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Working in the messiness - How can we make a step change in whole family support?

Children in Scotland's CEO Judith Turbyne discusses the challenges and complexities facing Whole Family Support in Scotland. 

There was a lovely buzz at the First Minister’s event on Whole Family Support at the Playfair Library a couple of weeks ago. That buzz lasted all day, not suffering the often-felt afternoon lull. A superficial observation perhaps, but perhaps a good proxy for levels of engagement, interest and commitment.

The sense of a shared understanding was strong. The question wasn’t ‘Should we be properly investing in whole family support? but, ‘How can we do that, and how can we ensure that we have the leadership we need to make that work?’.

One of the slides that was most commented on during the day was how messy and bamboozling the ‘system’ looks to someone who is engaging with different services. But we can’t wait until we can change the whole system to make inroads. We need to go,go,go, prioritising our energy and effort where we feel we can have the biggest impact.

What we mustn’t do is simplify the complexity of the challenge. This often happens as we try to propose solutions to social challenges. We simplify what needs to be done to make it understandable for us, for others, for our campaigns, for our funders, for those we work with, and so on. As H.L. Mencken once said

“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.”

So, it’s messy and difficult. And we all have roles to play in making the right kind of change to the systems we live and work in. And we have to be committed to working in that messiness.

People often talk about a system as if it sits beyond us, that we need to change the system from outside. But in reality, we are all part of the system. Clearly, some have more power within that system than others. And in some systems, some individuals and groups of individuals will have negligible to non-existent power. But if we start to see ourselves as sitting outwith a system, we diminish our investment in it, and our commitment to doing the difficult work.

So where do we start? Where do we know we can make a difference?

Probably everyone would give a different answer to that question. But here are three of the crucial ones.

Priority: We need person-centred, community solutions. Fourteen years ago, the Christie Commission underlined how important it was to invest in prevention. And the earlier you create access to the right support, the more likely you are to create more positive outcomes. We need to work quickly towards a situation where, in every local authority area, all families have access to a place where they can seek support in a community based, person centred and non-stigmatising way. There are good examples across the country of where this is happening and we can identify and build on those, ensuring that universal provision can act as a base from which any necessary specialist provision can be sought.

Priority: We need to fund differently, and we need to fund better. And we need to do that urgently. There are recognisable reasons for the systems that have been put in place, but the unintended consequence is that we have created an ineffective system that creates a lot of ‘busy’ work, taking away from the time and energy that could be spend working with and for those babies, children and young people and families we are seeking to support. We need to be braver about how we fund. It needs to be longer term, outcome focused and based on collaboration and trust. And this means not only looking at grant funding, but also at procurement and commissioning. And we need to shift the balance of funding so that we have more to spend in the preventative space.

Priority: We need to invest in collaboration. Collaboration it is complex and can be hard. We have to recruit and support our leaders in a way that ensures that collaboration is fundamental to their work. And this collaboration needs to be across all sectors. The third sector has been a key deliverer of services at community level for centuries and it is essential that there is a real parity of esteem. It needs to be involved from planning onwards as we try to ensure that we are optimising our services on the ground.

We have a great opportunity in Scotland to make this happen. When I am feeling a bit gloomy about what is happening here, I cheer myself up by thinking about all the strong policies we have that embrace our babies, children, young people and families: GIRFEC, the Promise, the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act, the incorporation of UNCRC. So, we don’t need more legislation. The job is to take the passion that was felt in that room and let it ignite. In that way we have a chance of making lasting change and ensuring that we can really fulfil our promise to our children; that their rights will be respected.

About the Author

Dr Judith Turbyne is the CEO of Children in Scotland

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Taking part in the Access All Arts Fund

Robin shares his reflections on participating in youth-led arts funding as an Access All Arts Fun panel member.

 In August of 2024, I joined the Access All Arts Fund (AAAF) Panel, along with nine other young people. I heard about the Fund through a youth group I was attending, and decided to get in contact, as I've always had a huge interest in art and design. Since then, I attended several meetings over the course of roughly six months.  The meetings involved a variety of activities relating to the evaluation of applications, as well as building relationships with the other panel members. These activities included ice breakers to get to know each other, discussions on what creativity means and how it can be defined, how to make thoughtful decisions when reviewing the applications, and what barriers a young person might face trying to access creative resources. There were even art activities members could take part in!  The opportunity to get creative opened up conversations about what was important or necessary to make art, what we were interested in, and it also helped break down some of the more concept-heavy discussions.  This helped the sessions stay engaging and productive.  

