UN Taskforce on the Rights of the Child visits Scotland 2nd–3rd September 2015

I am delighted to provide the introduction to this report on the visit made to Scotland by Ms Amal Aldoseri, Vice-chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, United Nations.

Ms Aldoseri is one of three United Nations Taskforce Members who accepted an invitation from the UK’s Children’s Commissioners to speak with children and young people.

This invitation was offered as part of the review of the Fifth Periodic Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child from the UK Government.

As the focus of Ms Aldoseri’s visit was to listen to the voices, views and experiences of children and young people here in Scotland, I asked the Chair, Vice Chair and Trustees of the Scottish Youth Parliament to host Ms Aldoseri’s visit on my behalf.

The Scottish Youth Parliament is the democratically elected voice of Scotland’s young people and who else could possibly be better placed to ensure that Ms

Aldoseri heard the views of other children and young people on the implementation of children’s rights in Scotland.

The role of each Trustee included taking responsibility for noting and identifying key points raised at each of the sessions. From these points, a key question or questions have been formulated to capture the issues that were identified.

It has been my pleasure to be able to work closely with SYP, with Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) and the Scottish Human Rights Commission to offer Ms Aldoseri what we know has been an unforgettable experience.

I would like to offer my personal thanks to all the Scottish Youth Parliament’s Trustees whose hard work and dedication to ensuring the visit was all that it could be was inspiring. Thank you.

UN Taskforce visits Scotland2nd–3rd September 2015

Tam Baillie, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland

As Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland I would like to offer my personal thanks to all the Scottish Youth Parliament’s Trustees whose hard work and dedication to ensuring the visit was all that it could be was inspiring. Thank you.

Jordan Linden, Chair

Katie Burke Vice Chair

Amy Lee Fraioli Trustee

Ewan McCall Trustee

Thomas Mair Trustee

Robbie Nicoll Trustee

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Ms Aldoseri attended a welcome brunch at the offices of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) where she met Chair, Jordan Linden MSYP, Vice Chair Katie Burke MSYP, the other members of SYP’s Board and key staff along with representatives of the Children and Young People’s Commissioner’s office and Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights).

The Chair, Vice Chair and Trustees presented their personal involvement in the work of the Scottish Youth Parliament to Ms Aldoseri and each welcomed her warmly to Scotland.

The Scottish Youth Parliament’s vision is of a stronger, more inclusive Scotland that empowers young people by truly involving them in the decision making process. SYP does this through their Members (MSYPs) who are elected young people aged between 14-25 representing different areas and voluntary organisations from across the whole of Scotland.

Every year they have at least three national sittings where members discuss issues which affect young people and try to propose new and sometimes radical solutions to these problems.

SYP is a young people’s parliament, designed by young people, led by young people and for the benefit of young people. The SYP is totally youth-led and all of SYP’s Trustees are 25 and under. SYP listens to, and recognises the issues that are most important to young people, and ensures that by representing them at a national level their voices are heard by government and formal decision makers.

SYP encourages all of Scotland’s young people to play their part in achieving their vision and provides a national platform for their participation in democracy.

Introduction to Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) and setting off

Day One 02|09|2015

How will the Scottish Government make sure there is a clear strategy and plan to ensure the views of children and young people are taken into account in the development of policy that affects them?

How will the Scottish Government make sure our views and experiences inform that plan?

Jordan Linden, Chair

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Children’s Parliament gives children the opportunity to voice their ideas, thoughts and feelings so that their concerns and opinions can be listened to and included in Scotland’s social and political landscape.

Children’s Parliament gives children’s ideas a voice by:• working directly with children through projects and consultations• educating and equipping adults with knowledge and skills in order that they can

replicate Children’s Parliament’s approach in their own locations.

Day One 02|09|2015

Ms Aldoseri met with a group of children who have care experience who are working with Children’s Parliament to help inform the local authority on planning for looked after children.

