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Enabling Conversations: Suicide Prevention Scotland releases new resource with young people, for young people

16 September 2025

Trigger warning: this article discusses suicide and suicidal thoughts 

Suicide Prevention Scotland has released ‘Enabling Conversations,’ a guide developed with young people, for young people, who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts. 

Enabling Conversations is a toolkit to support young people expressing feelings of distress – whether around suicide, self-harm, or emotional pain – in ways they feel safe and in control.  

It offers choices. Feeling heard can come with writing, drawing, or other forms of expression than just talking.  

It’s a guide that helps the young person with several things, including: 

  • Who is a “safe person” to share this with 
  • Where they can feel secure enough to open up  
  • What small grounding strategies can help when everything feels overwhelming 
  • How to frame what the young person wants to say, helping pick up words or methods that feel right to them 

The toolkit was co-designed with V&A Dundee alongside young people. Digital versions are available.  

“Emotional pain can be hard to navigate” 

Suicide Prevention Scotland acknowledge the difficulty in the worry of talking to someone about suicide in case you are treated differently: “We call this stigma” 

Parents and friends may worry about “getting it wrong,” which this guide addresses directly by giving tools and structure to reduce that anxiety.  

You can find out more on the Suicide Prevention Scotland website. 

*Home - Suicide Prevention Scotland. 

 

If you are ever in immediate danger or have the means to cause yourself harm you should call 999. 

If you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts or feel like you want to end your life right now, it is important to know that you’re not alone.  

HOPELINE247 

Call 0800 068 4141 | Text: 88247 

SHOUT 

Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 

Childline 

Phone 0800 1111 for children and young people under 19. This service is open 24/7. 

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Children in Scotland responds to two-child cap Bill

16 September 2025

Scottish MPs will introduce a Private Member’s Bill to the UK Parliament intending to remove the two-child benefit cap. Kirsty Blackman MP will introduce the Bill. 

If the Bill passes, the Secretary of State will be required to “publish a child poverty strategy which includes proposals for removing the limit on the number of children or qualifying young persons included in the calculation of an award of Universal Credit”. 

 

What is the ‘two-child cap’ 

It’s a policy within the UK’s means-tested welfare system that stops extra payments for children beyond the first two. If a child is born after 5 April 2017, the family does not get extra Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit payments for the third (or further) child. 

The purpose given is to limit welfare spending, but critics say it increases poverty, especially for larger, low-income families.  

 

What is a Private Member’s Bill? 

It is a proposal for a new law put forward by an MP or a member of the House of Lords who is not part of the government, in this case Blackman.  

The process is the same as for government bills. MPs can introduce them through a ballot, a ten-minute speech, or by presenting them formally in the chamber. Even if they don’t then become law, these bills are often used to highlight issues, shape debate, and sometimes push the government into acting on the issue it raises.  

 

What does Children in Scotland have to say?  

Dr Judith Turbyne, Chief Executive at Children in Scotland, said:  

“Levels of poverty in the UK are  unacceptable. Recent research from the Trussell Trust found that more than 14 million people in the UK faced hunger in the past year due to a lack of money. In Scotland, 210,000 children live in households which cannot afford consistent access to nutritious food. This has to change. While rates of child poverty in Scotland continue to be high, we know that the Scottish Child Payment has prevented many families from falling into poverty. The Child Payment works as it increases the resources for some of the poorest and most vulnerable families. We, therefore, really support the scrapping of the two-child cap. This could have a transformative impact across the UK.” 

Helen Barnard at the Trussell Trust said she had been informed of parents “losing sleep, worrying about how they will pay for new shoes, school trips, keep the lights on or afford the bus fare to work.  

She added: “We have already created a generation of children who’ve never known life without food banks. That must change.” 

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New online hub from Enquire supports care experienced learners

15 September 2025

Enquire, Scotland’s national advice service for additional support for learning, has launched Navigate, a new online hub designed to improve support for care experienced children and young people in education. 

Funded through the Keep the Promise Fund, Navigate provides adults who live with, care for, or work with care experienced pupils with clear rights-based information, real-life stories, and practical tools they can use to break down barriers to learning. 

