# The Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland: Protecting and promoting children's rights: the human rights of children and young people\. > The Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland is Nicola Killean\. She works with her team to protect the human rights of children and young people\. Generated by Yoast SEO v28.0, this is an llms.txt file, meant for consumption by LLMs. ## Pages - [About the Commissioner](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/about/commissioner/): The Children and Young People’s Commissioner promotes and protects your rights if you’re under 18, or up to 21 if you’re in care or care experienced\. Find out more with BSL interpretation\. - [UNCRC](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/rights/uncrc/): Many rights people under 18 have are listed in a document called the UN Convention on The Rights of the Child, or UNCRC\. - [Investigations](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/our_investigations/): The Commissioner has the legal power to investigate certain issues that affect the human rights of children or young people in Scotland\. - [General](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/general/): This form is for enquiries such as invitations for the Commissioner to attend events, and general questions only\. Please note that this form should not be used for questions regarding specific human rights issues or child protection concerns and such questions cannot be answered here\. - [Site Map](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/site-map/) ## Priorities - [Mental Health](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/priorities/mental-health/) - [Poverty](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/priorities/poverty/) - [Education](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/priorities/education/) - [Our Priorities](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/priorities/my-priorities/): My commitment and duties to work towards a country that provides everything all children are entitled to and to hold to account those responsible for delivering that\. - [Climate Change](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/priorities/climate-change/) ## Resources - [Response to UK Government Consultation on Rosebank and Jackdaw Developments](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/resources/response-to-uk-government-consultation-on-rosebank-and-jackdaw-developments/) - [Make Work Pay: consultation on improving access to flexible working](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/resources/make-work-pay-consultation-on-improving-access-to-flexible-working/) - [Make Work Pay: employment rights for unpaid carers and parents of seriously ill children](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/resources/make-work-pay-employment-rights-for-unpaid-carers-and-parents-of-seriously-ill-children/) - [Improving Protections in the Justice System for Women and Girls](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/resources/improving-protections-in-the-justice-system-for-women-and-girls/) - [Public Service Reform: Pre\-budget scrutiny 2027\-28](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/resources/psr_prebudget/) ## Governance - [Minutes of meeting: Senior Management Team July 2026](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/governance/minutes-of-meeting-senior-management-team-july-2026/): July 2026\. Meeting minutes from the Commissioner’s Senior Management Team\. - [Minutes of meeting: Senior Management Team June 2026](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/governance/meeting-minutes-senior-management-team-june-2026/): June 2026\. Meeting minutes from the Commissioner’s Senior Management Team\. - [Meeting minutes: Governance Group March 2026](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/governance/meeting-minutes-governance-group-march-2026/): March 2026\. Meeting minutes from the Commissioner’s Governance Group\. - [Meeting note: Senior Management Team May 2026](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/governance/meeting-note-senior-management-team-may-2026/): May 2026\. Meetingnote from the Commissioner’s Senior Management Team\. - [Meeting minutes: Senior Management Team April / May 2026](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/governance/meeting-minutes-senior-management-team-april-may-2026/): April / May 2026\. Meeting minutes from the Commissioner’s Senior Management Team\. ## Positions - [Child poverty](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/positions/child-poverty/): Growing up in poverty is the biggest human rights issue facing children in Scotland\. - [The Right to Food](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/positions/the-right-to-food/): Access to food is a basic human right, but one that isn’t met for all Scotland’s children and young people\. - [Mental health](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/positions/mental-health-2/): Just like anybody else, children and young people have the right to the best mental health possible\.  - [Climate justice](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/positions/climate-justice/): Climate justice is a human rights issue for children and young people now, and they've told us it should be a priority for our office\. - [Domestic abuse](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/positions/domestic-abuse/): Our office has been working on the rights of children who experience domestic abuse for a number of years\. ## FAQ - [Where can I find free legal advice and representation for and about children and young people?](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/faq/where-can-i-get-legal-advice/) - [Can the police handcuff a child?](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/faq/can-the-police-handcuff-a-child/) - [Where can I find information about Children’s Hearings?](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/faq/where-can-i-find-information-childrens-hearings/) - [Where can I find support if I'm experiencing