Visit Themes:Family Environment and Alternative Care: The Rights of Looked After Children.

Key points discussed: • Adult respect for children’s views

and involvement – in particular respect from teachers.

• Quality of the care they experience.

• Stigma and discrimination against looked after children and how this is experienced through peer attitudes and through their experiences in schools.

Visits in FifeChildren’s Parliament

How will the Scottish Government make sure that looked after children are protected from discrimination, stigma or isolation?

Robbie Nicoll, Trustee

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Gingerbread is a Voluntary Organisation that supports lone parents, vulnerable and disadvantaged families. The Teen Parent Project provides a dedicated Teen Parent Worker for each area who assists and supports the needs of teenage parents. The work focuses on giving support to teenage parents, establishing good parenting skills, developing groups and peer support networks and promoting engagement with other services.

Day One 02|09|2015

Ms Aldoseri met with a small group of teenage parents along with their babies and toddlers. This group meets regularly in their local community centre.

Visit ThemesFamily Environment and Alternative Care; Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities: Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education.

Key points discussed: • Differences between national and

local approaches and practices, that lead to varying degrees of support.

• How young parents’ experience and knowledge could be better used to inform officials and raise awareness of the impact of poverty on the lives of young families.

• How their better involvement could improve policy and practice affecting outcomes for young parents and their children.

Visits in FifeGingerbread (Fife)

What is the Scottish Government doing to make sure all children and young people have high quality relationships and sexual health education and support, including those children and young people who might not be in school?

How will this be informed by the experience of young parents?

Thomas Mair, Trustee

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Kirkland High School is a six year comprehensive school. Its main purpose is to encourage all

of its pupils and students to achieve ‘Learning for Life.’ Through the Pupil Union, the young people are also involved in influencing positively the day to day life of

the school. Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra curricular activities and also have access to frequent opportunities for foreign travel.

Day One 02|09|2015

Katie Burke, Vice Chair

Ms Aldoseri met with a group of young people drawn from S1 – S6 year groups (age 11 – 17yrs).

Visit ThemesEducation, Culture and Leisure Activities: Participation in School matters, Education for Democracy. Basic Health and Welfare: The Impacts of Austerity.

Key points discussed: • Democratic education and

engagement in schools.

• Children’s voice and influence in how the school runs and what happens there.

• Quality of personal and social education.

• Quality of support for learning.

• The impact of austerity measures on their educational experiences and opportunities, particularly in regard to transport, uniforms, out of/after school opportunities and trips.

Visits in FifeKirkland High School and Community College

How will the Scottish and UK Governments ensure that young people are able to vote in elections from the age of 16 and participate in meaningful activity around democratic issues and processes in school?

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Fife Youth Arts Hub is funded through Creative Scotland’s National Youth Arts strategy ‘Time to Shine’. It provides a focal point for regional youth arts delivery and improvements to the regional cultural infrastructure for young people. Children and young people are the key stakeholders and decision-makers and define their priorities and preferred activities, as well as directing the programmes and overseeing its implementation.

Day One 02|09|2015

Ewan McCall, Trustee

Ms Aldoseri met with a group of around 30 children and young people who are all involved in different aspects of Fife Youth Art Hub activity – including in the roles of Directors and Connectors of the project.

Visit ThemesEducation, Culture and Leisure Activities: The Right to Leisure, Play and Rest.

Key points discussed: • Insecurity of ongoing funding for out

of school creative and arts learning opportunities for children.

• Children’s voice and influence in the management and delivery of ‘Time to Shine’ programmes.

• Impacts of cultural participation on personal confidence, social engagement and personal development.

• Lack of funding available to young people in their own right as artists.

Visits in FifeFife Youth Arts Hub

How will the Scottish and UK Government support us to play an active role in designing and leading arts, youth work, sports and play opportunities and activities so that they make a meaningful difference to the lives of children and young people in Scotland?

