Making space for voices – Children in Scotland’s Annual Conference 2025

Simon Massey, Children in Scotland’s Head of Engagement & Learning, shares the plans for the charity’s annual conference taking place 28-29 May 2025.  

It doesn’t feel that long ago that we were packing away banners, pulling together evaluations and debriefing with everyone from our last conference. I was so pleased with how it went down. The two-day event was attended by more than 450 delegates, with four co-chairs (two being young people), ten keynote speakers and panellists, 25 workshops, 40 exhibitors, and four sponsors – representing all parts of the sector. 

We are now on a mission to build on that success… 

Plans for 2025  

We’ve decided to move the conference over to the West of Scotland next year and have found a new home in a partnership with the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central.  

The theme of the conference will be ‘Making space for voices’ and will cover a wide range of issues relevant to the children’s sector. This will include UNCRC Incorporation, children and young people’s mental health, equality, diversity and inclusion, education and learning while also including a focus on progress to achieve the aims of The Promise, particularly in light of 2025 being half-way through the ten-year lifetime.  

I’m really pleased to be able to share that we’ve already got some great people involved in the conference. This includes: 

• Juliet Harris, Director of Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) who will be providing a keynote presentation on UNCRC incorporation.  

• Fraser McKinlay, Chief Executive Officer of The Promise Scotland who will also be providing a keynote on progress The Promise has made and what still needs to be done by 2030.  

• Fiona Duncan, Independent Strategic Advisor of The Promise and Chair of the Board of Directors who will be co-chairing one of the days.  

• Nicola Killean, the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland who will be returning as one of the co-chairs again, having co-chaired day 1 at the 2024 conference.  

The programme will continue to develop over the coming weeks and months so please make sure you sign up to receive our News or Events Updates and follow our social media for the latest.  

We’re conscious that some of the topics we cover can be challenging and may take their toll on people, so we’re looking to put in place opportunities over the two days that will provide respite and support. This will include ‘lighter’ workshops, a quiet room, Children in Scotland staff to talk to and, we hope, a range of exhibitors that provide a different experience – 2024 saw stalls selling cakes and Pets As Therapy with gorgeous therapy dogs attending both days.  

We are also continuing our journey for the conference to be more environmentally sustainable. Once again, we’ll be having a plant-based menu to cut down on emissions while we have decided to not have a printed programme and will be encouraging exhibitors to consider what materials they bring along. One of the real positives of the new venue is that the DoubleTree by Hilton provides a carbon offset for each delegate who attends the conference.  

There is more about looking after yourself and sustainability on the conference Hub pages.  

Children and young people’s voices  

Once again, our children and young people’s advisory group, Changing our World, will be involved in planning the event and will be there across both days – I’m really excited to see what ideas they throw into the mix this year!  

We will also work to embed children and young people’s voices and participation across all parts of the event – such as co-chairing and keynotes, while there will be an expectation that workshops will incorporate children and young people’s voices and perspectives.  

Get involved: workshops, exhibitors and sponsors.   

As always, it is you, our network, that will really make the conference a success. Obviously, we want as many people to come along as delegates but there are also other ways for you to get involved. 

Exhibiting is a great opportunity for organisations to showcase what they do to a wide range of individuals and groups working with children and families across Scotland. Exhibitors also get the chance to listen to speakers, attend workshops and enjoy the food and refreshments!  

Sponsors help make the event financially viable, while keeping our ticket prices as low as possible. Sponsoring our conference provides the chance for an organisation to get behind our flagship event and potentially deliver a keynote or workshop and have an exhibition stall. Packages are tailored to individual needs.  

Tracy Hope, our Senior Business Development officer, leads on these areas so please get in touch with her if you’d like to know more.  

Workshops are one of the most popular ways for people to get involved. Our submissions process is now open until 15 November so if you’ve got a great piece of work you want to share, have completed some research or have something else you want to shout about, check out the information here.  

Making the conference affordable 

We work very hard to make the conference as accessible as possible for people from a financial perspective. Putting on a conference is a very resource-heavy endeavour, but our prices are incredibly competitive thanks to doing things as efficiently as possible, and securing income from our exhibitors and sponsors. 

Early bird prices will be in place until mid-December so there is plenty of time to make the most of the opportunity. Members will, as always, receive discounts on all tickets whether that is at early bird or standard prices. So, if you are a Member, please make sure you use your code when buying your ticket, and if you’re not a Member, please consider joining.  

Finally… 

I just want to say a massive thanks to everyone who has been involved in delivering our previous conferences and who is already involved in putting on our 2025 one. It really is hard work, but the rewards are amazing! 

Hearing from so many different individuals and organisations and seeing so many people so fully engaged across two-days is inspiring – I am really looking forward to what we can do next May.  

Please get involved – as a speaker, workshop facilitator, exhibitor, sponsor or delegate, you are all welcome!