 When I joined the panel, I was in my last year of high school and UCAS deadlines were looming. I was struggling to decide what to study: I was conflicted between Art & Design and Modern Languages, knowing I had more passion for art, but was nervous about making the right decision, especially regarding money. I think working on the AAAF panel helped with my decision to pursue art at University. It was so interesting meeting other young creative people, as well as reading all the applications and learning what others were passionate about. The more passionate someone sounded in their application, the more enjoyable it was to read. 

'My future plans': a mixed media landscape, created by Robin during an Access All Arts panel members' meeting

I was already aware of how important resources are for young people, but by working on this project I’ve become much more attune to barriers that I wouldn’t have considered before. As I have just finished high school, where I studied Art & Design up to Advanced Higher level, I can say with complete certainty that funds like this can make a massive difference in young people’s lives. I cannot count the number of times that a cheaper material has had to be used because the school didn’t have access to a large enough budget to purchase a more suitable material. Not only that, but whole specialisms have had to be neglected. This is through no fault of the school and teachers are doing their best to support pupils, but it means that pupils who are interested in pursuing any specialism may have to do this outwith school. It goes without saying that this can quickly become expensive, and excludes any pupils who can’t afford the cost of extra lessons or programmes. However, with financial support from funds like the Access All Arts Fund, more young people can access the resources to fuel their creative interests.  

Overall, being part of the panel was really a fantastic experience.  The team at Children in Scotland were extremely friendly and supportive. Information was communicated in a clear manner, and there was a lot of respect for all members involved in the project. The adults did a fantastic job of managing the project, guiding where support was needed, while treating everyone with complete respect and warmth. I hope that the panel can be repeated in the future, as it has had such a positive impact on both the applicants and the panel members. 

Find out more about The Access All Arts Fund here.  

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Unlocking potential: How public libraries help our children flourish

Éadaoín Lynch is Research & Evaluation Manager and the first port of call for evaluation support in Scottish Book Trust. In partnership with SLIC, CILIPS and the NLS, they have been spearheading an independent research project into Scotland's public libraries for which final reporting launched in June 2025.

Public libraries in Scotland play a vital role in supporting children's development, as revealed by in-depth research conducted by Scottish Book Trust in partnership with the National Library of Scotland, CILIPS, and the Scottish Library and Information Council between 2023 and 2025.  

This research, based on surveys of over 2,000 library users and more than 300 library professionals, highlights the significant impact of libraries on reading for pleasure, digital inclusion, learning opportunities, and active citizenship. 

Reading for pleasure 

“I have grown up in my local libraries, as will my young family. Local libraries do more than anything else to engender social conscience and collective responsibility, to say nothing of access to books, essential digital services and excellent information professionals dedicated to public service.” – Library user 

Reading for pleasure isn't just about fun; it’s a powerhouse for development. It boosts literacy skills, improves pupil attainment, and increases self-esteem at a young age.  

And public libraries are champions at fostering a love of reading for pleasure. They offer a child total freedom of choice – a pirate adventure, a fantastical dragon ride, a trip to outer space – in a free, safe space. Our research found the most popular activities in libraries across Scotland were Bookbug sessions, author visits, craft sessions and reading challenges, among both librarians and library users. 

Digital inclusion 

“In the past libraries were viewed as just a place to borrow books from, but it's so much more than that now.

“We allow for people to come in and check their emails, for children to come in and use the PCs that they may not have access to at home, to complete their homework […] We've even had people come in and do online exams, to come in and use the computers to learn English.” – Public librarian 

The majority of responding librarians across Scotland reported that their local community faces digital poverty (66.49%). And, correspondingly, over 95% of responding librarians reported their library offers access to Wi-Fi (96.28%), to computers with internet (98.94%) and to photocopying/printing/scanning (95.74%).  

Library users were overwhelmingly in agreement that their library provides a lifeline to them and their community – particularly to maintain digital access, provide a quiet space for study, get disadvantage people back on their feet, and for rural communities. 

This access and support are vital for empowering children to engage with the digital world confidently and equitably, setting them up for success in school and beyond.  

