Grangemouth Industrial Just Transition Plan: Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment

Conclusion

7. As a result of the evidence gathered and analysed against all UNCRC requirements, what is the potential overall impact of this proposal on children’s rights?

Positive

8. If you have identified a positive impact on children’s rights, please describe below how the proposal will protect, respect, and fulfil children’s rights in Scotland.

The JTP is expected to have a positive impact on children’s rights and is relevant to several of the UNCRC requirements (as incorporated into Scots law). The proposed actions that promote improved access to skills development and STEM education pathways are specifically relevant to the following UNCRC requirements:

Article 27 (Adequate Standard of Living)

The JTP proposes an action to enhance STEM outreach and skills among the workforce. This action is anticipated to increase household income across Grangemouth as the local population receive enhanced support to access a growing number of jobs provided by the redevelopment of the industrial cluster. It is anticipated that these new employment opportunities and the support provided to access these will place parents/guardians/other persons responsible for children into a better financial position to provide a standard of living which is adequate for their children’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development. Alongside this, actions are proposed to promote community wealth building which is anticipated to further contribute to improvements in household income. Evidence suggests that increases in household income for families generally leads to positive impacts on child rights and wellbeing, through better mental and physical health outcomes, particularly in households with low income to begin with. This is particularly relevant for Grangemouth residents, given that the average household income is below the average for the wider local authority area. This suggests that actions arising from the JTP are likely to positively influence the ability of parents/guardians/other persons responsible for children across the Grangemouth area to provide an adequate standard of living for their children. It has therefore been assessed that the JTP is expected to have a positive impact on Article 27 of the UNCRC requirements (as incorporated).

Article 28 (Right to Education)

The JTP recognises the role of education and upskilling in enabling workforce participation and includes an action to establish a ‘Grangemouth Industrial Cluster Skills offer’ to support a fair and just industrial transition through partnering with colleges and universities. This offer will be available to persons below the age of 18. This action is expected to reduce the barriers to entry into employment markets for young people aged 16 and 17, particularly given that the JTP proposes an enhanced STEM outreach effort that incorporates the specific needs identified for the Industrial Cluster. This will be focused on a broad range of school pupils through various age groups. This suggests the JTP is likely to have a positive impact on promoting equitable access to higher education and it has therefore been assessed that the JTP is expected to have a positive impact on Article 28 of the UNCRC requirements (as incorporated).

Article 29 (Goals of Education)

The JTP proposes to establish a Grangemouth Industrial Cluster Skills pilot and efforts should embed equality and access to opportunity. This action will be accessible to persons below the age of 18 and is expected to drive greater workplace inclusion and higher employment rates for young people aged 16 and 17. Additionally, the skills pilot is planned to be tailored to existing and future requirements for the cluster, aligning skills with the national ambition to reach Net Zero by 2045. This action may positively enable the fostering of the full development of each child’s personality, talents, and mental abilities (UNCRC Article 29(a)), in line with their rights and best interests, and it has therefore been assessed that the JTP is expected to have a positive impact on Article 29 of the UNCRC requirements (as incorporated).

The JTP is also broadly relevant to Articles 2, 12, and 31:

Article 2 (Non-Discrimination)

The nature of the JTP is to be inclusive, with increasing fairness and equity central to its vision for a Just Transition to net zero. It has therefore been assessed that the JTP is expected to have a positive impact on this Article, due to several actions such as the STEM outreach programme promoting equality and access to opportunity, particularly for local people at its core, in terms of improving equitable access to higher education for the purposes of Article 28 of the UNCRC requirements. It has therefore been assessed that the JTP is expected to have a positive impact on this Article.

Article 12 (the right to be heard)

Engagement took place with local S5 & S6 pupils during the drafting of the JTP. Further, extensive engagement with the community has provided local children and young people with an opportunity to express their views about the transition and this is expected to continue as the Plan is implemented, supported by an action to develop a best practice framework for enhanced community engagement. To this end, consultation on the JTP has ensured a meaningful mechanism to allow children and young people in the Grangemouth area to express their views on key local issues affecting them. These views have been considered and have informed the development on the Plan. It has therefore been assessed that the JTP is expected to have a positive impact on Article 12 of the UNCRC requirements (as incorporated).

Article 31 (Rest and leisure, Play and recreational activities, and to participate in cultural life and the arts)

The JTP plans to support and align with the Greener Grangemouth Programme, which incorporates the focus to develop a greener town centre. Within this work is an intention to enable the development and renovation of recreational areas in the town that will facilitate outdoor play and recreation by children. It has therefore been assessed that the JTP is expected to have a positive impact on this Article.

9. If a negative impact has been identified please describe it below. Is there a risk this could potentially amount to an incompatibility?

