Welcome to the website of Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People

Participation

Policy

In Scotland, children and young people?’s right to participation and to have a voice is encompassed to an extent in international treaties and legislation. On this page we have tried to provide a policy context to the nature of participation in Scotland.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

13th Mar 2007

The Convention developed in 1989 and since ratified by every country in the world, except two (Somalia and the USA), spells out the basic human rights of children everywhere. These include: the...

Scottish Executive Child Strategy Statement

13th Mar 2007

This statement sets out the Scottish Executive's aim of 'child-proofing' all policies that affect children either directly or indirectly, to ensure that they identify and take proper account...

Commissioner for Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2003

13th Mar 2007

This act provided for the establishment of a Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland. The Act also outlined the Commissioner's functions which include:

promoting and safeguarding...

The Children (Scotland) Act 1995

13th Mar 2007

One of the key parts of this Act was to make a new provision in respect of the relationship between parent and child and guardian and child in the law of Scotland.

The importance of taking...

Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act 2000

13th Mar 2007

This Act for the first times gives children and young people rights in respect of education in Scotland. Section 6 of the Act places a new duty on schools to involve pupils in the preparation...