disputes involving children are resolved when families break down. It aims to ensure the voice of the child is heard in court proceedings, measures are aimed at protecting the best interests of children and regulate child contact centres and child welfare reporters. This Bill has now passed stage two, during which proposed amendments were voted on.

Date: 25th June 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

The UK Supreme Court has published its judgment in relation to two Scottish cases which challenged the compatibility of the Children’s Hearing System and the participation rights of siblings with Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR).

Date: 25th June 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

‘Rights Respecting’ reform to Scotland’s youth justice system has now been adapted to suit younger readers, so they can learn and understand the issues around Scotland’s youth justice system.

Date: 25th June 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

Research finds children and young people who have had previous experience or are currently in contact with youth justice services or practitioners working within the youth justice system, are feeling increasingly isolated in lockdown.

Date: 25th June 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

Closing date: 7th October 2020

Date: 11th June 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

Domestic legislation and international conventions say that children’s views should be given due weight in decisions about parental responsibilities. Despite this, children’s rights to participate have often been inconsistently and inadequately realised. New research explores why this is and how both family law and practice could be developed to ensure compliance.

Date: 11th June 2020
Category: Basic Health and Welfare, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Family Environment and Alternative Care

The report includes data about the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on vulnerable children and families in Scotland in the initial weeks of the ‘lockdown’, and the way that services adapted and responded to the crisis.