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GLOW is a digital environment for learning that is available across Scotland. Glow is funded by the Scottish Government and presents schools with a purpose built digital learning solution which supports the delivery of Curriculum for Excellence. Glow helps learners to benefit from social and collaborative tools and services in a safe online space through the use of technologies that are already embedded in daily lives.

Day Two 03|09|2015

Jordan Linden, Chair

Ms Aldoseri was invited to introduce herself directly to children in schools in Scotland to explain more about her role in the UN and the purpose of her visit. She did this through participating in a GLOW meet. SYP Chair, Jordan Linden MSYP, also took part in the Glow session.

Schools across Scotland signed in to this electronic network early in the morning of the 3rd September to take part in meeting Ms Aldoseri and to ask her questions.

The questions asked by primary school aged pupils:

Q Are there different rights for children in different countries?

Q What made you take an interest in children’s rights?

Q How will children’s rights develop in the future?

Q What is your favourite part of your job?

Q What is the least favourite part of your job?

Q Do you think children’s rights will ever change?

Q Who came up with the original idea for children’s rights?

Q Will children across the world be treated in the same way in the future? Will all children be equal?

Q What do you think would happen if children in the world had no rights?

Q Do you think there will be any new rights for children in the future?

Q Will all children be given the right to free education across the world in the future?

Q What would happen to people who disobey children’s rights?

Q How could children’s rights be improved?

Q Do you think there are any rights that should be added to the Convention?

The UN visit ‘GLOW’ meet in partnership with Education Scotland

How will the Scottish and the UK Government make sure that the UK is providing the support needed to refugee children at home and overseas, in line with international law?

What is the Scottish Government doing to make sure that all teachers understand that children and young people have rights and are able to teach us about them?

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Day Two 03|09|2015

Ms Aldoseri’s visit was a significant event for Scotland and as such it was important to ensure that it was celebrated.

Stakeholders from across Scotland’s children’s and young people’s sector were invited to attend a short event held at Scotland’s National Storytelling Centre.

Ms Aldoseri received a welcome from Jordan Linden MSYP, Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament. This was followed by a presentation of key issues, delivered by Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights); the Scottish Human Rights Commission; and Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland.

Ms Aldoseri also received a presentation from young Gypsy/Travellers involved in creating Article 12 in Scotland’s Alternative Reports to the UN Committee. The presentation focused on the challenges Gypsy/Travellers face in relation to the realisation of their fundamental human rights. Further

The Formal Welcome Event

information on the recommendations made by Article 12 in Scotland in their report on the state of young Gypsy/Travellers’ rights in the UK can be found at the following link: www.article12.org/wp-content/uploads /2015/06/IWitness2015theUNCRCinthe UK_YoungGypsyTravellersVoices.pdf

Liam McArthur MSP, a member of both the Scottish Parliament Cross-Party Group on Children and Young People and the Education and Culture Committee, gave a short presentation outlining the recent legislative and policy discussions in Parliament on children’s rights issues. Liam also indicated that, from a Scottish Parliament perspective, full incorporation of the UNCRC in Scots law was still potentially ‘on the table’ in the future. Finally Ms Aldoseri was presented with a Scottish Quaich or ‘friendship cup’ by Jordan Linden, filled with Scotland’s ‘other’ national drink, Irn Bru, on behalf of all of Scotland’s young people.

Ms Aldoseri’s visit was a significant event for Scotland and as such it was important to ensure that it was celebrated.

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Ms Aldoseri visited the Child and Family Centre in Glasgow to speak about the realities of the impact of UK Government welfare reforms on children and families. Ms Aldoseri met with more than 20 parents and children.

Visit ThemesBasic Health and Welfare: Poverty and Welfare Report.

Key points discussed: • UK Government welfare reforms,

including the benefit cap and bedroom tax, have increased number of people using the service, especially due to sanctions.

• Users of food banks in particular have increased.

