UNCRC statutory guidance: consultation analysis - child friendly report

Views of children and young people

The 55 children and young people gave their views on different topics.

Awareness of children’s rights

The children and young people who gave feedback had a good understanding of children’s rights and had heard of the UNCRC, but they said that more education about this was needed as not all children knew about it.

They thought that adults also needed to be educated, as they would have to protect children’s rights and help children to ask for their rights.

What public authorities need to know

Children and young people wanted public authorities to know that they must meet children’s rights – it is the law.

Public authorities need to educate themselves, and tell children and young people, their families, and the general public about children’s rights.

If children’s rights are not met, children and young people could lose trust in professionals and in the UNCRC. It would mean that children might not be able do things and would not do as well in life as they could.

Children and young people must be educated about their rights, they want to be involved and have a say.

Identifying where rights are (or are at risk of) not being fulfilled

Children and young people suggested lots of different groups of children who might be more at risk of not having their rights met. They said these children were also the least likely to know about their rights.

So it was important for the Scottish Government to do something about this.

Children and young people also thought it was important for all children to be listened to, which might mean different ways of communicating are needed.

Some were worried that public authorities would be too powerful for children and young people to make a complaint to, and that children might not be confident enough to speak up or have enough knowledge about their rights or what to do.

Ensuring children have effective access to justice

Giving children and young people information was seen as important. They need to know what to do and who to contact if they are worried about their rights not being met.

Children and young people also need information about how to complain, how long it would take, what would happen, and what help they could get. It is important for adults to listen to, trust and believe children and young people.

Reporting requirements for listed public authorities

It’s important for public authorities listed in the Act to write reports about children’s rights. Children and young people agreed that they should be involved in the reporting process and wanted lots of opportunities to get involved.

They also agreed that child friendly reports, made available in lots of different ways, would be important to make sure children can find and understand them.

Reports would also help make sure that listed authorities are doing the right things, and that they do what they say they will.

Inclusive communication and accessible information

Children and young people wanted all communication aimed at them to be age appropriate and use language that is easy to understand.

Lots of different types of information is needed, which is interesting to children and young people.

Schools were seen as very important in educating children and young people about their rights. Parents and carers were also very important, both to educate their children and to make sure public authorities meet their children’s rights.