Learning opportunities 

“The dyslexia accessible books for children encouraged my son to read. Without them, he'd have struggled far more to enjoy reading.” – Library user 

Library users predominantly agreed that their library's learning opportunities are ‘very important’ (68.02% of responses). They help children develop critical thinking skills, information literacy, and a lifelong love of learning. Plus, they can be a fantastic resource for parents too, offering books and guidance on everything from child development to educational support. 

Most library users agreed that the library supports their family’s learning and their own learning ‘a lot’ (67.29% and 63.12% respectively). 

Libraries also help overcome barriers of poverty and the cost-of-living crisis, making learning accessible to all, with over 84% of library users reporting that their library saves them money ‘a lot.’ 

Active citizenship 

“I have grown up in my local libraries, as will my young family. Local libraries do more than anything else to engender social conscience and collective responsibility, to say nothing of access to books, essential digital services and excellent information professionals dedicated to public service.” – Library user 

Research findings showed that over 85% of librarians agreed their library provides equal and free access to accurate information, and that it reaches a diverse audience, whether across race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, class, language, religion, disability, age or education. Both librarians and library users overwhelmingly agreed their library offers a safe space.

Lasting impact on children and families 

“Children can't go into pubs or, often, even into cafes, and lots of people can't afford to keep buying coffees etc. Cafes tend to close about 3 or 4 so there is a dead spot in late afternoon, early evening where kids (and others!) have nowhere to go – libraries are vital!” – Library user 

Libraries foster stronger family bonds through shared reading experiences and engaging events. They support parents and carers with valuable resources and a welcoming community network. Ultimately, libraries contribute to the overall well-being of children, supporting their academic achievement, social development, and emotional health. They are vital hubs that help to level the playing field and ensure all children in Scotland have the chance to thrive. 

Keen to know more? 

The full report can be explored on the Scottish Book Trust website. The second part of this research, focusing on school libraries, is expected to launch later in 2025. 

 

Insight magazine, Issue 7

The latest issue of our biannual member magazine, Insight, is out now

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The young people changing our world

Changing our World (CoW) is our children and young people’s advisory group. The group sits at the heart of our work and by sharing their experiences, thoughts and passions, members make a real difference on key issues impacting the lives of children and young people across Scotland.

It is an exciting time for the group as we look for new members  an opportunity that only occurs every two years. Our current member, Olive, shares her experiencesfrom campaigning on important issues and meeting different people from across Scotland to enjoying a well-earned pizza lunch after CoW meetings.

Hi, I’m Olive!

In 2019, I started working with Children in Scotland when I was 11 and still in primary school and participated in a project called the “Heritage Hunters”. After that, I joined Changing our World and now, thanks to the group continuing to engage me and help me participate, I’m entering my final year of high school and I’m still part of it!

I’ve been lucky enough to participate in a number of CoW projects, including exploring education provision for young people and helping to plan Children in Scotland’s Annual Conference. I’ve also worked on projects out with CoW like the Access All Arts Fund. CoW has helped me to foster my own interests and decide to (hopefully) study politics at university.

Changing our World is a hugely rewarding group to be a part of. You get the opportunity to meet many different people from across Scotland who you might not otherwise have encountered, and work with them on lots of different things. We cover many different “hot topics”, meaning if there’s something you are particularly passionate about, you can share your feelings on that area and potentially do work in it! For example, after a member of the group raised their concerns over vaping in their community around young people, we did a considerable amount of work on it.

The meeting structure is blended between online and longer in-person meetings in Edinburgh.  The meetings are structured and well organised. We do lots of work but have fun as well (including pizza for lunch)!!

There are many different ways to share your views, such as through talking, writing and even drawing, and all the leaders of the group work extremely hard at making everyone welcome. There are also opportunities to take part in interview processes within the charity, which I have found very exciting.

Whether you’re someone who’s just turned eight, and are starting to discover what you’re passionate about, or 22, CoW is perfect for everyone to be represented and welcomed, regardless of age, background, or other parts of someone’s identity.

Overall, joining CoW has been varied, challenging, fun and rewarding! Everyone gets the chance to share their views, and I would recommend it to anyone.

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About the Author

Olive is currently a member of Changing our World. Learn more about the group.

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Being an Inclusion Ambassador

Making friends, helping others and improving education for young people with additional support needs— Meg and Milo share why it is important for them to be members of the Inclusion Ambassadors. 

