UNCRC Strategic Implementation board minutes: December 2022 - Summary

Attendees and apologies

Members of the board

• Michael Chalmers (Chair), Director for Children and Families
• Ben Farrugia, Social Work Scotland
• Chloe Riddell, The Promise Scotland
• Clare Simpson, Parenting Across Scotland
• Des Murray, SOLACE
• Dragan Nastic, UNICEF UK
• Eleanor Kerr, Healthcare Improvement Scotland
• Gayle Gorman, Education Scotland
• Henry Mathias on behalf of Craig Morris, Care Inspectorate
• Katy Kelman on behalf of Kay McCorquodale, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
• Laura Caven, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
• Laura Pasternak, Coalition of Care and Support Providers (CCPS)
• Nicola Russel on behalf of ACC Gary Ritchie, Police Scotland
• Norma Ruettimann, Care and Learning Alliance (CALA)
• Richmond Davies, Public Health Scotland

Scottish Government officials

• Michael Chalmers (Chair), Director for Children and Families
• Amy Kerr, SGLD
• Andrew Preston, UNCRC Programme Assistant
• Carola Eyber, UNCRC Capacity Building Manager
• Gita Sharkey, Joint Unit Head, Children’s Rights Unit
• Liz Levy, Joint Unit Head, Children’s Rights Unit
• Lyndsey Saki, Embedding Children’s Rights in Public Services Programme Lead
• Paul Gorman, Empowered Children and Young People Lead
• Susan Revie, UNCRC Capacity Building Manager
• Eilidh Walker, UNCRC Programme Assistant (minutes)

Apologies

• Angela Leitch, Public Health Scotland
• Craig Morris, Care Inspectorate
• David Wallace, Social Security Scotland
• Gary Ritchie, Police Scotland
• Gina Wilson, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland (CYCPS)
• Jennifer Davidson, Institute for Inspiring Children’s Futures
• Juliet Harris, Together Scotland
• Kay McCorquodale, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
• Michael Cameron, Scottish Housing Regulator
• Gayle Devlin, Social Security Scotland
• Dean Snape, UNCRC Project Manager

Items and actions

What is the Strategic Implementation Board?

The Strategic Implementation Board (or SIB, for short) is a group of people that meet every month.

They support the Government to make the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) part of Scots law.

They put in place support for organisations, children and young people and their families to help ensure that children’s rights are made real. They discuss if the work is on track and help to resolve any problems in trying to make this happen.

There are people on the SIB from Police, Education, Health, Social Work, children’s rights organisations, and the Scottish Government.

What was discussed at this meeting?

Progress with the Bill

Members were told that discussions between the Scottish Government and the UK Government on changes to the Bill were at a very important stage. These discussions focus on the areas of the Bill identified by the Supreme Court as needing to be addressed.

It is not yet possible to provide a timescale for when the Bill will be brought back to Parliament.

Support for public authorities

Members were told that when the Bill is passed, the Scottish Government will provide guidance to support public authorities to develop a children’s rights-based approach.

An organisation called the Improvement Service will provide training and support for local authorities.

The Scottish Government want to ensure that all public authority workers are taking a children’s rights-based approach. To support this, a framework will be developed to help workers bring children’s rights into their everyday work.

Programme update for public authorities

Members were told that the Children’s Rights Unit issues a newsletter to over 800 people and organisations. The newsletter includes updates on the Bill, shares new UNCRC resources and highlights examples of good practice in children’s rights.

The next edition of the newsletter will be shared in January 2023.

Stories of children’s rights in action

Members were reminded of a previous meeting where the importance of sharing stories about how children’s rights influence policy decisions was discussed.

The SIB agreed that collecting and sharing more of these stories would be helpful and will consider how this can be taken forward.

Plans for the final consortium

Members were reminded that an Action Plan published by the Scottish Government in November 2022 included a commitment to create a Children and Young People’s Consortium to support participation in decision-making.

The SIB were told about new plans to take this work forward. The Consortium will support people working in the Scottish Government to involve children and young people in decision-making.

Next meeting

The next meeting of the SIB will be held on Tuesday 24 January 2023.