A newly published report offers fresh insight into how Scotland’s public finances could be better aligned with the rights and wellbeing of children. The study, produced by the Observatory of Children’s Human Rights Scotland in partnership with the Improvement Service, draws on an action-inquiry involving local authority finance leads, health board officials and other public sector actors. The inquiry shows the determination among public bodies for embedding a children’s rights-based approach into budgeting. It identifies practical challenges and opportunities for improvement. The report presents a set of recommendations to support local and national authorities in Scotland to move from ambition to action, for example, by training finance staff, improving data on children’s outcomes, and making budget processes more transparent and participative. By spotlighting how budgets can support children’s rights, the inquiry helps bridge the gap between commitments on paper and their impact in practice. 

Read the full report here