Blog

October 5th 2022

Improving legal support for children and young people in conflict with the law – why it matters and what needs to change

If we are to achieve the fundamental system change required by The Promise and ensure that rights are always respected, then lawyers and legal services for children and young people need to change too.

July 18th 2022

Improving legal support for children in conflict with the law: Emerging Findings

Dr Claire Lightowler shares emerging findings and insights from her work on a scoping study to better understand the legal needs of children and young people in conflict with the law.

May 16th 2022

Continuing Care, implementation, and the gap in rights protection

Legal Policy Manager Katy Nisbet writes about the importance of the right to Continuing Care and considers Clan Childlaw's role in helping children to access their rights.

February 1st 2022

Life without siblings – policy wins and reality losses

Our new Legal Policy Manager Katy Nisbet reflects on why the recent BBC documentary ‘Split Up In Care - Life Without Siblings’ resonated so deeply with her as she settles into her new role at Clan Childlaw.

December 3rd 2021

New guidance on Continuing Care and Welfare Assessments

Together with CELCIS (the Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection) and the Care Inspectorate, we have written a Practice Note to help explain the rights of looked after young people to stay put in positive care placements after they leave care

May 26th 2021

UNCRC in Scotland: What does the UK Government’s legal challenge mean?

Our Legal Policy Manager Janet Cormack explains what has happened so far with UNCRC in Scotland and what could happen next.

May 18th 2021

Brexit and the rights of young people in Scotland

It seems inevitable that a significant number of children and young people will find themselves without legal settled status when the deadline passes on 30 June. They will find themselves ineligible for housing benefits with no right to work, study and live in the UK.

November 30th 2020

Changes to the law on behaviour in childhood and criminal record checks

New laws mean it’s much less likely someone with childhood convictions will have these disclosed when applying for jobs, courses, or volunteer work

September 4th 2020

What changes will the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 make for children and young people?

The Children (Scotland) Act 2020 improves legal protection for children's right to be heard in courts and children's hearings and their right to a family life with their brothers and sisters - this blog explains the changes it will make

April 16th 2020

What changes are there to children’s hearings during Covid-19?

New laws have been put in place for children’s hearings and for looked after children during Covid-19. This blog explains what it means.

April 9th 2020

Who are Clan Childlaw and what has working for them as a trainee for three months been like?

Justice First Fellow and Clan Childlaw trainee Louise Herd blogs about the first three months of her social welfare traineeship

February 10th 2020

Should it be mandatory for judges to explain court decisions to children?

Rebecca Scott, Managing Solicitor at Clan, discusses changes proposed in the Children (Scotland) Bill that would place a duty on courts to ensure decisions are explained to children - and argues it should be judges themselves who speak or write to children

November 28th 2019

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.

September 15th 2019

My time as a Justice First Fellow

Ahead of welcoming another Justice First Fellowship trainee at Clan Childlaw, we take the opportunity to ask our solicitor, Jenna, about her experience as Justice First Fellow.

September 5th 2019

Children (Scotland) Bill & Family Justice Modernisation Strategy published

The Scottish Government published the Children (Scotland) Bill on 2nd September to amend the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and other legislation concerning children, and alongside it a Family Justice Modernisation Strategy - here's a quick overview

August 28th 2019

Reflections on the Street Legal Project

Street Legal's Project Co-ordinator, Rachel Farrier, reflects upon the work of the project and its future expansion.

August 16th 2019

Sibling rights cases reach Supreme Court

Clan Childlaw's client's case is one of two Scottish appeals involving the rights of siblings in the Children’s Hearings System to be heard by the UK Supreme Court later this year.

June 27th 2019

My week’s work experience with the Clan team

Michael Malvenda, who recently completed his LLB at Edinburgh University, spent a week in May on work experience with us after winning our Children's Rights essay competition, organised as part of our 10-year anniversary celebrations. He writes here about his experience.