Date: 5th June 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Family Environment and Alternative Care

The Scottish Government has published a report on progress and setting out actions agreed at the Cabinet meeting with children and young people in March 2018.

Date: 4th June 2019
Category: Protection from abuse or neglect, Family Environment and Alternative Care

On Tuesday 28th May, MSPs overwhelmingly backed in principle a bill to give children equal protection from assault. MSPs voted by 80 to 29 in favour of the Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Bill, with only the Conservatives voting against, after its first stage debate.

Date: 30th April 2019
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Family Environment and Alternative Care

A first draft of the Bucharest Children’s Declaration has been developed by a group of 25 Romanian children, the so-called Romanian Children’s Board, in consultations with other children in Romania. The draft Declaration is now open for feedback from both children and organisations working with and for children. Consultations can be organized with children on the Declaration and its results can be included in the feedback form.

Date: 28th March 2019
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

The Opening Doors for Europe’s Children – a pan-European campaign that advocates for strengthening families and ending institutional care – released 16 country fact sheets about the progress with the transition from institutional to family and community-based care (also known as deinstitutionalisation) in 2018.

Date: 7th March 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Family Environment and Alternative Care

Child Rights Connect had prepared a statement to be presented on 28th February at the Human Rights Council’s interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur, Michel Forst, on human rights defenders.

Date: 28th February 2019
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Equal protection from violence, Family Environment and Alternative Care, General measures of implementation, General principles, Other human rights treaties and mechanisms

A joint letter from the Children’s Commissioners for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland was sent to Rt. Hon Stephen Barclay MP, the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. This letter seeks assurances on some of the immediate issues facing children arising from Brexit.

Date: 26th February 2019
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Domestic abuse, Protection from abuse or neglect

Closing date: Friday, 29th March 2019. The consultation seeks views on proposals to create new protective orders that could be used to keep people at risk of domestic abuse safe by banning perpetrators from their homes and on also seeks views on whether changes are needed to the current system of exclusion orders which allow a victim of domestic abuse to apply to suspend the right of their partner to live in the family home.

Date: 12th February 2019
Category: Equal protection from violence, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Family Environment and Alternative Care, Protection from abuse or neglect, Parental guidance, General measures of implementation, Best interests of the child

The States of Jersey has voted to repeal a section of a law which allowed smacking by a parent if it was deemed "reasonable" making it illegal.

Date: 12th February 2019
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms, Access to appropriate information, Family reunification, Care Experienced children, Protection from abuse or neglect, Family Environment and Alternative Care, Awareness-raising, Best interests of the child, Refugee , migrant and asylum-seeking children

Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB) have created a factsheet for social workers and any professional protecting children on the impact Brexit may have on children and families who are crossing, or separated by, international boarders living in the UK.

Date: 29th January 2019
Category: Equal protection from violence, Family Environment and Alternative Care, Mental health

Together has responded to the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee consultation on the Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Bill.

Date: 18th December 2018
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

The UN General Assembly has announced it has selected ‘children without parental care’ as the theme for the 2019 ‘Rights of the Child’ resolution. Together welcomes this announcement, having been part of the global coalition of NGOs who called for UN Member States to adopt this resolution.  

Date: 16th November 2018
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Family Environment and Alternative Care

Sally Holland, Children’s Commissioner for Wales, has published a policy position statement in which she reflects on the potentials and pitfalls of Adverse Childhood Experiences, commonly referred to as ‘ACES’, being the driver of policy for children, concluding that a human-rights based approach is needed in order to ensure that every child gets an equal chance to fulfil their potential. Holland outlines five principles of a children’s human-rights based approach - embedding children’s rights, non-discrimination and equality, empowerment, participation and accountability – arguing that the positive awareness of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Wales can fit into a wider commitment to ensuring children’s human rights are at the heart of policy and practice:   

Date: 7th November 2018
Category: Policies & procedures, Family Environment and Alternative Care

CELCIS is inviting organisations and Local Authorities to complete their survey which aims to understand what can help parents when there is a possibility that a child may become ‘looked after’ (or taken into care) by the local authority.

Date: 19th October 2018
Category: Care Experienced children, Family Environment and Alternative Care

Who Cares? Scotland is inviting individuals and organisations to celebrate and participate in their new Care Experienced Week from the 22nd to 28th October.

Date: 19th October 2018
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, General principles, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Family Environment and Alternative Care

Scottish Government is looking to develop a Bill which aims to strengthen the existing legislative framework for protecting women and girls from Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The Bill seeks to introduce protection orders for women and girls at risk, and place guidance for professionals on a statutory footing.

Date: 25th September 2018
Category: Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Family Environment and Alternative Care

Closing date: 23rd October 2018

Date: 27th June 2018
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

NSPCC Scotland is carrying out a survey to find out more about the needs of families and how the organisation can best support them.

Date: 23rd May 2018
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Respect for the views of the child

Views are being sought to inform the review of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 which will seek to place children and young people at the centre of family court cases.

Date: 27th November 2017
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Protection from abuse or neglect

This seminar looks at current dimensions of women's inequality and links them up with constraints on women's and children's space for action.

Date: 27th November 2017
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Protection from abuse or neglect

Scottish Government have published a Delivery Plan to support Equally Safe, Scotland's Strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls, which was published in 2014 and updated in 2016.