racism?](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/faq/racism-where-can-i-find-support/) - [How can I complain about the police?](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/faq/how-can-i-complain-about-the-police/) ## UNCRC Articles - [Article 31\- I have a right to rest, relax and play\.](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/rights/uncrc/articles/article-31/): Adults should make sure children have the chance to play and relax in a safe, supportive and stimulating environment\. Governments should make sure children can be part of cultural and artistic activities\. When decisions are made about activities in the community, adults should include children in planning these - [Article 12 \- I have the right to be listened to and taken seriously\.](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/rights/uncrc/articles/article-12/): When adults are making decisions that affect children they should ask them what they think\. Adults should take account of children’s views when making the decision\. Children should be supported to give their views in a way that is best for them\. - [Article 6 \- Children have the right to life\.](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/rights/uncrc/articles/article-6/): Children have the right to life\. Governments should make sure that children develop and grow healthily and should protect them from things which could hurt them\. - [Article 3 \- Adults must do what’s best for me\.](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/rights/uncrc/articles/article-3/): When adults make decisions, they should think how they affect children and do what is best for them\. - [Article 2 \- All children have these rights no matter what their differences are](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/rights/uncrc/articles/article-2/): The UNCRC applies to all under 18s, with no exceptions\. Governments should make sure that every child has equal access to their rights\. Governments should make sure that children are protected against discrimination\. ## News and Stories - [Statement: Children’s Commissioner reacts to UK Government announcement on social media ](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/news-and-stories/statement-childrens-commissioner-reacts-to-uk-government-announcement-on-social-media/): The Children's Commissioner reacts to a proposed social media ban for under\-16s, and says it will not make them safer online\. - [Government plans to deliver on child poverty must reflect what children and young people tell us](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/news-and-stories/government-plans-to-deliver-on-child-poverty-must-reflect-what-children-and-young-people-tell-us/): Our office has long\-called for children and young people to be meaningfully involved in informing the Child Poverty delivery plans\. We need to see visible priority given to acting on child poverty including acting on the priorities of children and young people themselves\. - [Children’s Commissioner: Education leaders need to listen to young people and change exam pressure ](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/news-and-stories/childrens-commissioner-education-leaders-need-to-listen-to-young-people-and-change-exam-pressure/): Young people across Scotland receive their exam results today, and the Children’s Commissioner has recognised that it will be a day of mixed emotions\.  - [Commissioner calls on Prime Minister to strengthen children’s legal protections ](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/news-and-stories/commissioner-calls-on-prime-minister-to-strengthen-childrens-legal-protections/): The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland has written to new Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to give children in Scotland stronger legal protections\.  - [It’s two years since children’s rights were enshrined in law – we're using new powers to push for change](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/news-and-stories/its-two-years-since-childrens-rights-were-enshrined-in-law-were-using-new-powers-to-push-for-change/):  Two years ago, The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child \(Incorporation\) \(Scotland\) Act 2024 became law\. Nick Hobbs, Head of Legal, explains what the legislation means for the office, and how we are using the new powers it gave us\.\.\.  ## Resource Categories - [Consultation Response](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/resource-category/consulation_response/) - [Research and Publications](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/resource-category/research_and_publications/) - [Correspondence](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/resource-category/correspondence/) - [Parliamentary Evidence](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/resource-category/parliamentary_evidence/) - [Education](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/resource-category/education/) ## Office Governance - [Minutes Senior Management](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/office-governance/minutes-senior-management/) - [Annual Report and Accounts](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/office-governance/annual-report-and-accounts/) - [Minutes Governance](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/office-governance/minutes-governance/) - [Office Policy](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/office-governance/office-policy/) - [Corporate Governance](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/office-governance/corporate-governance/) ## News Categories - [Statements](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/news-category/statement/) - [Media Releases](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/news-category/media-releases/) - [Blogs](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/news-category/blogs/) - [education](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/news-category/education/) - [participation](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/news-category/participation/) ## Optional - [Sitemap index](https://www.cypcs.org.uk/sitemap_index.xml)