Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

This briefing explores the digital divide between care experienced young people and their peers. It touches on the challenges and solutions to digital exclusion before and during COVID-19 restrictions. 

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities

The survey found that almost 70% of the most disadvantaged teenagers did no home learning during lockdown. MCR Pathways is calling for disadvantaged and care-experienced teenagers to be prioritised and provided with in-person teaching in the event of future lockdown restrictions.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

A new briefing from Oxfam Scotland explores the link between the undervaluing of care work in Scotland, including childcare, and increasing poverty levels. It calls on the Scottish Government to use its devolved powers to protect low-income families.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Respect for the views of the child

The findings of a project examining the wellbeing and participation of children and young people in the crisis response to COVID-19 have been published by A Place in Childhood.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities, Disabled children

The National Autistic Society Scotland is calling on schools to provide personalised transition plans for all autistic children as schools return to in-person learning in August.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category:

Three new reports have been released on the experiences of children and young people during COVID-19.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, Civil Rights and Freedoms

A summary of evidence submitted by the British Institute of Human Rights to the UK Parliament Joint Committee on Human Rights inquiry into government responses to COVID-19 has been published.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

A survey by Sibs has found that COVID-19 has led to increased caring responsibilities, isolation and poorer mental health issues for siblings of disabled children.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

Lawyers acting on behalf of children in England who have been denied visits and video contact with an imprisoned parent have taken the first step of legal action claiming that the lack of contact breaches children’s human rights.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Special protection measures

A new report by Save the Children has highlighted how the COVID-19 crisis has changed criminals’ usual models of trafficking and exploitation used on children and young people.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities

A briefing paper by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) analyses the educational responses taken by governments in 20 OECD countries in response to COVID-19. It also includes a set of general recommendations to inform the future development of education strategies.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms

The Human Rights Committee has published General Comment No.37 on Article 21 (right to peaceful assembly) which places obligations on states to protect children’s right to peacefully assemble.

Date: 6th August 2020
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted community engagement with health and social care activities in different ways. Healthcare Improvement Scotland is looking for tips, learning or interesting examples from health and social care of engagement activities happening at a distance.

Date: 27th July 2020
Category:

Closing date: 31st July 2020

Date: 22nd July 2020
Category: Child rights impact assessments

The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland has published an independent Children’s Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) on the response to COVID-19 in Scotland.  Undertaken by the Observatory of Children’s Human Rights Scotland, of which Together is a founder member, the CRIA provides a thorough analysis of how emergency laws and policies around the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the human rights of children and young people in Scotland.  It draws heavily from briefings and resources – as well as the views and experiences of children and young people - provided by Together members and collated on our extensive COVID-19 resource webpages.

Date: 22nd July 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Funding

The funding, announced by Deputy First Minister John Swinney, is part of an overhaul of the care system pledged by Scottish Government following the Independent Care Review. The fund will be used to support children and families and help them stay together. 

Date: 22nd July 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care

In June, Scottish Children's Reporters Administration (SCRA) ran a consultation asking children and young people to share their thoughts, ideas, worries and questions about the planned return to face-to-face hearings with social distancing. SCRA has now published a report, setting out children and young people’s key concerns and what SCRA is doing to address these.  

Date: 22nd July 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

The findings, gathered by Carers Trust Scotland, highlight that many young carers have experienced increased pressures due to COVID-19. This has had a negative impact on young carers’ mental health and wellbeing.

Date: 22nd July 2020
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Special protection measures

‘Youth Just Us’ is Staf’s steering group for its Youth Justice Project. The group has launched its monthly newsletter and the July edition includes the group’s art, information about how young people are coping during COVID-19 and what young people are doing to keep busy. The group is also looking for new members to join, to take part in a range of activities whilst creatively influencing change in the care and justice systems.

Date: 22nd July 2020
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities

Deputy First Minister John Swinney MSP has responded to numerous asks that more is done to ensure social inequality, racism and Black history are covered in the education curriculum.