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.

This Publication sets out the law as it is now, the reasons it should change, and the changes we'd like to see:

Prioritising Sibling Relationships for Looked After Children, by Fiona Jones, Clan Childlaw with Dr Christine Jones, February 2018

Find out more about:

Supreme Court case ABC v Principal Reporter and another

The Stand Up for Siblings coalition - we are a founding partner in Stand Up for Siblings, a Scotland-wide partnership aimed at improving and changing legislation, policy and practice www.standupforsiblings.co.uk

Legal Help from our solicitors for children and young people to achieve contact with brothers and sisters

Our policy work on sibling contact

PODCASTS:

Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People's Commissioner, on children's rights and the importance of looked-after children's sibling relationships

Lucy Frazer, Clan Childlaw solicitor, on how lawyers can help children and young people with sibling contact

Latest

Supreme Court upholds vital protections for victims of human trafficking
Open and ready to help

In the next few weeks we will be here to listen, to explain things, answer your questions and help you figure things out. Where we can’t help we will do all we can to direct children and young people to other services.
Coronavirus update

Clan Childlaw to continue to support children and young people but suspend face-to-face meetings and training.
Petitioner asserting de facto parental relationship with nephews successfully challenges refusal of leave to appeal

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