News and stories

Youngest children explore their rights with Commissioner’s new book.

Let's Explore Our Rights" teaches young children about their human rights. The book which features iconic Scots landmarks is aimed at children aged up to five. It was beautifully illustrated by Corinna Campbell and takes readers on a journey to discover rights like having a safe home, being healthy, learning, and playing. The book will support early years practitioners to spark first conversations about human rights with very young children. The book was created in response to requests from early years practitioners.

School counselling in holidays crucial for children’s mental health, says Commissioner’s new report 

Young Advisors to the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland used the office’s powers of investigation to examine the provision of counselling services in schools. It is believed to be the first time young people anywhere in the world have used a children’s commissioner’s legal powers to lead an investigation.

Governments are failing to protect children’s rights, say Children’s Commissioners – in joint report

Children’s Commissioners from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have highlighted violations of children's rights in a damning joint report to the United Nations, raising areas of grave concern - including poverty, mental health, and the attack on the Human Rights Act by the UK Government.  In their “report card” to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Children’s Commissioners Koulla Yiasouma, Bruce Adamson and Rocio Cifuentes have warned that while progress has been made in some areas of children’s rights since the last report in 2016, there are urgent issues which must be addressed across a broad range of rights.   They are pushing the governments across the UK to immediately address the areas in which they are falling short and put children’s rights at the heart of policy, practice and delivery.

Children’s Commissioner urges Ofgem to ban compulsory installations of pre-payment meters, warning of dire consequences for children

Scotland’s Children’s Commissioner Bruce Adamson has written to the regulator Ofgem to urge it to ban energy companies from all compulsory installations of pre-payment meters, a practice that leaves struggling families at severe risk of energy disconnection.   The Commissioner also expresses his grave concern that energy companies are still not effectively identifying vulnerable individuals to provide them, and any dependent children with the support that they desperately need.   In his letter to Chief Executive, Jonathan Brearley, the Commissioner writes: “The compulsory installation of a pre-payment meter where a family is already struggling to pay bills risks amounting to disconnection for all practical purposes.”

Scotland’s Children’s Commissioner challenges Ofgem on price rise that’s forcing more families into poverty  

Bruce Adamson writes to Ofgem chief executive about worrying impact of energy price cap increase on children.

Asylum-seeking mums and babies finally moved to more suitable housing 

After a call by the Commissioner's office, mothers and children seeking asylum have been relocated.

Scouts Scotland and Children’s Commissioner launch new human rights badge

A badge teaching Cubs and Scouts aged eight to 14 about human rights has been introduced by the Commissioner's office and the Scouts.

Asylum-seeking mums’ and babies’ human rights breached in unsuitable housing unit

Commissioner calls for asylum-seeking mothers and babies in unsuitable accommodation to be urgently rehoused.

Police must allow young people to protest peacefully at COP-26, says Children’s Commissioner

Commissioner says children's rights must be upheld during UN climate summit protests in Glasgow.