2021-26 Manifesto

In November 2020, Children in Scotland launched its Manifesto for the 2021-26 Scottish Parliament.

The Manifesto has the support of national and local organisations from across the children’s sector.

The Manifesto outlines key changes in policy and legislation the charity believes the next Scottish Government must make to improve outcomes for children and young people living in Scotland, and their families.

> Click here to download a copy of the Manifesto

It contains 10 themes and 33 calls, with demands of political parties including:

Learning
Drawing on the experience in Finland to introduce a ‘hobby premium’ to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland have free access to a hobby or activity of their choice within or around the school day.

Rights and democracy
Supporting Citizens Assemblies to extend their scope to include the voice and perspectives of under-16s.

Economic planning
Producing a comprehensive Wellbeing Budget by 2022 to ensure that the annual Scottish budget is designed and implemented with the goal of improving the wellbeing of all citizens in Scotland, including children, young people and families.

Environment
Improving air quality in locations where children live, learn and play: a school air quality monitoring and education scheme should be introduced to measure air quality, educate children and families about this issue, and reduce children’s exposure to harmful pollutants.

Organisations who have endorsed the Manifesto in full include:

Save the Children
Children 1^st
YouthLink Scotland
Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights)
PEEK (Possibilities for Each and Every Kid)
Includem
Play Scotland
Starcatchers
The Health and Social Care Alliance
The Yard

Organisations that have signed up to specific themes include the Children’s Parliament (Theme 1), Friends of the Earth Scotland (Theme 9), Place2Be (Themes 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 10) and the Royal Caledonian Education Trust ( Themes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10).

The Manifesto was launched at Children in Scotland’s online annual conference in November 2020.

It was developed over the past 18 months with input from Children in Scotland’s members, its children and young people’s advisory group, and its staff and Board.