At the heart of Navigate is a simple goal: to make it easier for care experienced children and young people to get the consistent support they are entitled to at school. 

“We know that too many care experienced learners face barriers in education that prevent them from thriving” said Mark, Senior Advice and Information Officer at Enquire. “Navigate has been shaped by young people’s voices and real-life experiences. It’s designed to be practical, accessible and to help the adults around a young person work together more effectively.” 

Built on listening and collaboration 

Navigate grew out of Enquire’s years of experience supporting families and professionals through its national helpline and engagement events with communities across Scotland. That work highlighted three areas where support can make a critical difference for care experienced pupils: attendance, exclusions, and co-ordinated support plans. 

To ensure the resources reflected real experiences and practical needs, Enquire worked directly with care experienced pupils, carried out surveys, and collaborated with partner organisations. Their insights shaped the structure of Navigate, which is organised into three easy-to-use sections: 

  • Understanding rights - accessible information and guidance 
  • Real-life stories - case studies and examples from lived experience 
  • What can I do? - practical, ready-to-use tools 

Practical, accessible, and distinct 

Navigate sits within the Enquire website, making it easy to find and use alongside the service’s wider advice service. It introduces a new short-form, bitesize approach to information - from adaptable draft emails for parents and carers to quick video explainers from expert voices. 

Working with designers Do Good, Enquire developed a distinct identity for Navigate. The new logo - a location pin with a subtle heart-shaped shadow - symbolises finding a way through education, while paying tribute to the values of The Promise. 

Keeping The Promise, together 

Navigate is rooted in collaboration. It highlights existing resources and shares the insights of multiple partners, reflecting Enquire’s belief that improving outcomes for care experienced learners cannot be achieved by one organisation alone. 

By making practical advice and tools more accessible, Navigate aims to strengthen the scaffolding of support around care experienced children and young people - so they can be heard, understood, and meaningfully supported in education. 

Explore Navigate 

The Navigate hub is now live at: enquire.org.uk/navigate 

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Children in Scotland data highlights gaps in delivery of additional support for learning

27 August 2025

Today, Children in Scotland publishes insights that demonstrates multiple factors can contribute to a lower attendance rate among pupils with additional support needs in Scotland. The briefing comes after Scottish Government data shows that pupils with additional support needs had a lower overall attendance rate than pupils without.

Policy briefing: Additional support for learning – Attendance

The briefing presents key findings based on the main reasons and issues raised on our Enquire helpline in relation to attendance and considers how these affect a pupil’s ability to attend school. It also provides quotes in relation to the findings from children and young people we engage with to ensure that voices, views and experiences of pupils with additional support needs are centred.

This includes Children in Scotland’s Inclusion Ambassadors, a group of secondary school-aged pupils who each have a range of additional support needs and who work to set out what they expect from our education system in Scotland. They have discussed in depth the issues they have experienced in school that can contribute to school absence, including relationships with peers and staff, anxiety about school and a lack of support.

The most common issues raised are mental health issues, support and relationships in schools, part-time timetables, and out-of-school education provision.

“[Anxiety] can make you feel unable to step outside your house.” 

“Some teachers don’t even look at your support plan – if you say you’re going to do something you should follow through on what you say.” 

“S1 was OK for most of the year. But then all my tapping and singing was distracting and everything, so I kept getting sent out and then my mum had to come up to school. I don’t like that. It’s embarrassing.” 

“[I struggled] just being there [in school] overall, it’s so loud and busy. I can’t go back there if I miss anything. The people are not kind, the same as primary school. It’s so big and everything is far apart.” 

Members of the Inclusion Ambassadors

It is a responsibility for all duty bearers – those named under the UNCRC (Incorporation) Act (Scotland) as responsible for adhering to children’s rights as laid out in the convention – to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland can access and enjoy their right to education. Greater focus must be placed on understanding the unique support of pupils who are not attending school and ensuring that these needs can be met.

