World Children’s Day is Thursday, 20 November - Mary Glasgow talks about what this means for Scotland’s children
Eighteen months ago, children’s rights defenders across Scotland were lauding another historic moment for children’s rights, as the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 came into full effect.
At Children First, we are proud to have played a leading role alongside many partners and supporters in driving progress, from protecting children from physical punishment to developing a model of Bairns Hoose rooted in the voices of children with experience of violence and abuse.
This World Children’s Day, there is no doubt that, for other countries looking for inspiration in their fight for children’s rights Scotland will appear to be a beacon of progressive policy and legislation.
The theme for this year’s World Children’s Day is based around article 12 of the UNCRC – the right of the child to be heard. It’s about children speaking up about their rights. It’s about giving children and young people the space to share their experiences, hopes and ideas. Most importantly it’s about ensuring adults truly listen, take children seriously and act to secure their rights.
It’s time we listened to Scotland’s children
At Children First, we’ve been gathering children and young people’s views, hopes and experiences to develop our new strategic priorities (to be published in April) and to inform our manifesto for the Holyrood elections in May. Sadly, but not unsurprisingly, their feedback highlights the enormous gulf between the policy/legislation designed to keep them safe and the reality of children and young people’s experiences of growing up in Scotland today.
Six-year-old Euan, whose brother is in care, said: “I would like to spend more time with my brother and for families to be closer to each other.”
Ten-year-old Liam said: “I worry about people staying safe in their homes, sometimes people come and cause fights and this is really frightening.”
One group of young people told us: “Social media is a worry because no one knows what is real, photos are edited… as a teenager or young child it’s impossible to know what’s real.”
The families we support share similar views. They tell us it’s harder to get the advice they need to look after their babies during their crucial early years of development, more difficult to get help for their children with school and impossible to get the support their teenagers need with their mental health.
With new and emerging harms online, it’s little wonder that most people, including children and young people believe growing up in Scotland is worse now than in the past.
Standing up for children’s right means taking action now
This World Children’s Day we’re calling on all adults in Scotland to take what children are telling us seriously. We’re asking everyone to stand up for children’s rights, recognise that Scotland now faces a national childhood emergency and respond immediately.
We know, from more than 140 years' experience of supporting children and their families, that Scotland can end the childhood emergency. The hopes and dreams that children and young people shared with us aren’t beyond Scotland’s reach.
Hopes like those of, seven-year-old James who said: “I want to be a happy boy.”
Or dreams like, eight-year-old Kieran who said: “When I grow up, I want to be a builder. I want to build houses for homeless people. “
And most importantly one group of young people who said: “It would help if social workers, politicians and other people in charge were honest. Just be honest!”
Becoming a beacon of children’s rights
So, this World Children’s Day let’s listen to children and be honest. Scotland has all the tools and resources it needs to deliver the hopes and realise the dreams of every child who wants a safe, bright childhood, but we are not there yet. Our manifesto for the Scottish Parliament sets out the six most urgent commitments that the next Scottish Government must fulfil to narrow the implementation gap between policy and practice:
- Delivering a comprehensive offer of whole family support.
- Delivering a high quality, consistent Bairns Hoose.
- Taking urgent action to tackle online harm and protect the right to a safe childhood.
- Increasing the Scottish Child Payment.
- Meeting the child poverty targets.
- Keeping the Promise.
At Children First, we will do everything in our power to realise these commitments, but we cannot do it alone. By working together, the Scottish Government, parliament, local authorities, third sector, professionals, partners and supporters can deliver the change that children so desperately want and need. Together we can make Scotland a beacon of children’s rights, where it matters most - in the day to day life of every one of our babies, children and young people.
Mary Glasgow is chief executive of Children First.