At present, there is no expectation of the JTP to have a negative impact on children’s rights and wellbeing. Several of the actions and outcomes are focused on fair work, skills development, environmental quality and community empowerment. These actions are anticipated to contribute towards improved mental and physical health for children, greater workplace inclusion and higher employment rates for young people (16- and 17-year-olds), support for children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and a reduced demand on public services such as healthcare and welfare. All of which is anticipated to improve the quality of life and access to opportunities for children in the Grangemouth area, particularly in areas affected by socio-economic vulnerability.

Mitigation Record

As part of drafting the JTP the Scottish Government have considered a ‘do nothing’ approach. Under this option, the JTP would not be developed, and Grangemouth would continue to operate as it has been as defined in the baseline outline in Annex A in the JTP. It is likely that some activity in Grangemouth would continue but fail to deliver at a similar scale/benefit, as the Industrial Cluster would lack the level of co-ordination and planning that the JTP aims to instruct. Therefore, it is highly likely that a level of unforeseen consequences would occur, particularly for consumers in the workforce and community, as well as for children and young people

Issue or risk identified and relevant UNCRC requirement

The inherent risk to pursuing a ‘do nothing’ scenario would be that that individual sector, local, and national policies would continue to progress/operate but without there being a coordinated, comprehensive approach to enabling a just transition for the area. In addition, the integration of a Just Transition Plan for Grangemouth would remain unachieved.

It is anticipated that pursuing a ‘do nothing’ scenario would have a neutral effect on the anticipated positive impacts (identified above) which the JTP is assessed as producing in relation to Articles 27, 28, 29, 2, 12, and 31 of the UNCRC requirements (as incorporated into Scots law).

Action Taken

The Scottish Government decided not to pursue a ‘do nothing’ scenario.

Date Action was Taken

December 2021.

10. As a result of the evidence gathered and analysed against all wellbeing indicators (Annex 2), will the proposal contribute to the wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland?

The proposal is expected to positively contribute to the wellbeing of children and young people in the local area. As demonstrated above, a children’s rights-based approach has been considered as part of the process of developing the JTP through actions and outcomes that support children’s health, equitable access to employment, and support for disadvantaged socio-economic groups.

Safe: Not Applicable

Healthy: Yes

Achieving: Yes

Nurtured: Not Applicable

Active: Yes

Respected: Yes

Responsible: Not Applicable

Included: Yes

If yes, please provide an explanation below:

Healthy

The JTP proposes actions that have the ability to improve transport connectivity and enhance STEM skills among the workforce. The JTP plans to increase the visibility, pace and ambition of the Greener Grangemouth Programme, which incorporates the focus to develop a greener town centre. It is anticipated that this programme will enable the creation of outdoor spaces that will facilitate outdoor play and recreation. Community engagement is planned to continue, alongside the action to fund a Community Engagement and Participation Manager, which can enhance representation of local people in the decision-making process for Grangemouth’s future. It has therefore been assessed that the JTP is expected to have a positive impact on this Indicator.

Achieving

The JTP proposes the action to co-ordinate and develop existing STEM outreach programmes to maximise impact. This programme plans to work with partners to highlight career opportunities, learning/skills pathways into STEM, and future jobs. This is expected to result in greater workplace inclusion and higher employment rates for young people (16- and 17-year-olds). It has therefore been assessed that the JTP is expected to have a positive impact on this Indicator.

Active

The JTP plans to increase the visibility, pace and ambition of the Greener Grangemouth Programme, which incorporates the focus to develop a greener town centre. It is anticipated that this programme will enable the creation of outdoor spaces that will facilitate outdoor play and recreation. It has therefore been assessed that the JTP is expected to have a positive impact on this Indicator.

Respected

Engagement has taken place with S5 & S6 school pupils, in addition to separate consultation with parents. Community engagement is planned to continue, alongside the action to fund a Community Engagement and Participation Manager that will enhance representation of local people in the decision-making process for Grangemouth’s future. It has therefore been assessed that the JTP is expected to have a positive impact on this Indicator.

Included

The JTP actions are expected to support overcoming inequalities. As per the ToC developed for this assessment, actions such as the STEM outreach programme and a transport improvement plan can support “children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds receiving better support contributing to community wealth building, positively impacting wellbeing.” It has therefore been assessed that the JTP is expected to have a positive impact on this Indicator.

11. How will you communicate to children and young people the impact that the proposal will have on their rights?

The Scottish Government’s commitment to continued engagement with stakeholder groups will form the basis for an evolved understanding of impacts on children and young people. Engagement is planned to take place through regular meetings with GFIB members and engagement with the local community. The Community Engagement and Participation Manager will support this to ensure that there is a conduit between the local community voices and the decision-making structure within GFIB.

The Plan also outlines a robust monitoring and evaluation framework that embeds a process of continual assessment and reportage every two years.

Further engagement could be sought via the Scottish Youth Parliament, and further through our proposed outreach and engagement with local schools.