National Transitions to Adulthood - strategy for young disabled people: supplementary report

Active Citizenship

Active Citizenship is about more than rights, it is about recognition, inclusion, and voice. For young disabled people, the transition to adulthood must include opportunities to participate fully in society: in decision-making, culture, politics, and community life. This chapter explores how Scotland’s human rights commitments, including the UNCRC and UNCRPD, are being embedded in practice to ensure young disabled people are not only supported, but empowered. It sets out how we are strengthening the legal and policy landscape to uphold dignity, self-determination, and active participation.

What is already happening

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 aims to ensure daily accountability for children’s rights, including the rights of disabled children, across public services. The first Children’s Rights Scheme setting out how Scottish Ministers will comply with the compatibility duty in the UNCRC Act and secure better or further effect of the rights of children was laid before the Scottish Parliament on 20 November 2025, World Children’s Day.

COSLA champion a children’s rights-based approach to policymaking, ensuring children’s voices are at the heart of decision making and ensuring services reflect their views and experiences. COSLA also support with training for elected members and promote awareness raising to strengthen understanding of children’s rights across local government. COSLA also regularly engage with partner organisations to help support consistent application of UNCRC principles across Scotland.

Scottish Government published a discussion paper on proposals for a new Human Rights Bill for Scotland in July 2025. The Scottish Government are also continuing to develop proposals for a Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill. The Scottish Government intends to introduce these Bills in the 2026-2031 Parliamentary session, subject to the outcome of the 2026 election.

The Scottish Government Disability Equality Plan launched on 20 June 2025, marking a significant milestone in the journey to a fairer and more equal Scotland. The Disability Equality Plan is grounded in the social model of disability, recognising societal, structural, and attitudinal barriers disabled people face. The development of the Plan has been shaped by collaboration with Disabled People-Led Organisations and outlines targeted actions to ensure disabled people are involved in shaping policy and decision-making. In 2025/26 Scottish Government are investing £2.5 million to support the delivery of the Plan and improve outcomes for disabled people across Scotland.

What else Scottish Government will do

• Encourage the voices and lived experiences of young disabled people being heard as part of the annual children and young people’s Cabinet Takeover. The Scottish Government facilitates this as part of the UNCRC implementation programme.
• Further, we have committed in the Disability Equality Plan to establish a Disabled People’s annual takeover of Cabinet and Scottish Government’s Executive Team. We will facilitate the involvement of young disabled people and the organisations who support them in this forum to speak directly to Ministers about their ongoing experiences of transitions to adulthood and the issues that affect them.
• Develop a disability competence learning programme to provide policy makers and leaders with the knowledge, skills and experience needed to ensure policies and practices will have a positive impact on disabled people’s lives in 2025 - 2026. Information on young disabled people and transitions will form an important part of the programme.
• Introduce a new Learning Disability Support Fund from October 2025. This fund will be available to third sector organisations to enable them to promote equality and inclusion and improve access to health services and social activities for people with learning disabilities.