Established by the Commissioner for Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2003, the Commissioner is responsible for promoting and safeguarding the rights of all children and young people in Scotland, giving particular attention to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The Commissioner has powers to review law, policy and practice and to take action to promote and protect rights.

The Commissioner is fully independent of the Scottish Government.

This briefing is intended for attendees of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group to explore the possibility of, elaborating and submitting to the Human Rights Council a draft optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In her first months in office, Commissioner Nicola Killean met with children and young people across Scotland in person, via online assemblies and through surveys. Her Young Advisors worked with her to design engagement sessions. The result was the office’s Strategic Plan 2024-28, which identified poverty, education and mental health as priority issues for children and young people in Scotland today.

In April this year we published This is our lives, it matters a lot, bringing together what we heard from children about education within the context of the human rights framework.

We commissioned a report from Who Cares? Scotland, exploring the barriers children in alternative care face in realising their right to education.

We’re also producing a series of good practice examples – including one about our Young Advisor Robert’s experience with online study support. He also write a blog about his experiences.

Our submissions

We responded to the initial call for views on the proposed new Optional Protocol to the UNCRC in May 2025.

We also supported members of our Young Advisors Group to respond to the children’s call for views.

Our Young Advisor Robert is one of five child participants at the first meeting of the Inter-Governmental Working Group in Geneva and will be speaking about children’s right to education on Tuesday 2nd September 2025.