This briefing offers calls to action as a starting point for key decision-makers and duty bearers to address these issues, including:

  • The Scottish Government and Additional Support for Learning Project Board should include the monitoring of attendance in its national measurement framework as part of the additional support for learning action plan delivery
  • Changes to how absences are recorded by schools to improve insights
  • Public awareness campaigns designed to improve understanding around the reasons for non-attendance, and how to better support this
  • Provide a streamlined and comprehensive guidance document for schools addressing the key issues related to low attendance
  • Greater investment and resources directed towards establishing out-of-school education provision that provides safe and supportive environments to learn.

The Scottish Government should make clear links to improving attendance as it delivers the remaining actions in the Additional Support for Learning Action Plan. Improved attendance rates among pupils with additional support needs would provide a valuable indicator for measuring the delivery of better support.

David Yule, Policy, Projects and Participation Officer at Children in Scotland, welcomes the findings of the briefing and the clear calls to action for cited stakeholders:

“These recommendations highlight key areas where real progress can be made to ensure pupils with additional support needs are better understood and considered. At Children in Scotland, we pride ourselves on our knowledge and expertise on these matters, gained through our experience of delivering national services. We hope the calls to action will be followed through by the relevant bodies and we look forward to working in partnership to support and inform this.”

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Charities urge action to improve children’s audiology services

A coalition of charities has sent an open letter to the Scottish Government urging action to address the ‘painfully slow’ progress seen regarding improvements to Scotland’s audiology services.  

25 August marked two years since the publication of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland (IRASS), which outlined the systemic problems facing Scottish audiology; the letter to Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, Jenni Minto MSP, outlines the coalition’s displeasure at the perceived lack of progress made since the IRASS was published, particularly surrounding treatment waiting times. 

The letter particularly laments Deaf children waiting up to 600 days for treatment, and adults reporting waits of up to 18 months between audiology referral and initial assessment. The coalition warns of the dangers these delays can cause, including interrupted education, delayed ability to develop language skills, and forced early retirement.  

To combat this lack of progress, the coalition outlines three areas where urgent action is needed:  

  1. Evidence of independent safety checks: Services must be held to high standards, with independent experts involved in reviewing staff competency and service performance. 
  2. Clear accountability for workforce planning: The Scottish Government must ensure a sustainable pipeline for Scotland’s audiology workforce. This should include the reinstatement of an undergraduate university course to train new audiologists. 
  3. Transparent reporting: Routine and transparent reporting of audiology referral to treatment waiting times for Health Boards must be introduced, alongside clear targets for improvement.

The letter – signed by representatives from the National Deaf Children’s Society, the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, and the British Academy of Audiology – concludes: 

“We remain committed to working collaboratively with the Scottish Government to achieve this. Without more ambitious and decisive action from the Scottish Government, however, we fear that the current system will continue to fall short. When every moment counts, it is time for action – not words.” 

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The Promise Bill: Not the finishing line, but a step towards it

Innes Burns, Participation & Communications Officer at Children in Scotland

‘The Promise’ is a national commitment, taken forward by the Scottish Government, to reform the care system for our children and ensure they grow up loved, safe and respected. It’s built on the findings of Scotland’s Independent Care Review, which identified systematic failures in our current system.

It’s a Promise that is widely endorsed. Nobody wants to see the number of young people in Scotland that are currently lacking in the care and support they need. There is a nation-wide feeling of togetherness on meeting its conclusions by 2030.

This Bill makes necessary strides, but we cannot let this be the end of the conversation if we are to fulfil our wider ambitions.

 

What is the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill?

The Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill introduces wide-ranging changes to the services and support provided by our care system in Scotland. These changes include:

  • giving people who left the care system before their 16th birthday the right to apply for aftercare
  • requiring Scottish Ministers to ensure care-experienced people have access to advocacy services
  • requiring Scottish Ministers to publish guidance which promotes understanding of “care” and “care experience”
  • giving Scottish Ministers powers to limit the profits that can be made from children’s residential care
  • requiring fostering services to register as charities
  • giving Scottish Ministers the power to create a register of foster carers
  • making changes to the children’s hearings system.

This aligns with The Promise’s direction of travel. It speaks directly to the five “foundations” needed to revolutionise our care sector.

