Offshore Wind Skills Priorities and Action Plan: Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA)

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 assessment shows that the Plan is likely to have a positive overall impact on children’s rights. The Plan helps protect and support children’s rights by seeking to strengthen learning and training pathways for young people who may want to work in the offshore wind sector, encouraging better links between employers, schools, colleges and universities. This supports their right to education. The Plan also aims to widen access to training in different parts of Scotland and to include young people from all backgrounds. This helps remove barriers that may limit access to opportunities that the offshore wind sector has to offer. By supporting access to more secure and skilled jobs in the future, the Plan may also help families. This supports children’s right to an adequate standard of living.

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

No negative impacts on children’s rights have been found. The Plan is a high-level guide that does not create new rules or services that affect children directly. It is therefore considered compatible with the UNCRC requirements.

Mitigation Record

What options have been considered to modify the proposal in order to mitigate a negative impact or potential incompatibility?

Please summarise mitigation actions taken below

Issue or risk identified and relevant UNCRC requirement

N/A

Action Taken/ To Be Taken

N/A

Date action to be taken or was taken

N/A

10. As a result of the evidence gathered and analysed against all wellbeing indicators will the proposal contribute to the wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland? (Guidance Section 2.3.2, pages 20-22).

Safe: Not Applicable

Healthy: Not Applicable

Achieving: Yes

Nurtured: Yes

Active: Not Applicable

Respected: Not Applicable

Responsible: Not Applicable

Included: Yes

If yes, please provide an explanation below:

Achieving - Being supported and guided in learning and in the development of skills, confidence and self-esteem, at home, in school and in the community.

The Plan supports achievement by aiming to help young people to access training and education relevant to jobs in the offshore wind sector. It aims to increase training opportunities and strengthen links between education and industry. This can help young people build the skills and confidence they need for future jobs in the offshore wind sector.

Nurtured - Growing, developing and being cared for in an environment which provides the physical and emotional security, compassion and warmth necessary for healthy growth and to develop resilience and a positive identity.

Given the growth of the offshore wind sector, the Plan may help support more parents and carers into stable jobs. A stable income can support children’s wellbeing by helping families feel safer and more secure. This can help children grow up in a supportive environment that meets their needs.

Included - Having help to overcome inequalities and being accepted as part of their family, school and community.

The Plan supports action to widen access to relevant apprenticeships and training. This helps make sure that opportunities are open to young people from all backgrounds.

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

The Plan is high-level and does not directly impact the rights of children or young people. The Plan will be shared through Scottish Government and partner announcements and media. Organisations involved in the Plan will also share it through their own networks. This general communication may reach young people who are interested in learning or working in offshore wind in the future. The CRWIA will be published so those wishing to read it can do so, and in so far as possible the CRWIA has been written in accessible language so those reading it can understand its content and the potential positive impacts assessed.