Policy briefings

Here are details of all briefing documents produced by the Policy team on behalf of the Commissioner’s office listed by publication date.

Briefings

2015

• Briefing: National guidance on restraint and seclusion in schools.
  April 2015.
  
  
• Briefing: Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill.
  April 2015.
  
  
• Briefing: Key achievements for children’s rights in Scotland.
  March 2015.
  
  
• Briefing: Key concerns for children’s rights in Scotland.
  March 2015.
  
  
• Briefing: The state of children’s rights in Scotland for groups highlighted by the Joint Committee on Human Rights.
  March 2015.
  
  
• Briefing: Young voters and the independence referendum.
  February 2015.
  
  
• Briefing: The British Sign Language (Scotland) Bill
  February 2015.
  
  

2014

• Briefing: Scotland's National Action Plan for human rights
  December 2014.
  
  
• Briefing: Austerity and children’s rights
  December 2014.
  
  
• Briefing: Fracking and children’s rights
  December 2014.
  
  
• Briefing: Young carers
  June 2014.
  
  
• Briefing: Health inequalities in the early years
  April 2014.
  
  
• Scottish Parliament debate: Child poverty
  March 2014.
  
  
• Scottish Government Debate: Report on Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation in Scotland
  January 2014.
  
  

2013

• Briefing note for MSPs ahead of the Parliament’s debate on Scotland – the Best Place to Grow Up
  March 2013. The Commissioner welcomes this timely debate on Scotland’s vision for children and young people. Making Scotland the best place for children in which to live and grow up is an ambition which will be shared across the whole of the Scottish Parliament’s chamber, and indeed across Scotland.
  
  
• Briefing note for MSPs ahead of the Parliament’s debate on Promoting and Protecting Human Rights – Scotland, Europe and the Wider World
  February 2013. The Commissioner's view is that the rights of children must be at heart of Scotland’s vision for human rights.
  
  

2012

• Policy Briefing: Proposed Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill - Looked After Children
  September 2012: The purpose of this briefing is to share the Commissioner's preliminary analysis of those sections within A Scotland for Children: A Consultation on the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill which relate to support for looked after children; corporate parenting, kinship care, adoption and fostering.
  
  
• Policy Briefing: Proposed Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill - Early Learning and Child Care
  September 2012: The purpose of this briefing is to share the Commissioner's preliminary analysis of those proposals made in A Scotland for Children: A Consultation on the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill which relate to early learning and childcare.
  
  
• Policy Briefing: Proposed Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill - Extension of the Commissioner's Investigatory Powers
  September 2012: The purpose of this briefing is to share the Commissioner's preliminary analysis of those proposals made in A Scotland for Children: A Consultation on Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill to extend the Commissioner's powers of investigation. 
  
  
• Policy Briefing: Proposed Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill - Legislating for elements of Getting it Right for Every Child
  September 2012: The purpose of this briefing is to share the Commissioner's preliminary analysis of those sections within A Scotland for Children: A Consultation on the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill which relate to proposals for a new focus on well-being; better service planning and delivery; improved reporting regarding outcomes; the named person and the child's plan.
  
  
• Policy Briefing: Proposed Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill - Children's Rights
  August 2012: The purpose of this briefing is to share the Commissioner's preliminary analysis of those proposals made in A Scotland for Children: A Consultation on the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill which relate to duties on Scottish Ministers and others on children's rights.
  
  
• Policy Briefing: Scottish Parliament Debate on Human Trafficking
  February 2012: In 2011 the Commissioner's office published a report, Scotland - a safe place for child traffickers, which was based on research carried out by the Centre for Rural Childhood at the University of Highlands and Islands. This briefing focuses specifcally on issues that the report and the Commissioner's office subsequent work has identified as being of relevance to the Scottish Government's role. It offers concrete actions that the Scottish Government and others should take to address the current issues.

2011

• Policy Briefing: Proposed Rights of Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill
  November 2011.  The purpose of this briefing from the Commissioner is to inform and assist those who are considering the current consultation proposals and any future legislation. It outlines the main features of the Scottish Government's proposals and highlights several areas where the proposals can and should be improved.