Annual Report 2024 – 25
Today we publish our Annual Report, covering the period from 1 April, 2024, until 31 March, 2025, and Commissioner Nicola Killean’s first full year in the role. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was finally incorporated into Scots law, marking a new era in children’s rights and bringing the most significant change to the office’s powers since it was created in 2003.
All our work this year has cascaded from Our Plan 2024-28 under the themes of Leadership, Protect, and Promote. Children and young people told us to focus on education, poverty, mental health, climate change, and discrimination.
Remaining true to our values, participation has been at the heart of our work. We have strived to reach children whose rights are most at risk, and whose voices are seldom heard by decision-makers. Our dedicated Young Advisors have guided us – and worked alongside us – as we have met children all over the country, in their own communities.
The first legal case we intervened in using our new powers had a positive outcome, and means all future decisions to prosecute children must meet the standards set out in the UNCRC Act and may be challenged in court if they fail to do so.
As a result of our work this year, the Commissioner makes five key recommendations for duty-bearers which are explained in more detail in the Annual Report.
Summary of recommendations:
- Children and young people must be supported to meaningfully participate in education improvement and reform at all levels.
- When recommendations are accepted by Scottish Government and public authorities, it should be clear and possible to track actions and allocated budget.
- Scottish Government must use the forthcoming Child Poverty Delivery Plan to address gaps in the current plan, and children and young people must be involved in all stages.
- Scottish Government must act to ensure incorporation of the UNCRC has the maximum impact possible.
- Scottish Government must invest in, and extend resources to ensure that children, young people, and adults understand, and use, the UNCRC.
Links:
Annual report; Children’s version; BSL version; Easy Read version