• Children’s right to an adequate standard of living is being affected disproportionately by welfare reform – and in some cases in a way that is discriminatory, as it affects children from particular groups, such as children with a disability, children in single parent families and children in larger families.

Visits in GlasgowGlasgow City Mission

Day Two 03|09|2015

What are the UK and Scottish Governments doing to end child poverty?

Why hasn’t more progress been made?

Thomas Mair, Trustee

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Clan Childlaw provides children and young people throughout Scotland with free information about the law and their rights.

Ms Aldoseri discussed case reviews presented by Clan Childlaw staff, which highlight the impact of difficulties in obtaining legal aid, the need for better awareness and understanding of the UNCRC among the judiciary and the issues around sibling contact.

Visit ThemesGeneral Measures of Implementation: Access to Justice.

Key points discussed: • Increased devolution in Scotland

would be better served with a separate section in the The UK-wide government report to the UN Committee.

• Ground is being lost in access to legal services for young people due to recent government legislation.

• Austerity measures are negatively impacting children and young people, especially those from poor backgrounds.

• Austerity measures have reduced capacity of legal aid services.

• Changes to the regulations make it less likely that young people in Scotland can access services without going through an adult. This has reduced the number of applications, suggesting some young people who may need legal aid are not getting it.

Visits in GlasgowClan ChildLaw

• Not all children have access to confidential and independent legal aid. Securing this support is felt to be a particular challenge for vulnerable children, including migrant and looked after children.

Ewan McCall, Trustee

What is the Scottish Government doing to make sure that all children and young people are able to take action if their rights are breached, including accessing complaints processes and independent and confidential legal advice and assistance?

Day Two 03|09|2015

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Who Cares? Scotland is a voluntary organisation that works directly with Scotland’s children and young people with experience of care. We listen to what they say, support them and speak out on behalf of them.

Ms Aldoseri took part in a roundtable discussion with young people who have looked after care experience, about their views of legal, family and independent advocacy, and their experiences of their rights.

Visit ThemesFamily Environment and Alternative Care: The Rights of Looked After Children.

Key points discussed: • Care leavers felt they were often not

consulted on the process of leaving care and that they felt like they were being marginalised through no fault of their own.

• They discussed the Musselburgh case study (group of Musselburgh citizens who were complaining against a children’s care home) and they cited that as a good example of the discrimination against them and how they weren’t properly cared for by the system, including local authorities and the Scottish Government.

Visits in GlasgowWho Cares? Scotland

• However, they also felt that there were positives in the recent approach of the Scottish Government and especially the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.

• Young care leavers felt they needed to have a voice in all major decisions that affected them.

• Stigma around having being in care needed to be tackled, and addressed head on.

How will the Scottish Government make sure that looked after children have their views listened to and taken into account in decisions about their care?

Robbie Nicoll, Trustee

Day Two 03|09|2015

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The Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice (CYCJ) supports improvement in youth justice, contributing to better lives for individuals and communities.

Katie Burke, Vice Chair

Ms Aldoseri took part in a small discussion group with young adults to talk through their experiences of the criminal justice system.

Visit ThemesSpecial Protection Measures: Juvenile Justice System

Key points discussed: • Service users were broadly negative

about their experiences with the police and criminal justice in general.

• Being identified as repeat offenders at a younger age, meant many felt stigmatised by the police and others in their local communities.

• They felt their prior offending behaviours when younger led to them being regularly stopped and searched by the police, despite having moved forward positively in their lives.

• Scotland’s age of criminal responsibility, at eight years old, was felt to be too young.

• Young Offenders Institutions did not have the intended deterrent effect and could lead children into a downward spiral of crime.

Visits in GlasgowCentre for Youth and Criminal Justice

What is the Scottish Government doing to take forward its promise to consider raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility so that young people who have offended in the past can move on in their lives?

What is the Government doing to make sure that the use of stop and search does not violate our rights?

• Being forced to disclose criminal convictions created a barrier to finding employment.