For other young people interested in making a difference, we have an exciting opportunity for new members to join our group and have their voices heard. Visit our dedicated webpage to find out more

Personal reflections from Issue 7 of Insight, our magazine for Children in Scotland members.

A portrait illustration of Meg from the Inclusion Ambassadors. Meg is surrounded by illustrated items referring to Meg's interests including a book, pens and pencils, a dartboard and an archery bow and arrow.
Illustration by Ellie Swartzentruber

Meg, Alva Academy

I first heard about the Inclusion Ambassadors after my school applied for the Success Looks Different Awards. We ended up winning and after the Inclusion Ambassadors visited our school to present us with the award, they asked if someone from Alva Academy would like to join the group – and I was keen to put myself forward!

Before this though, I had spoken out in my school about my experience of having dyslexia and how this has impacted my time at school. A teacher at my school asked a group of us with dyslexia if we wanted to help plan an assembly to mark Dyslexia Awareness Week. Well, this ended up with me – only in S1 – speaking to the whole school about my experiences.

My school has been great in supporting me, but I know lots of people don’t currently get the support that they need to succeed. Being a member of the Inclusion Ambassadors gives me an opportunity to help change this and help make sure that other pupils across Scotland can get the support that I’ve been able to get.

My favourite thing about being in the Inclusion Ambassadors is hearing about the experiences of other members from schools across Scotland. There are many things that are so similar between all of our experiences, but other things that make me think, ‘wow I can’t believe that’s been allowed to happen’.

Being a part of the Inclusion Ambassadors group has given me even more desire to help others – especially pupils like me who need additional support in school. Seeing what the Inclusion Ambassadors have achieved has taught me to dream big!

A portrait illustration of Milo from the Inclusion Ambassadors. Milo is surrounded by illustrated items referring to Milo's interests including handbags, coffee and a fashion magazine.
Illustration by Ellie Swartzentruber

Milo, Duncanrig Secondary School

Being an Inclusion Ambassador is something that I became interested in during my third year, so I decided to apply and luckily I got the role!

The first time I went to a meeting I was a bit nervous, but everyone was so friendly and welcoming.

We do activities like getting to know one another, finding ways to help promote more inclusion in school and to help people who struggle a bit more than others. We also do fun things when we meet up. We do creative things and have intellectual discussions on topics like what teachers can do to help students.

I enjoy helping to promote inclusion in schools. We had a call with people at the Scottish Parliament and gave our insights into what school is like for people who can struggle to keep up with work. We explained how we try to help by coming up with strategies and methods for students who have autism, dyslexia, ADHD and dyspraxia, helping them to get the qualifications for leaving school. We serve a role by supporting those who need a bit more help.

My hope for the future is to see an increase in additional support for learning as there are so many people who would benefit. We need to make people aware of the teaching methods that can help, while keeping it fun and entertaining! I am lucky to be part of a base with access to the mainstream. Every school should have this.

It is important for young people like me to be involved, to share our views and experiences. It’s difficult for people like teachers to understand if they’ve found learning much easier. As neurodiversity wasn’t as known about years ago, older people might not be as aware.

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Participation and engagement work

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Creative experiences with long-lasting impact

Member blog

CEO of Impact Arts, Fiona Doring, discusses the different ways that creative experiences can positively impact children and young people throughout their lives.  

Impact Arts is running an urgent appeal for Outdoor Creative Play, its free summer programme for children in Govan facing poverty and hardship.

Impact Arts has developed a ‘life journey through the arts’ framework which means that we offer a range of creative projects and experiences for children and young people at different stages of their lives.

  • Our work includes one-to-one art therapy for primary aged children who are struggling with a range of life events and difficult emotions and need support with developing coping strategies and confidence.
  • For older children, we have small group projects that are designed to use a creative approach to confidence building for school non-attenders, aimed at successfully re-engaging them with education.
  • And for young people who have left formal education, we deliver a range of accredited employability projects that aim to remove barriers while developing core employability skills and securing onward progressions.
  • Aside from these areas of work, we deliver bespoke projects such as Project Drag which works with LGBTQ+ young people and explores identity and the history of Drag.

Community connections built from creative experiences

By using creative engagement to achieve our impact, we build self-expression, opportunities to have a voice and community connections into all of our delivery.

Taking part in arts activities is therapeutic and above all else it’s fun, so young people want to participate and remain engaged. Most of our work is delivered over multiple days and multiple weeks as it takes time to achieve meaningful and long-lasting impact.

