Members’ Forums

Our member forums have been developed to meet the different needs of the children’s workforce while also providing the opportunity to bring members together with the ambition of influencing policy and practice.

Voices

Voices brings together the diverse knowledge, skills and experience of our members to seek solutions for the most pressing issues affecting children in Scotland today. Every member of Children in Scotland is welcome to attend and contribute to Voices Forum meetings. Click here to find out more

Children's Sector Strategic Forum

This group meets at least four times per year and takes a pro-active and evidence-based approach to improving children’s lives at a national level.

Membership is made up of Children in Scotland members who hold senior positions within the children’s sector. Find out more about the forum, and access minutes and briefings Click here to find out more

Looking for more information?

Contact our Head of Policy, Projects & Participation
David Mackay
dmackay@childreninscotland.org.uk

Voices Forum

Find out more about our forum for Children in Scotland members

Click here to visit the page

2021-2026 Manifesto

Our Manifesto outlines key suggested changes in policy and legislation - it contains 10 themes and 33 calls

Click here to access

Children's Sector Strategic Forum

Find out more about the work of this forum, access minutes from previous meetings and view briefings

Click here to find out more

Get involved

Be part of our network dedicated to improving children’s lives

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Championing participation, challenging inequalities and leading the workforce: our key priorities

Children in Scotland has published its strategic priorities for the next four years, making commitments to champion the needs and voices of children, young people and their families, as well as continue to lead the children’s sector workforce.

The strategic priorities outlined by the organisation for 2017-21 are to:

Champion participation and inclusion of children and young people
Work to ensure that support for children, young people and their families is appropriate, available and accessible
Challenge inequalities
Lead and develop the children's sector workforce
Continue as a sustainable organisation

The organisation has committed to building on the achievements over previous years, including success with key projects tackling food poverty and an ongoing pilot considering childcare provision in Glasgow. Delivery of these such projects, and others, directly support Children in Scotland’s commitment to work with members and partners to prioritise early intervention and work to remove inequalities and combat poverty – a call made in their 2016-21 manifesto.

Children and young people will remain at the heart of all work, with a continued focus on participation and engagement. Last year (2016-17), Children in Scotland projects engaged with 793 children and young people, ensuring their voices were heard and opinions respected, advocating and affecting real change and this approach will remain at the heart of the charity’s work going forward.

The organisation will also continue its work to influence policy and legislation by working with members and partners to contribute to policy development and facilitating discussion around key areas of interest and relevance to children, young people and families across Scotland.

Early Years Scotland

They are the leading national third sector organisation for children pre-birth to 5.

Check it out

Memberships

Becoming a Children in Scotland member means adding your voice to an ever-gorwing network.

Become a member

Wanted: real participation for young people, not party politics

Following the announcement today that the Prime Minister is seeking to hold a general election on 8 June, Children in Scotland Chief Executive Jackie Brock said:

“We believe 16 and 17 year olds deserve the right to actively participate in the democratic process.

“This is based on the recognition of their rights to be heard and to have a say in their own future, as identified in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

“As we have previously stated, the current disparity in voting rights between England and Scotland – which permits 16 and 17 year olds people in Scotland to vote in parliamentary elections but denies them this opportunity at UK elections and in referendums introduced by Westminster – is unfair and incompatible with a coherent approach to supporting young people’s right to participate.

“We recognise that the choice to press for a general election is about pure political calculation in the context of Brexit, and that progress made in Scotland to franchise young voters and advance young people’s participation is irrelevant to Theresa May’s decision.

“But through the coming campaign and following the poll, we will work to raise the profile of the principles of young people’s participation and the quality of Scotland’s continued work relating to policy and legislation in this area.”

“Barring 16 and 17 year olds from actively participating in elections that will directly impact their future simply sends the message that their opinions don’t matter, and that young people’s views can be disregarded by Westminster.

“We believe that any ‘unity' Theresa May aspires to must have young people’s voices at its heart.”

In 2015, the Scottish Parliament unanimously voted to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote. However, this only applies in Scotland and to Scottish elections and referendums.