• Moving forward in their lives in a positive direction was hampered by lack of support available to them in the community.

Day Two 03|09|2015

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roshni works to address issues which affect minority ethnic communities in Scotland and is committed to creating services that will ensure improved outcomes for minority ethnic community members. roshni’s primary aim is the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults within the ethnic minority communities.

Amy Lee Fraioli, Trustee

Ms Aldoseri attended the final section of a roshni ‘SAFE session’ which focused on children’s rights. This was then followed by an opportunity to speak with children and young people and members of roshni staff who have worked on projects gathering children’s views on their rights.

Visit ThemesCivil Rights and Freedoms: Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion.

Key points discussed: • Children’s rights education and

awareness in culturally sensitive and safe environments for children and for adults from BME communities, including mosques.

• Concern at the increasing stigmatisation Muslims are facing when being treated as a “suspect community” as a direct result of the UK-wide counter-terrorism laws and policies.

• Young Muslims have raised concerns about targeting of the Muslim community at large through the implementation of UK Government’s Prevent Strategy.

Visits in Glasgowroshni

What steps are the Scottish and UK government taking to make sure that their steps to counter-terrorism don’t violate children’s rights and don’t stigmatise or isolate ethnic minority children and young people?

Day Two 03|09|2015

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We wanted to ensure that children and young people who could not meet with Ms Aldoseri in person still had the opportunity to have their say. We told young people that if they were under 18, they could use the Twitter hashtag #TellTheUN to highlight their experiences – good or bad – of life in Scotland. They could also include what they think needs to happen to improve access to children and young people’s rights in Scotland.

In the last week of August 2015, the Children and Young People’s Commissioner hosted two pages on their website which included information about the visit. It also asked children and young people to email any questions or comments for Ms Aldoseri in advance into the Commissioner’s office.

Scottish Youth Parliament subsequently promoted the link to the webpage via their social media channels.

#TellTheUN

(1)The estimated social reach was calculated by using an average follower base of a random selection of large, medium, and small follower bases who retweeted content. This figure was then multiplied by the number of retweets to arrive at an estimate for social reach

In total, the web pages were viewed on 684 occasions.

On the week of the visit, we encouraged young people to use Twitter to engage directly with the visit in real time. Young people were able to use #TellTheUN and Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament were able to track the questions and comments and relay them to Ms. Aldoseri during the course of the visit.

During this period there were 128 mentions of #TellTheUN and 382 retweets/shares, with an estimated social reach of 869,926. (1)

The most frequently used words during the #TellTheUN tweeting activity are presented in the world cloud above.

684

128

382

869,926

PAGE VIEWS

MENTIONS

RETWEETS/SHARES

ESTIMATED SOCIAL REACH

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The Children and Young People’s Commissioner, Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) and the Scottish Youth Parliament would like to thank all the children and young people who met and spoke

with Ms Aldoseri. Your experience, views and advice will be taken account of as part of the review of the Fifth Periodic Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child from the UK Government.

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The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland has an office in Edinburgh.

The Commissioner’s Enquiries service: The office has an enquiries service that answers questions about children’s rights and child welfare.

We can take questions about:• children and young people’s rights in general

• children and young people who feel their rights are not respected

• children and young people who are at risk of harm.

We help people of all ages – you can get in touch with us if you’re a child or young person worried about your own rights, or if you are worried about the rights of another child or young person you know.

While we’re happy to listen to whatever you want to say to us, we aren’t able to investigate rights issues around individual children or young people or intervene on your behalf. Instead, we will give advice to you about who can best help you with any difficulties you’re having.

You can contact us for free:Phone 0800 019 1179 on weekdays between 9:00 and 17:00email info@cypcs.org.ukf: facebook.com/cypcst: @cypcsText: 07702 355 720 (texts will be charged at your standard network rate)

You can write to the Commissioner at:Rosebery House9 Haymarket TerraceEdinburghEH12 5EZ

www.cypcs.org.uk