Much of our impact is built from the trusted relationships that young people develop with our talented team of artists and art therapists and the wraparound support that we put in place which ensures we work closely with a range of partners to offer holistic support.

Art for everyone

We are always at pains to say that our projects are for everyone! You do not need to be skilled at an art form to take part as everyone has the ability to tap into their creative side in some way. Our artists are skilled at encouraging even the most reluctant to have a go and to find an area that is of interest to them.

Every day, we are excited to see just how creative young people are when they are given the space, encouragement and materials to play, to get messy and to have fun exploring their creativity!

Bringing creative arts to deprived communities in Govan

We’re planning to deliver a free 5-week summer programme of Outdoor Creative Play in Elder Park, for up to 60 children from the Govan area of Glasgow. Govan is one of Scotland’s more deprived communities and nearly 40% of children there are living with the effects of poverty. The programme will be led by experienced artists who are skilled in encouraging children to take part in a wide range of creative outdoor activities, from imaginative role playing to building sculptures and dens from found objects. We will also provide free meals to ensure children are well fuelled for getting active in the park!

We are grateful to have received funding from Glasgow City Council towards this project and are now fundraising for the remaining costs which will help to ensure the project is properly resourced and the children can have the best possible experience.

Getting children exploring their local green spaces

The long summer holidays can be a challenge for many families; in terms of the financial pressures of providing activities for children, ensuring children can safely spend time outdoors and trying to break the cycle of relying on electronic devices.

We hope that our Outdoor Creative Play project will encourage children to let loose with their imaginations and realise there is huge potential for play within their local green spaces. By providing nutritious meals, we want healthy living to be at the heart of the project so that not only are children being encouraged to stay active but they are encouraged to eat healthily too.

We anticipate new friendships being formed too as this project will bring children together from a number of local primary schools and hopefully some of those friendships and the activities they have learned will carry on beyond the summer holidays.

About the Author

Fiona Doring is CEO of Impact Arts

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Impact Arts Summer Appeal

Impact Arts is running an urgent appeal for its summer programme for deprived communities in Govan.

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Protecting young people from the trauma of homelessness

Lara Balkwill is Policy and Public Affairs Officer at the Rock Trust

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A vision for a fully inclusive Scotland

Celine Sinclair is Chief Executive of The Yard

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From Denver, Colorado to Larkhall, South Lanarkshire: Reflections from a study visit

Sandra Mitchell, Resolve Mediation Manager, reflects on the time she spent with a group of students from the US exploring best practices in supporting children & young people with additional support needs in education. 

During a fantastic adventure in 2022 when I attended the National Symposium on Dispute Resolution in Special Education in Denver Colorado I met Amy Kilpatrick, Assistant Professor of the Elementary & Special Education dual certification programme at Hood College in Maryland. As we chatted and connected we started to discuss an exciting idea which became a reality this year. 

Our initial idea was to offer a learning exchange as we could see there were so many opportunities to analyze and compare service models between Scotland and the USA. We talked for hours about various aspects of inclusion practices, family-professional partnerships, child plans, assessments processes and how on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, our key focus and priority is getting the best outcomes for the children and families. 

Working alongside colleagues in the Children in Scotland events team and with amazing support from the South Lanarkshire Education team -  special mention to Alex McLeod, Inclusion Officer - a plan and programme began to emerge as Amy and her colleague, Professor Tricia Strickland, rallied students at varies stages in the teacher training program to join a study visit to Scotland. 

In March 2025, with a full plan and program in place we welcomed Amy, Tricia and six very excited students, some who had never travelled outside the USA, to Edinburgh for a week of cultural and learning experiences and opportunities. 

Day one was a ‘Welcome to Scotland’ at our Edinburgh offices.  This foundation day provided an overview of the education landscape in Scotland, Additional Support Needs (ASN) and Early Years provisions together with policy and best practice for schools, children and families across Scotland. Our Children in Scotland colleagues spent time with our visitors sharing their knowledge and expertise of the sector. We then had the pleasure of a very insightful presentation from newly qualified ASN primary teacher Scott Mitchell, who shared his teacher training and working experience both in the Scottish islands and a large mainstream primary school on the mainland. There were lots of questions and discussions alongside tasting Irn Bru and eating Tunnock's teacakes! 