In “Voice,” the Bill sets out a clear need for support-heavy entitlement to advocacy. There is no doubt that rights, on paper, are strengthened for the child in this department. This also helps meet the expectation of skilled support around children and families that The Promise requires within “People.”

In “Family,” there is progress in closing the loophole of those that miss out on help from the Government up to the age of 26 having left care before the age of 16.

In “Care,” we see increased power for Ministers to limit profit-making in residential care. There will also be positive moves in fostering services being registered as national charities.

And lastly, in “Scaffolding,” stigma-absent guidance provided by public bodies, coupled with Integration Joint Boards strengthening cohesion, will lay the groundwork for a system that is dependable: the scaffolding of help, support and accountability.

This intent should be welcomed on all fronts.

 

Why is there a note of caution?

If this Bill is passed through Parliament, we will not wake up the following day in a society in which every child in Scotland is loved, safe and respected. There is still plenty of work to be done to get to this place by 2030.

Whilst this Bill is a useful lever to widen support, strengthen accountability and steer us in the right direction, this outcome will only materialise if several other factors are also heading the same way.

One of which, most notably, is whether funding and resource will be made available to meet ambitious demands. Aftercare expansion, increased advocacy, changes to the hearings system, transitional costs… all this points towards the need for more money and skilled workers able to deliver.

…and this is already sitting in a tough economic backdrop. Inflation continues to add pressure and local budgets are stretched thin with rising demand for services.

Financial pressures will  increase without working co-operation between Government and private sector. Limiting profit and charity status echoes welcomed values in The Promise, but implementing this will not be seamless. Transparency, clear agreements and contingency plans will be crucial to ensuring there is no cliff-edge drop in capacity risked with profit-making organisations walking away from service provision.

And speaking of collaboration… creating a Board tasked with overseeing cohesion does not guarantee cohesion. All stakeholders must be at the table, including the third sector, putting together shared outcomes and a plan that all contributors can feasibly follow through with.

 

A huge step, if taken seriously

This is a well-intentioned Bill and, if taken seriously, is a big step towards keeping The Promise. It widens aftercare, tackles profiteering and pushes for clearer planning across services. This gives Scotland a strong platform to reduce the number of children entering care and improve stability for the care-experienced. If Ministers and local partners follow through with proper funding, support for the workforce and genuine co-design with the third sector, the Bill will quickly turn good intentions into tangible results.

About the Author

Innes Burns is Participation & Communications Officer for the My Rights, My Say service.

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An unhealthy social media diet

Children and young people are being constantly exposed to videos and images promoting unhealthy food, particularly when shared by influencers.

That’s the warning from Cancer Research UK, who surveyed 4,000 children and young people aged 11 to 21 across the UK. The findings raise fresh concerns about the impact of persuasive social media content on children’s health.

Key findings:

52% of those surveyed had seen unhealthy food and drink products from either businesses or influencers on social media in the last month.

Almost 4 out of 10 said they had engaged in such posts with comments, likes or shares.

Children and young people are more likely to interact with a post from an influencer than a business.

Many described feeling hungry or tempted by the constant stream of junk-food content. One 11-year-old told the charity: “There is a giant cookie bowl that keeps popping up. When I see it, I feel like ordering dessert and I feel really hungry.”

A 15-year-old said: “I’d say at least every two minutes that I’m on Instagram I’d see at least one food-related post”

The study found that while young people are aware of the promotions, it doesn’t necessarily stop them engaging.

Influencers are also present junk food in a relatable, conversational way, somewhat disguising the marketing and advertising.

Charities are pointing out that there is a constant stream of exposure that is having a profound impact on the nation’s health. Liv Cheek, prevention policy manager at Cancer Research UK, points to obesity and being overweight as “the second biggest cause of cancer in the UK after smoking, and rates among young people are rising.” She added:

“Planned restrictions on junk food advertising online are a vital step to protect young people’s health.

However, these measures must be properly enforced and strengthened by closing any remaining gaps in the online marketing rules.

We urge the UK Government and regulators to take bold action to shield young people from harmful marketing that could increase their risk of obesity and cancer in the future.”

You can find the study findings here. 

