Incorporating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots Law: consultation

Views sought on how best to incorporate 'gold standard' for children's rights into domestic law and improve the lives of children and young people.


About this consultation

In line with the Programme for Government 2018-19 commitment, this consultation looks at how a new Act could incorporate the UNCRC into domestic law.

It is important that we develop a model of incorporation that will deliver the best outcomes for children, young people and families in Scotland. Consultation is an essential part of that process.  It gives us the opportunity to hear your views on this proposed area of work.

To help us do this we have set out below a series of questions under three themes which will enable you to give your views on these themes. The three themes are:

  • legal mechanisms for incorporating the UNCRC into domestic law
  • embedding children’s rights in public services
  • enabling compatibility and remedies. 

Responding to this Consultation

We are inviting responses to this consultation by 28 August 2019.

Please respond to this consultation using the Scottish Government’s consultation hub, Citizen Space (http://consult.gov.scot).  Access and respond to this consultation online at https://consult.gov.scot/children-and-families/uncrc.  You can save and return to your responses while the consultation is still open.  Please ensure that consultation responses are submitted before the closing date of 28 August 2019.

If you are unable to respond using our consultation hub, please complete the Respondent Information Form to:

UNCRC Incorporation
Scottish Government
2B South
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ

Handling your response

If you respond using the consultation hub, you will be directed to the About You page before submitting your response.  Please indicate how you wish your response to be handled and, in particular, whether you are content for your response to published.  If you ask for your response not to be published, we will regard it as confidential, and will treat it accordingly.

All respondents should be aware that the Scottish Government is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and would therefore have to consider any request made to it under the Act for information relating to responses made to this consultation exercise.

If you are unable to respond via Citizen Space, please complete and return the Respondent Information Form included in this document (see supporting files). 

To find out how we handle your personal data, please see our privacy policy: /privacy/ 

Next steps in the process

Where respondents have given permission for their response to be made public, and after we have checked that they contain no potentially defamatory material, responses will be made available to the public at http://consult.gov.scot.  If you use the consultation hub to respond, you will receive a copy of your response via email.

Following the closing date, all responses will be analysed and considered along with any other available evidence.  Responses will be published where we have been given permission to do so.  An analysis report will also be made available.

Comments and complaints

If you have any comments about how this consultation exercise has been conducted, please send them to the contact address above or at uncrcincorporation.gov.scot

Scottish Government consultation process

Consultation is an essential part of the policymaking process.  It gives us the opportunity to consider your opinion and expertise on a proposed area of work.

You can find all our consultations online: http://consult.gov.scot.  Each consultation details the issues under consideration, as well as a way for you to give us your views, either online, by email or by post.

Responses will be analysed and used as part of the decision making process, along with a range of other available information and evidence.  We will publish a report of this analysis for every consultation.  Depending on the nature of the consultation exercise the responses received may:

  • indicate the need for policy development or review
  • inform the development of a particular policy
  • help decisions to be made between alternative policy proposals
  • be used to finalise legislation before it is implemented

While details of particular circumstances described in a response to a consultation exercise may usefully inform the policy process, consultation exercises cannot address individual concerns and comments, which should be directed to the relevant public body.

Contact

Email: alexandra.devoy@gov.scot

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