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Children in Scotland
Children in Scotland is Scotland's national agency for organisations and professionals working with and for children, young people and their families. It exists to identify and promote the interests of children and their families and to ensure that policies, services and other provisions are of the highest possible quality and are able to meet the needs of a diverse society. Children in Scotland represents over 400 members, including all major voluntary, statutory and private children's agencies, professional organisations, as well as many other smaller community groups and children's services. It is linked with similar agencies in other parts of the UK and the European Union. The work of Children in Scotland encompasses extensive information, policy, research and practice development programmes. The agency works closely with MSPs, the Scottish Executive, local authorities and practitioners. It also services a number of groups such as: the Cross Party Parliamentary Group on Children and Young People; the National Children's Voluntary Forum; the National Early Years Forum and the Additional Support Needs Network. Children in Scotland also hosts Enquire, the advice service for additional support for learning.
The report
This report details the group events carried out with children and young people. The work was carried out independently on behalf of the Scottish Executive. The views expressed are those of the children and young people who took part. They do not represent Children in Scotland's views in relation to the consultation paper Getting it Right for Every Child - Proposals for Action.
Key points
1. Children and young people fully support the Executive's vision of a work force working together to help children and young people who are having problems.
2. One structure does not fit all, children and young people have diverse strengths and weaknesses. There needs to be a number of options in all services.
3. For children and young people to be able to say what they think, structures need to change. Children and young people want to have one adult that they know and trust as their contact point.
4. Children and young people are not comfortable talking to groups of unknown adults.
5. Children and young people welcome the suggestion of having panel continuity.
6. The proposals on information sharing were supported on the condition that children and young people are involved in decisions over who information is shared with.
7. Children and young people did not value the role of the safeguarder. Young people believed this position should be replaced with an adult who would advocate their views.
8. Children and young people welcomed suggestions to provide information on how the Children's Hearings system works via talks, presentations, video and e-mail, not via leaflets.
9. The idea of involving victims in the Children's Hearings system was not supported.
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