Young Advisors Grace and Lewis, along with Nick Hobbs, Head of Advice and Investigations, are interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live about the Mental Health Investigation to mark Youth Mental Health Day.
New Commissioner Nicola Killean introduces herself to children and young people, talks about her role, and asks for some help...
Today our office publishes our 2022/2023 Annual Report. It covers 1 April, 2022, until 31 March, 2023 and is Commissioner Bruce Adamson’s final report before he left office. We are emerging from the pandemic, and life has returned to more “normality” for children and young people, but we know many of the impacts of Covid will stay with us. Children whose rights were already most at risk were disproportionally impacted by the pandemic and the recovery must be rights-based to tackle this.
Exam results are published today and Acting Children's Commissioner Nick Hobbs has congratulated young people on all their achievements.
The OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings has released new report on trafficking in the UK. Policy Officer Cameron-Wong McDermott explains its recommendations to the UK and Scottish governments.
Commissioner responds to Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice’s Ministerial Statement on UNCRC Incorporation Bill. Scottish Government must live up to the promises they have made to the children and young people of Scotland and deliver the intention to incorporate the UNCRC to the fullest extent possible. Children need a clear and urgent timeframe for when their rights will be protected in law. They need decisive action now, not further unnecessary delay. Our office continues to call for Scottish Government to undertake a legislative audit to identify areas of law which are currently incompatible with the UNCRC. This should not delay the passage of the Bill through Parliament.
This Refugee Week, a group of young unaccompanied asylum seekers and refugees called Young People's Voices, in collaboration with Guardianship Scotland and the Scottish Refugee Council, have created a series of animations to share their perspectives on their rights and what matters to them. These animations highlight both the positive aspects and the challenges they face in Scotland. They emphasise the importance of supportive adults, good quality education, and the difficulties of living with limited financial resources, including staying in hotel accommodations. Their aim is to raise awareness and improve the systems and support available for young asylum seekers and refugees in Scotland by sharing their experiences and meeting with key decision makers. Their message is clear: they want their stories and experiences to be heard and understood.
The Illegal Migration Bill summit provides an opportunity for the Scottish Government and public bodies to demonstrate leadership by making concrete commitments to protect children's rights. The Legal Opinion highlights urgent areas where action is needed, including issues like age assessment. It also stresses the areas where the Scottish Government can and must act. It is crucial not to waste this opportunity, and a clear plan of action must be developed by the end of the summit. All children, including refugee and asylum-seeking children, are entitled to universal human rights. However, the UK Government's Illegal Migration Bill creates a two-tier system that denies them access to protection and support in Scotland's trafficking, welfare, and child protection systems. The Scottish Government and public bodies must resist this bill to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Nick Hobbs, Acting Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, highlights the Scottish Football Supporters Association (SFSA) report's key recommendation for an independent regulator in Scottish football governance. The report emphasises the need to protect child footballers' rights through legislation, as the current model prioritises club interests over human rights. It calls for embedding human rights in Scottish football's operating model to prevent exploitation and unequal treatment. An independent regulator is crucial in addressing governance issues and ensuring children's rights are prioritised. The Scottish Government must act to safeguard child footballers' rights by enacting appropriate laws.