Consultancy

Date: 26th September 2025
Category: Training, Policy and strategy

Together offers tailored support to help organisations strengthen their approach to children's rights. Drawing on our expertise, we work alongside them to review existing practices and embed a Children’s Human Rights Approach across all areas of their work. To enquire about consultancy services and discuss fees, please email: mary@togetherscotland.org.uk

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Membership Spotlight: Children’s Health Scotland.

Date: 26th September 2025
Category: Health and health services

Membership Spotlight highlights the work being undertaken by our member organisations and ways that other individuals and NGOs can support them. To mark Children’s Health Week, Together celebrated the incredible work of Children’s Health Scotland.

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Together's Blog Series: The #UNCRCScotland in Practice

Date: 26th September 2025
Category: Children in armed forces families, Care Experienced children, Children affected by substance misuse

Throughout August and September, we’re running a blog series to mark the first anniversary of the #UNCRCScotland Act, which came into effect on 16 July 2024. This is an opportunity to both celebrate and reflect on the contributions of children, young people, members, professionals and adults who are committed to making children’s human rights a reality.

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Scottish Youth Parliament Manifesto 2026 - 2031

Date: 26th September 2025
Category: Policy and strategy

On the 6th of September, the Scottish Youth Parliament launched their manifesto for 2026-2031, written by young people, for young people. Through this manifesto, young people across Scotland told decision-makers what issues matter the most to them, across five themes including Accessible, Equitable & Inclusive Education, Safe & Supportive Communities, A Sustainable & Renewable Society, A Fairer & Just Scotland and Empowering Young People to Claim their Rights.

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The launch of My Health, My Rights Charter Report and Poster

Date: 26th September 2025
Category: Health and health services, Mental health, Adolescent health, Right to a healthy environment

On Friday 12 September, Children’s Health Scotland launched the My Health, My Rights Charter Report and an accompanying A2 poster, a resource created by children and young people aged between 5-18 and living with health conditions in Scotland. Drawing from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the European Association for Children in Hospital (EACH) Charter, the charter highlights 10 health rights, chosen and articulated by young people through their own words, drawings and lived experiences. Voices of Young People

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New Children (Scotland) Act 1995 amendment restates that both parents are entitled to a view on decisions about their child.

Date: 26th September 2025
Category: Family support, Parental guidance, Parental responsibilities

A new amendment to the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 is set to come into force later this month and it reinforces two major points: that both parents have a legal entitlement to be considered in major decisions about their child and that children have a legal right to express their views.

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Preaching is not Teaching: A landmark report on religious observance in Scottish schools

Date: 26th September 2025
Category: Freedom of thought, conscience and religion, Education, including vocational education, Inclusive education

On 31st of August, The Humanist Society Scotland published a report around religious observance (RO) in Scottish schools. The report draws on testimony from pupils, parents and teachers to reveal trenchant bias and discrimination in the practice. This report has been published in time to inform parliamentary scrutiny of the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill, which we highlighted earlier in this e-news. Key findings from the report:

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Our Rights. Your Move: Human Rights Consortium’s Manifesto Briefing

Date: 26th September 2025
Category: Policy and strategy

Human Rights Consortium are proud to share the publication of their latest manifesto briefing: Our Rights. Your Move. This new publication sets out a bold, shared vision for a fairer, more equal Scotland, where human rights are not an afterthought, but the foundation of all policy, law and decision-making. With the 2026 Scottish Parliament election approaching, Human Rights Consortium Scotland are calling on all political parties and candidates to commit to:

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UK Government’s consulting on a potential ban on high-caffeine energy drinks for under-16s in England

Date: 26th September 2025
Category: Nutrition, Health and health services

The UG Government is currently consulting on a ban that would prevent the sale of energy drinks (those with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre) to anyone under the age of 16. The ban would apply across all retailers including shops, cafes, restaurants, vending machines and online retailers. This potential ban is aimed at protecting children’s physical and mental health and would impact well-known brands like Red Bull, Monster and Prime. This consultation is open until the 26th of November 2025. Evidence cited by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education points to a range of harms associated with children’s regular consumption of these drinks such as disrupted sleep, increased anxiety, reduced concentration and adverse effects on behaviour. Furthermore, commissioned data on children’s consumption of high-caffeine energy drinks from the Department for Education (DfE), Parent, pupil and learner voice: omnibus surveys for 2024 to 2025 , was consistent with other research findings.

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Together (Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights) Annual Report 2024-25: Reflecting on a year of progress

Date: 25th September 2025
Category: Policies & procedures, Funding

We are pleased to share our Annual Report 2024-25 , which highlights a year of significant developments in the promotion and protection of the human rights of babies, children and young people across Scotland.

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