Date: 4th August 2015
Category: Equal protection from violence, Age of criminal responsibility

The UN Human Rights Committee has published its recommendations (Concluding Observations) to the UK on its implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which include equal protection from assault and raising the age of criminal responsibility.

Date: 21st July 2015
Category: Respect for the views of the child, Non-discrimination, Awareness-raising

Findings from a research project seeking the views of minority ethnic children and young people have been published in a Children's Rights Report, which contains a number of recommendations including for more work to be done to raise awareness and understanding of the UNCRC and the Children's Commissioner.

Date: 21st July 2015
Category: General principles, General measures of implementation

Government analysis of responses to draft Statutory Guidance for the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act refers to the need for a rights-based approach.

Date: 21st July 2015
Category: Mental health, Health and health services

Findings that only 0.45% of NHS Scotland expenditure on mental health in 2013-14 was on child and adolescent health has raised concern & a call for rebalance.

Date: 21st July 2015
Category: Respect for the views of the child

The Scottish Youth Parliament has launched a consultation entitled 'Lead the Way' which seeks to gather the views of thousands of young people across Scotland to develop a 2016 - 2021 Youth Manifesto.

Date: 21st July 2015
Category: Parental responsibilities, Parental guidance, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

This consultation seeks views on a range of actions in relation to the development of a Strategy focused on pregnancy and parenthood amongst young people.

Date: 17th July 2015
Category: Other human rights treaties and mechanisms

A new blog article explores human rights protections in law in Scotland in the context of devolution, specifically focusing on Scotland's relationship with the Human Rights Act and the Sewel Convention.

Date: 16th July 2015
Category: Scotland-specific monitoring and reporting, Other human rights treaties and mechanisms

The Joint Committee on Human Rights which examines matters relating to human rights within the UK has formally appointed members from the House of Lords and is awaiting members from the House of Commons.

Date: 7th July 2015
Category: Reporting to and monitoring the UNCRC

Article 12 in Scotland has submitted two non-government reports to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, outlining young people's views on the state of children's rights in Scotland.

Date: 7th July 2015
Category: General measures of implementation

From April 2016, the Commissioner will have the power to investigate potential rights violations of individual children and young people. SCCYP has discussed how this will work in practice.

Date: 7th July 2015
Category:

Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People recently commented on the Education (Scotland) Bill which is currently making its way through the Scottish Parliament.

Date: 7th July 2015
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities

Since 2005, Growing Up in Scotland have been following 'Birth Cohort 1' for 10 years. Almost 50,000 interviews have taken place and 28 research reports have been published using Growing Up in Scotland data.

Date: 7th July 2015
Category: General principles, General measures of implementation

The UK Alliance asks UK governments to give a voice to disadvantaged children and families and to hold the UK Government to account on the objectives of the 2013 European Commission recommendation 'Investing in Children - Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage'.

Date: 7th July 2015
Category: Respect for the views of the child

In 2015, Children's Parliament held its first annual National Sitting, bringing together 75 Members of Children's Parliament (MCPs), 12 Youth Ambassadors and 75 professionals from Scottish Government, local authorities, NHS, Police Scotland and other public bodies, schools and universities and third sector organisations.

Date: 7th July 2015
Category: Respect for the views of the child, Parental guidance

The Scottish Law Centre has recently published 'Helping Hands', a resource for children and young people to express their views with regards to contact, and 'Pre to 3', a guide for young mothers on their legal rights.

Date: 7th July 2015
Category: Scotland-specific monitoring and reporting

Professor Alan Miller, Chair of SHRC, has written a blog about Scottish Government UNCRC obligations, in the context of recent children's rights reporting to the UN.

Date: 1st July 2015
Category: Scotland-specific monitoring and reporting, Reporting to and monitoring the UNCRC

This report examines implementation of the UNCRC since the last UN review in 2008 and includes recommendations for further action to promote child rights.

Date: 23rd June 2015
Category:

A national delivery model has been developed to capture the key principles underpinning the Activity Agreement approach to engaging with young people furthest from the labour market.

Date: 23rd June 2015
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Mental health, Child justice system

According to Action for Children's new research, providing intensive family support has greatly reduced cases of children offending or displaying anti-social behaviour.

Date: 23rd June 2015
Category: Respect for the views of the child, Civil Rights and Freedoms

In the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People has been given new powers to investigate complaints from individual children and young people. These new powers are likely to come into force in April 2016.