Children’s Rights in Scotland: Using the law to advance policy – Project Report

Read our recent Project Report on our project “Children’s Rights in Scotland: Using the law to advance policy”, which is funded by the Baring Foundation’s Strengthening the Voluntary Sector Programme. The report looks at the project over the 2016-17 grant period. The grant provided a resource for the Strategic Litigation Group Clan Childlaw has coordinated since 2012.

We are delighted to have continuing support from the STVS programme to continue the project until 2020.

Project: Children’s Rights in Scotland: Using the law to advance policy

Latest

Consultation Responses & Parliamentary Evidence

Click here to find public consultation responses and evidence provided by our team to the Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament and UK Parliament
Incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill, currently before Scottish Parliament, would 'fully and directly' bring the UNCRC into Scots law. The legislation would mean public authorities and the law must respect and protect UNCRC rights.
What changes will the Children (Scotland) Bill make for children and young people?

The Scottish Parliament passed the Children (Scotland) Bill on 25th August 2020. Read about what is means here.
Have evictions been banned during Coronavirus? No.

3rd September 2020: Find out what you need to know about tenancies and evictions during Covid-19

Have evictions been banned during Coronavirus? No.

3rd September 2020: Find out what you need to know about tenancies and evictions during Covid-19
Clan Childlaw welcomes important new legal protections for siblings passed by the Scottish Parliament today

25th August 2020: Today the Scottish Parliament passed the Children (Scotland) Bill, an important step forward for children's rights and legal protection for children's sibling relationships.
Clan Childlaw calls for participation rights for brothers and sisters in Children’s Hearings in the Children (Scotland) Bill

We are supportive of proposed amendments to the Children (Scotland) Bill. Stage 3 proceedings will take place in the Scottish Parliament on 25th August.
Brothers and Sisters in Children's Hearings - What did the Supreme Court decide? Panel Discussion took place 21st July

Lucy Frazer and Alison Reid from Clan Childlaw were joined by Lynda Brabender QC who represented ABC in the Supreme Court for a Child Law Network panel discussion exploring what the decision means for young people who would like to be part of children’s hearings being held for their brothers and sisters.
New Webinars and Toolkits on legal issues affecting children and young people

We've launched a series of recorded presentations and toolkits on legal issues our solicitors are helping care experienced children and young people with during the Covid-19 pandemic. The resources are free to download and explain the law, how to recognise when there's a legal issue, and steps to take to assert rights.
Press Release – Children’s Hearings held to be compatible with Human Rights in relation to brothers and sisters

18th June 2020: The Supreme Court today published its judgment in relation to Clan Childlaw’s leading case involving the rights of brothers and sisters in children’s hearings. Read our response to the judgment here.
Housing Law Response Project - Covid 19

Young people in Scotland can now get free expert legal advice to tackle homelessness from Clan Childlaw’s new Housing Law Response Project.
Research examining rights of children to participate in family law cases published

The research led by Prof. Kay Tisdall and Dr Fiona Morrison in which Clan Childlaw participated found a number of barriers and challenges to children’s participation in family proceedings in Scotland.
Urgent Housing Advice - Covid-19

If you need somewhere to live or are worried that you might become homeless, contact us for help. We can provide housing and homelessness advice.
Urgent Homelessness Advice - Covid 19

If you need somewhere to live or are worried that you might become homeless contact us for help.

What we do
Law student essay competition

To mark our 10-year anniversary, we asked law students around Scotland: What is the biggest children’s rights issue in Scotland and how can the law be used to resolve it? Congratulations to winner Michael Malvenda!
Child law case summaries

Summaries of cases undertaken by Clan Childlaw.
Legal Training

Our specialist training ensures you have a good working knowledge of Scottish child law in action, providing essential understanding to help you achieve positive outcomes for your clients.
Alison Reid

Principal Solicitor and Chief Executive
Sibling rights

We have long called for the law to be changed to prioritise care experienced children and young people's sibling relationships and are delighted that these changes were recently passed by the Scottish Parliament
Get legal help for a child or young person

Information for professionals, support, advocacy, and advice workers or foster carers seeking help with the law or a legal problem for a child or young person they are working with. You will find frequently asked questions, case studies and other information on this page.
Clan at 10

Events & Fundraising marking our 10th anniversary
A-Z resource library

Comprehensive library of material relating to children and young people's rights. This is reference point for all legal questions and problems children and young people might have.
Volunteer

Legal Training

Our specialist training ensures you have a good working knowledge of Scottish child law in action, providing essential understanding to help you achieve positive outcomes for your clients. Read more

Launch of the Care Leavers' Law Service

On 18th June 2019 we welcomed nearly 100 colleagues from across the sector to the Lighthouse in Glasgow for an engagement and launch event for our new Care Leavers’ Law Service, a 5-year, Scotland-wide project funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. Read more