Day two we were picked up by our minibus driver, Dougie - a great guide as well as driver! Dougie shared lots of Scottish stories as we hunted for Highland cows driving to the central belt of Scotland.  

We arrived to a very warm welcome at the South Lanark council offices in Hamilton where Claire Bissett, Inclusion Manager, led a session with input from the wider central team responsible for supporting children with ASN and child protection. This session provided an overview of how South Lanark Council’s vision and values are embedded into practice, the policy and operational framework used to support this, and the communication and relationship building with children and their families. Once more this opened lots of questions from our visitors who also shared their own experiences of placements back home in the US. 

We were treated to a lovely lunch which featured lentil soup and shortbread - another new experience for our US friends. 

We then went on to an enthusiastic welcome at our first site visit, the Early Learning Unit, a nursery in Hamilton. We had a great experience meeting the children and watching them engage in various activities; we then heard from an educational psychologist and teachers for the deaf and visual impaired, along with the nursery practitioners. We heard how wellbeing assessments are used to prompt a discussion with parents about the most suitable pathway for individual children and how these multidisciplinary assessments play a pivotal role in children’s transitions in particular. 

The children and staff had worked together on a ‘Scotland meets the USA’ project which included a brilliant hand printed Scottish flag along with a ‘taste of Scotland’ table where tattie scones had to be explained! 

The children presented each of our visitors with a little handmade tartan bag pinned with a USA and Scottish flag containing a Tunnock's caramel log – a moment that will be cherished by all. 

Tricia, Amy and the students spent Wednesday visiting various landmarks in Edinburgh including the Scottish Parliament, Mary Kings Close and Greyfriars’s Bobby. 

On Thursday Dougie picked us up again and we headed to Victoria Park School in Carluke, an establishment that supports children with significant complex needs and multiple health needs. Once more we were overwhelmed with the welcome, and the time and effort the staff had given to share their happy and inclusive environment which supports many children and their families. We were able to watch therapists working with children, meet parents and speak with staff who support a wide range of complex needs children. A calm, kind and nurturing atmosphere radiated here generated by the skilled and caring staff team. (We must also mention the double biscuits and homemade tablet, prepared by staff, which the US visitors and our bus driver enjoyed!) 

In the afternoon we went on to Hareleeshill Primary School in Larkhall, a primary school with an ASN base. This visit demonstrated how the education department and staff integrate support and learning for children with ASN by establishing ASN bases within mainstream schools. These bases benefit from higher staff levels and lower-class numbers. It was an opportunity to see how inclusive practice occurs in the school and the strategies in place to encourage integration and interaction in the school community. We spent time in various classrooms witnessing teachers working with various levels of needs and saw the adaptations they continuously create to meet each child’s needs.  

After our classroom visits Claire, Alex and the school staff led a session for students to consolidate and reflect on their learning, the visits and the roles of professionals they had met. This was a great opportunity to ask questions, challenge preconceived ideas, share insights and further explore good practice and to round up a few days that were memorable, informative and insightful in so many ways. 

The visit was a great success with the students taking home valuable learning to share with peers and ideas to implement in their school placements. This and many cans of Irn Bru, homemade tablet, shortbread and Tunnock’s galore helped all the visitors fall in love with Scotland! 

The study visit could not have happened without Alex, Claire and their colleagues from South Lanark and we all felt very privileged to meet wonderful children and dedicated staff, and experience the positive ethos in the establishments in South Lanarkshire which underpins and enriches the children’s education journey. 

Annual Conference 2025

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Insight magazine, Issue 7

The latest issue of our biannual member magazine, Insight, is out now

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Find out more about Enquire, the national advice and information service for additional support for learning

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Reach

The website for young people offers advice and support on accessing their rights

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"If you are passionate about equality, solving issues, and making a measurable difference, then Changing Our World might be the perfect opportunity for you"

 Changing our World is our children and young people’s advisory group. The group sits at the heart of our work and by sharing their experiences, thoughts and passions, members make a real difference on key issues impacting the lives of children and young people across Scotland.

It is an exciting time for the group as we look for new members —an opportunity that only occurs every two years. Current member, Anna, has kindly shared her experiences of being part of Changing our World to help inform any other young people thinking of applying.

I have been a member of Changing Our World (CoW) for almost six years now, and my involvement in the group has been nothing short of incredible. Throughout my time in CoW, I have been given the opportunity to take part in a wide range of really valuable experiences.

