News

Inspiring and transforming young lives
New publication celebrates children and the arts
Access to the arts shouldn’t be an add-on for children but should influence the whole
children’s sector, according to a new publication, Picture this: celebrating children and the arts, being sent free of charge this week to every local authority preschool and primary school in Scotland.

Click here to read the full release

Hand in hand: good early years services and low child poverty

Fully integrated early years education and care services that are universally applied and coordinated by a single government department across access, funding, regulation and workforce are more beneficial for children and go hand in hand with reduced child poverty and inequality.

That was the key finding of a report Working for inclusion: an overview of European Union early years services and their workforce, released as part of the cross-European programme ‘Working for Inclusion’, in which Children in Scotland is a lead partner.

Click here to read the full release

Making Space 2010 – Architecture and Design for young people – launching soon

Following on from the success of Children in Scotland's international 'Making Space' programme in 2005, we are delighted to announce 'Making Space 2', to be organised by Children in Scotland in association with the OECD, Children in Europe and the Scottish Government.

The Making Space award will promote the vision of the Scottish Government’s new School Estate Strategy: Building Better Schools: Investing in Scotland’s Future, and existing examples of building excellence in Scotland.

The conference will take place in October 2010.

For further details contact Ruth Gibb, rgibb@childreninscotland.org.uk

Annual Report

The Children in Scotland Annual Report is available now.

Click here to download and learn more about who we are and what we do.

Policy news

Alcohol Bill – latest

Evidence has been submitted to the Health and Sport Committee on the Alcohol Etc. Bill.

Click here to read more

Equality Bill - age discrimination briefing online for members

Discrimination against people of any age is wrong: Why the Westminster Parliament and UK Government should support universal age discrimination legislation

Major legislation covering age discrimination, which affects the lives of children in Scotland, is now under consideration in Westminster.

The Equality Bill (Great Britain) is being debated in the House of Lords.

Children in Scotland, with its three partners organisations across the UK have produced a '4-nations briefing' on age discrimination, outlining the evidence and argument that discrimination of children at any age is wrong. This is the first in an occasional series of shared briefings on topics affecting children UK-wide.

Read the briefing online at www.childreninscotland.org.uk/members (policy briefings) or email

sburton@childreninscotland.org.uk

Workforce programme

Working it out – help shape the future of Scotland's children's sector workforce

How far have we come in achieving the long-term vision of children's services as a single unitary system, with the child firmly at its centre?

As part of a 12-month programme (to November 2009) Children in Scotland is inviting you to join us in debate about future workforce development.

To get involved click here

Issue 4 – available now

Working for inclusion programme –

The role of the early years workforce in addressing poverty and promoting social inclusion

Click here for details of the Working for Inclusion programme

New publications

Available now

Young Children in Charge

Based on a 2008 study visit to San Miniato, where powerful values such as a belief in the competence of the child and the centrality of family participation drive every aspect of service delivery for the under threes.

Purchase now

Adventures in Nature

Focuses on a fascinating and inspirational

Italian project that uses the local natural environment to develop young children’s sense of independence, confidence and self-esteem.

Purchase now

Working it out: developing the children's sector workforce

A revealing birds-eye view of Scotland's children's sector workforce, with analysis of its composition and how reform is required for it to operate as a single system, with the child firmly at its centre.

Purchase now