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Children’s Commissioner report signals urgency of education reform

31 March 2025

In a new report released today, the Children and Young People’s Commissioner has urged the Scottish Government and authorities to urgently redesign education.

Commissioner Nicola Killean has made recommendations to improve the education system – warning that too many children are failing to thrive in the current set-up. 

The Commissioner and her team have spent over a year listening to children and young people’s current experiences of learning. The recommendations – which come both directly from children, and from the office – build on existing education reform reports and push for much more urgent and substantial change.

Her recommendations include:

  • fundamental reform of the support and resourcing for children who have additional support needs
  • a co-ordinated and adequately resourced national online education offer to support children who need and can benefit from that option for many reasons
  • more equitable access to subject choice, as children can’t always study the things they want to
  • ensuring the purpose of education is to prioritise the development of a child’s full potential, not be dominated by exam results
  • accelerate the implementation of the Hayward Review, which will reform assessments and qualifications.

Ms Killean said: “Too many children are being let down by our current system. Every child has a right to an education that develops their personality, talents, and abilities to their full potential.

“We’ve had review after review, and the promise of change, but children in school feel no improvement. The pace of education reform has not only been glacial, but it is fundamentally focussed on the wrong areas. Time is being spent on restructuring adult agencies and not on addressing the needs of children within a system that is clearly failing them.

“Children should be at the heart of shaping change to education, working alongside all those adults tasked with delivering it – government, decision-makers, and practitioners. Within education children are the ultimate stakeholders, and they have been very clear that they want change in education to be a priority for the government.

“Many children need improved support – this includes disabled children, children with neurodivergent conditions, and those living in poverty. We can’t deliver a rights-respecting education when children’s needs are not recognised or met."

Children in Scotland's Head of Policy, Projects and Participation, David Mackay, reflected on the report saying:

"This report chimes with what we have heard from children and young people about their experience of education and learning in Scotland. Reform of the education system is urgently needed to ensure children and young people can fully experience their rights under the UNCRC.

"As education reform legislation progresses through the Scottish Parliament, we will be working with the Scottish Government and partners to ensure children and young people's voices, experiences and needs are kept at the very heart of discussions. This report will be incredibly useful in helping us to maintain that focus."

Read Changing our World's 'Education and Learning' Summary Paper > 

The Commissioner’s Young Advisors were involved in the research and have made an accompanying film to the report. They visited schools with the Commissioner to work with children and hear their views.

One Young Advisor reflected after visiting schools: “This is our lives. This is what will impact us not only now...this will impact on our futures. It matters a lot to us, and all young people.”

The report, “This is our lives, it matters a lot”: Putting children’s rights at the heart of education, shares what children told the Commissioner and makes recommendations under the themes of culture, curriculum, personalisation and support, assessment and qualifications, and purpose.

Nicola Killean will co-chair day one of Children in Scotland's Annual Conference, which takes place 28-29 May in Glasgow. Find out more on our conference hub.

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Voicebox 2025: Primary schools joke competition open until April Fool's Day

17 March 2025

Schools across Scotland are being urged to get their final entries in for VoiceBox 2025, the nationwide joke-telling competition for primary school pupils. With the entry deadline fast approaching on 1 April, time is running out for young comedians to share their best gags and be in with a chance of making it to the grand final at the Scottish Parliament.

Organised by Children in Scotland members the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), VoiceBox celebrates the joy of laughter while highlighting the vital role communication plays in children’s development. From boosting confidence to strengthening speech and language skills, the competition is a fun and engaging way to showcase the power of communication.

Text reads: voicebox awards 2025. The O of box is a picture of a jester hat on a spring, coming out of a pink box

The competition officially launched in January on Blue Monday, with last year’s winning school, Cockenzie Primary in East Lothian, kicking off the fun. Since then, entries have been pouring in from across the country, with schools eager to see their pupils shine on the big stage.

Glenn Carter, Head of RCSLT Scotland, said: “VoiceBox is a fantastic way to show how humour helps children build confidence and connect with others. We believe that every child should have the support they need to develop strong communication skills, and this competition is a light-hearted but meaningful way to highlight that. With the deadline fast approaching, we’re encouraging schools nationwide to get their best jokes in – don’t let your pupils miss out on the fun.”