First of all, I have been lucky enough to meet a variety of other Scottish young people from a range of different backgrounds, as well as different areas of the country. Working in the advisory group with my peers has been enlightening as each member has something different and useful to offer to the group and our projects. The contributions we make to the charity, in my opinion, support us to feel as though we are part of something bigger, hopefully improving the lives of children and young people in Scotland. The staff at Children in Scotland these past six years have played a hugely important role in assisting us in having our voices heard. They have encouraged us to share our views and have supported us incredibly to ensure we are comfortable to offer our viewpoints and opinions.

The opportunities I have been able to participate in as a result of being a member of Changing Our World have been invaluable to me. These experiences would likely have passed me by had I not been a member of CoW. From attending group meetings and zoom calls, to speaking with the key decision makers in the country, we have had countless opportunities to express our feelings on key issues that we would like to improve. I have attended meetings with MSPs to discuss key concerns for Scottish young people. On other occasions I have had the opportunity to sit in on interview panels for Children in Scotland and support in the decision-making process for positions within the charity.

Co-chairing Children in Scotland’s Annual Conference was another exciting experience I value. Additionally, I was able to take part in the planning and organisation of political hustings for Scottish elections, both for Children in Scotland itself and for other similar Scottish charities. These opportunities allowed me to converse with Scottish political party leaders and MSPs and have my voice heard by them, and more importantly have made me feel as though I can help my peers who have not been lucky enough to participate to also have their voices heard through me, and through Changing Our World as a group.

For any young person in Scotland that meets the age criteria and is interested in joining the group, I would fully recommend applying to join Changing Our World. If you are passionate about equality, solving issues, and making a measurable difference in our country and world, then Changing Our World might be the perfect opportunity for you. In the group we have focused on how we would tackle concerns ranging across a number of key focus areas including education, exams, period poverty, climate change and much more. For the young people in Scotland that are passionate about changemaking and having their say, then you might just be the perfect fit for Changing Our World.

Anna is currently a member of Changing our World. 

If you are interested in getting involved, check out our information sheet, and direct any questions to pshirazi@childreninscotland.org.uk

 

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Exploring the third sector’s role in Children’s Services Planning

Every three years local authorities, health services and other organisations in a locality work together on a Children’s Services Plan which looks at how to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families. Children in Scotland’s Supporting the Third Sector (STTS) Project has been examining the role of the third sector in this process, looking at how to develop a structured approach to collaboration. Having recently published a learning report about the work, Assistant Policy Officer, Hannah Priest, reflects on the findings  

As we move into 2025, Health and Social Care Partnerships across Scotland are turning their attention to the next cycle of Children’s Services Plans for 2026 – 2029. This will mean engaging with children, young people and families, and other partners to shape services to meaningfully respond to local needs. 

Part 3 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 requires local authorities and relevant health boards to develop a Children’s Services Plan every three years. Crucially, the legislation also calls for collaboration across Community Planning Partnerships, including with third sector organisations. The third sector has a vital role in providing services to children, young people, and families in their communities. As a result, the third sector has key insights into the needs of the local population and is therefore uniquely placed to identify what support is most effective in meeting those needs.  

Supporting the third sector 

Through the Supporting the Third Sector (STTS) Project, Children in Scotland are working to support the third sector to be fully integrated within Community Planning Partnerships, and to be recognised and to contribute as equal partners within strategic planning of local children and family services.  

Over 2024 – 2025 the STTS Project engaged in intensive support in three localities with a focus on third sector participation in Children’s Services Planning processes. We were able to work closely with Aberdeenshire, Dumfries and Galloway, and Glasgow, to support their use of the ‘How good is our third sector participation in children’s services planning?’ self-evaluation tool. In each locality we worked collaboratively with representatives from the Third Sector Interface and Health and Social Care Partnership or local authority to support effective engagement of stakeholders in Children’s Services Planning processes.

What is the tool? 

The ‘How good is our third sector participation in children’s services planning?’ self-evaluation tool was developed in collaboration with the Scottish Government, and was published at the start of 2024. It aims to provide Children’s Services Planning Partnerships (CSPPs) with a structured approach to local discussions which considers different aspects of third sector participation across key strategic tasks in development, delivery, and reporting on Children’s Services Plans.  

