Statement: Commissioner responds to Supreme Court decision on Rwanda plan
Children and Young People's Commissioner Nicola Killean welcomes the UK Supreme Court judgment on the UK Government's Rwanda plan.
Statements
Statements to the media from the Commissioner’s office on current issues for the rights of children and young people in Scotland.
Acting Children’s Commissioner on exam results: Be proud of all your achievements
Exam results are published today and Acting Children's Commissioner Nick Hobbs has congratulated young people on all their achievements.
Amendments to UNCRC Bill must not create further delay
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.
Statement: Acting Commissioner supports calls for child footballers’ rights to be protected 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.
Proposed new law to protect children from harmful restraint is much needed
Nick Hobbs, Acting Children and Young People's Commissioner, fully supports Daniel Johnson MSP's Bill for enforceable guidelines on physical restraint in educational settings, including mandatory recording and reporting of incidents. Hobbs emphasizes the right of all children to be protected from abuse and harm, urging the Scottish Government to address the lack of statutory guidance on restraint and seclusion. The proposed Bill aims to provide holistic, human rights-based guidance applicable to all child care settings, ensuring children's safety and dignity. Hobbs stresses the importance of recording incidents to monitor and scrutinize practice effectively. Failure to implement rights-respecting practices puts children at risk and violates human rights obligations.
STATEMENT: Bruce Adamson welcomes nomination of Nicola Killean as next Children’s Commissioner
Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, leaves the role next month when his six-year mandate comes to an end. Today, the Scottish Parliament announced Nicola Killean has been
Children need protection from energy disconnection
We continue to have serious concerns about children affected by energy insecurity and fuel poverty. Ofgem has published a Code of Practice for suppliers on involuntary installation of Prepayment meters
Statement: Value children as rights-holders in digital spaces
Making spaces for conversations about life online is not just a ‘nice thing to do’; children have a right to participate in matters that affect them and involving children is crucial aspect of a rights-based approach. On Safer Internet Day, I’ll be supporting a group of children and young people to meet with UN experts to talk about the issues that matter – both offline and online. Children must be at the heart of designing improvements to ensure that they can participate online, while being protected from harm.
Commissioner strongly opposes medical age assessment of child refugees
“The Age Estimation Science Advisory Committee (AESAC)’s report makes for concerning reading. It recommends that ‘scientific methods’ including x-rays and MRIs can be used in some circumstances to assess the age of child refugees, despite recognising that they are inaccurate and potentially harmful. Scientific methods are widely condemned by human rights bodies as invasive, traumatising and inaccurate.