The VoiceBox 2025 final will take place on Thursday, 5 June 2025, bringing together finalists from across the UK for a laughter-filled day hosted at the Scottish Parliament by Presiding Officer Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP. The event will once again be compered by journalist and comedian Zara Janjua.

Winners will receive prizes courtesy of Collins Big Cat, the leading whole-school primary reading programme. Finalists will receive £100 worth of books, while the overall winner’s school will receive a £500 book voucher. The second and third-place winners will take home £200 book vouchers for their schools, and all top-three winners will also receive a toy gift card.

Schools have until Tuesday 1 April 2025 to submit their entries – and this isn’t an April Fool’s prank! Don’t miss the chance to take part in this brilliant nationwide event.

To enter VoiceBox, visit: www.rcslt.org/scotland/voicebox/

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The Promise to Parkrun: children’s sector conference to deliver diverse programme

11 March 2025

Scotland’s children’s sector is gearing up for a major conference in Glasgow, which will see organisations from The Promise to Parkrun outline how they are improving children and young people’s lives across Scotland.

Children in Scotland’s Annual Conference takes place 28-29 May at the Doubletree Hilton in Glasgow, with confirmed speakers including Fraser McKinlay, Chief Executive Officer of The Promise Scotland, broadcaster, writer & coach Dr. Vanessa Collingridge, author and creative practitioner Nadine Aisha Jassat, as well as Natalie Don-Innes MSP, Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise.

Meanwhile, a diverse range of organisations will deliver 28 workshops over the two-day programme – including Parkrun, Cyrenians, Forces Children Scotland, Child Poverty Action Group, Rock Trust, and No Knives, Better Lives, to name a few.

The event is co-chaired by members of Children in Scotland’s ‘Changing our World’ youth advisory group. The group have also been involved in some significant aspects of event planning; from workshop selection, to menu planning and event marketing. Changing our World’s involvement ensures that the programme and event meet their expectations of inclusivity, impact and sustainability.

Shaun, a member of the Changing our World youth advisory group who will co-chair Day One of Children in Scotland’s Annual Conference, said:

"Children in Scotland’s Annual Conference is a chance to learn about what work is currently being done in the children and young people's sector, the issues that children and young people currently face and network with other professionals who work with children and young people.

“I think people should buy tickets because it is a great event. I have been to the past two, and I have enjoyed every single one. During the conference, I have been able to develop my understanding of what issues children and young people face through amazing workshops, so I would definitely recommend buying a ticket!”

Natalie Don-Innes MSP, who returns for a second year to Children in Scotland’s Annual Conference, said

“I'm honoured to be invited back to speak at Children in Scotland’s Annual Conference this year. When I attended last year, I was struck by the drive and determination of those at the conference to really make a difference.

“The conference is an opportunity to share experiences and celebrate successes, and it is hugely important for our work to keep the promise to have a place to come together, share best practice and think about different ways of doing things.

"Personally, I find it extremely helpful to be in a room with different people working for children and young people, being able to listen to each other and work with different opinions.”

Some event highlights include:

  • Keynote: Reflections on five years of The Promise and look ahead to 2030, Natalie Don-Innes MSP, Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise
  • Keynote: Making children’s rights real: Building a Scotland of happiness, love, and understanding, Juliet Harris, Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights)
  • Workshops covering children’s mental health, additional support needs, labels and language, outdoor play, peer mediation, and much more
  • Chairing from Nicola Killean, Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland and Fiona Duncan, Independent Strategic Advisor on the promise, along with members of Children in Scotland’s children and young people’s advisory group, Changing our World
  • A dynamic community of exhibitors paired with valuable networking opportunities.

To find out more about this event and to book now, visit: www.childreninscotland.org.uk/conferences/ac25/

This event is kindly sponsored by Road Safety Scotland, tri.x – Part of the OneTouch Health Group, Kibble and The Open University in Scotland, in partnership with DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central.

Follow the event on Bluesky using #SpaceForVoices

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