We have recently published a learning report that focuses on the intensive locality support work delivered in 2024-25, discussing the learning and recommendations from Children in Scotland and our colleagues from these localities. Having been involved in this exciting piece of work in each locality I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on some of the learning highlighted in this report which stood out to me, specifically on the importance of relationships.  

Building strong cross-sector relationships 

We have heard from our TSI Children’s Service Network that building and maintaining cross-sector relationships is imperative to successful and meaningful collaboration. As identified in our recent Survey Report 2024, there are challenges to maintaining and building relationships due to the high turnover of staff resulting in loss in contacts and having to rebuild understanding of the third sector’s role and contribution, along with challenges of stretched capacity.  

At the beginning of this process it was identified quickly that strong pre-existing relationships were key to gaining buy-in. Where these relationships are not in place, there may be additional steps required to develop them before undertaking the self-evaluation process.  

In addition we found that developing a shared trust and understanding amongst participants from all sectors, with a joint commitment to our values and a constructive, improvement-focused approach to discussions, alleviated concerns of challenging dynamics due to perceived power imbalances between third and statutory sectors. This allowed for rich discussions between participants reflecting on their practice, identifying barriers and potential actions, alongside recognising what currently worked well in the locality.  

It was also great to have the ability for all the sessions to be held in person. Whilst we recognised that this is more challenging to achieve in some areas, we found that the in-person element along with our approach allowed for discussions to flow openly and honestly without risk of jeopardising relationships and allowed for participants to network and build new cross-sector relationships. The feedback we received from the members of the core project team reflected that the work has already helped build strong relationships between third sector organisations and statutory partners.  

We believe that recognition of the importance and value of stakeholders’ experiences of the children’s services planning process has been vital to understanding how these processes work in practice. Being aware of power imbalances, engaging constructively with experiences shared, and having a safe space to reflect on these processes, have all led to a range of learning about the structures and system responses which can be considered to tackle barriers to third sector participation and lead to better outcomes for children, young people and their families.  

The above is only a small portion of the learning gained from this piece of work. The report explores further the localities’ experiences using the self-evaluation tool and provides guidance to those who may wish to use it in their own locality. Part of the aim of producing this report is to provide our colleagues within the TSI Children’s Services Network and our statutory partners some guidance and examples of how the toolkit can be implemented in their areas and the impact the engagement can have on their relationships across sectors and approach to children’s service planning. You can read about the learning and practical examples in the report which is available on the STTS Project’s Resources page.  

We will be continuing to build on this work, developing further resources, opportunities and providing continued locality support though the STTS Project over 2025-2026. If you would like more information regarding the locality work, the self-evaluation tool or about the STTS Project itself please contact Hannah Priest at hpriest@childreninscotland.org,.uk or you can email STTSProject@childreninscotland.org.uk 

Hannah Priest is Assistant Policy Officer at Children in Scotland 

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Hannah Priest is Policy Officer and Assistant Policy Officer at Children in Scotland

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Making children’s rights real: Juliet Harris answers Changing our World’s questions

Our children and young people’s advisory group, Changing our World, sent their burning questions to Juliet Harris, Director of Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights), to learn more about her keynote address and how she will be preparing for Children in Scotland’s Annual Conference later this month. Here's what Juliet had to say:

What are you going to be talking about at the conference?

I’ll be talking about how we’re making sure Scotland’s new children’s rights law brings real change to the lives of babies, children and young people. I’ll be sharing stories that show it needs to be about more than just words - we need action! I’ll also talk about how adults can work with babies, children and young people to make sure their rights are respected every day, everywhere - so that Scotland becomes a place where every baby, child and young person grows up in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding.

Why are you passionate about this subject?

I’m passionate about children’s rights because involving babies, children and young people doesn’t just help them feel valued and included - it helps to make Scotland (and the world!) a better place, shaped by their brilliant ideas. And it’s really fun too!

Do you have any on the day rituals to prepare for presenting a speech?

Before a big presentation, I try to speak with children or young people to see if they have any ideas that could help make it better. I also think about how I’d explain it to someone in my family who doesn’t always understand why children’s rights matter - if I can find a story that helps them get it, I know it’s a good one to share. And on the day itself… I always hold a pen while I speak! I never use it to write but having it in my hand somehow helps me feel a bit less nervous.

Juliet Harris will be presenting a keynote address on making children's rights real at Children in Scotland's Annual Conference on 28-29 May. To join us, please visit our conference hub.  

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Juliet Harris is Director at Together (Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights)

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