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

Radio programme tonight about brothers and sisters separated in care

Tune in 8pm tonight, 14th January, for BBC Radio 4’s ‘File on 4’ programme on Separated Siblings. Clan Childlaw contributed to the programme.
Claire Osborne

Solicitor
Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 - from 29th November under 12s can no longer be referred to Hearings on offence grounds

From 29th November 2019, children who commit an offence when aged under 12 will no longer be able to be referred to a Children’s Hearing on offence grounds. They can only be referred on care and protection grounds.
Clan Childlaw wins Pro-Bono Award at The Herald Law Awards of Scotland 2019

We are delighted to have won the Pro-Bono award sponsored by the Law Society of Scotland at The Herald Law Awards on Wednesday 27th November.

Radio programme tonight about brothers and sisters separated in care

Tune in 8pm tonight, 14th January, for BBC Radio 4’s ‘File on 4’ programme on Separated Siblings. Clan Childlaw contributed to the programme.
Clan Childlaw wins Pro-Bono Award at The Herald Law Awards of Scotland 2019

We are delighted to have won the Pro-Bono award sponsored by the Law Society of Scotland at The Herald Law Awards on Wednesday 27th November.
Sibling Rights Cases in relation to Children's Hearings to be heard in the Supreme Court on 13th and 14th November 2019

The Supreme Court Hearing in two cases on sibling rights in Children's Hearings will be heard today and tomorrow. We are instructed by ABC - read our press release here.
Stand Up for Siblings wins Herald Society Partnership award

On Wednesday 6th November, Stand Up for Siblings was awarded with the Partnership award at the Herald Society Awards 2019.
This Friday: launch of the Street Legal project - come along!

Clan Childlaw and Shelter Scotland are hosting a launch event for the new Street Legal Project
Launching the Child Law Network!

4th September 2019 - Today Clan Childlaw is excited to launch the Child Law Network, a new resource for anyone interested in Scottish child law.
Event: Using law and the courts to defend people’s rights – recent cases, developments & third sector involvement

We're organising an afternoon seminar with Human Rights Consortium Scotland on 'Using law & courts to defend rights: recent cases & 3rd sector involvement'
UNCRC incorporation in Scotland - our consultation response

28th August 2019 - We are delighted the Scottish Government has committed to incorporating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots law. Read our response to the public consultation.
Supreme Court grants permission to appeal in case concerning sibling rights

27 June 2019 - The United Kingdom Supreme Court has today decided that our client’s application for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court should be allowed. The case relates to sibling rights and contact within the Children’s Hearing System.
Launch of the Care Leavers' Law Service

On 18th June 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.

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
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.
Sibling contact

The law as it currently stands does not allow children and young people to easily address sibling separation and contact, especially care experienced children and young people. We are calling for the law to be changed to prioritise sibling relationships.
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.
Brothers and sisters matter

Brothers and sisters who are looked after by a local authority or are experiencing family separation often need support to stay in contact. Clan Childlaw is working in different ways to help promote sibling contact.

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

What do we do? Podcasts on why Clan Childlaw was set up and the work we do

This year marks 10 years since Clan Childlaw was set up. In these two podcasts our Chief Executive and Principal Solicitor Alison Reid discusses our origins and the work we do. Read more

Launch of the Care Leavers' Law Service

On 18th June 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

UNCRC incorporation in Scotland - our consultation response

28th August 2019 - We are delighted the Scottish Government has committed to incorporating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots law. Read our response to the public consultation. Read more