Children in Scotland has joined with partners to call for action to help young people
Organisations across the children’s sector and beyond have joined Children in Scotland on a milestone anniversary to call for improvements to the lives of children and young people in Scotland.
Children in Scotland has made 25 Calls to mark its 25th anniversary.
The calls include improving mental health support, allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in all elections, greater support for teachers and pupils and topping up Child Benefit by £5 a week.
The number one call reads: “Change the language of poverty: young people deserve dignity, not stigma and discrimination”.
Chosen by young people supported by Glasgow charities PEEK (Possibilities for Each and Every Kid) and the GK Experience, the call is focused on the need to move away from tragic narratives about young people in poorer areas and recognise them and their communities as complex, with both strengths and challenges.
The full list of calls, ranging from specific policy demands to broader calls for cultural change, were unveiled at a campaign launch event and 25th anniversary celebration at the City Arts Centre in Edinburgh this week.
Jackie Brock, chief executive of Children in Scotland, said: “Our calls powerfully reflect the range of concerns amongst young people and those advocating for them in 2018, including the impact of stigma, the need for improved mental health support for children, and why we must recognise that tackling child poverty, abuse and neglect requires a collective effort.
“This campaign marks the extent to which children’s issues have been driven up the Scottish and UK Government’s agendas over the 25 years of our existence – and how continued partnership is the key to delivering on our joint ambitions to improve children’s lives over the next quarter century.”
Contributions to the campaign encompass experts across civil society, members and Children in Scotland partners, and the charity’s staff.
To view the full list of calls, visit the Children in Scotland website.
