Effective community engagement in local development planning guidance: child rights and wellbeing impact assessment

Responding to the evidence cited

Access to information

In 2019, almost all (99%) adults aged 16-24 reported using the internet (Scottish household survey 2019: annual report (2020)).

• This suggests that young people will be comfortable in accessing information provided on-line, as such the guidance being provided on-line should be accessible to young people.

Involvement in decision making

The majority of young people feel they should be involved in planning in their local area and that their local councils should look at ways to support children and young people to do this. (Planning Review: Young Scot survey results (2017)).

• This suggests that where opportunities are provided for engagement of children and young people, there is a good likelihood that they will want to engage, that apathy may be low.

There is some evidence that indicates that ‘young people were least likely to be supported to participate in decision-making around transport, housing and regeneration of their local area’ (Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making: UK 2022 Survey Report). That trend was not thought to have shifted since 2010.

It was thought there is opportunity for young people to be involved at all levels of decision making, with that showing a positive change since 2010 (Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making: UK 2022 Survey Report).

• This suggests that there is organisational receptiveness to enhancing engagement opportunities for children and young people, which the guidance supports, and also opportunities to extend the reach of issues in which children and young people are engaged. Given the breadth of topics addressed by the planning system, the guidance is a good opportunity to extend the reach of influence of children and young people.

On islands, 42% of younger people (aged 18 to 35) compared to 30% of older people (aged 66 and over) report that they can influence decisions made by community organisations such as Development Trusts and community groups. (National Islands Plan Survey Final Report (2021)).

• This suggests that in island communities the guidance may reinforce opportunities and uptake of opportunities for engagement of young people.

The Young People and the Highlands and Islands: Maximising Opportunities (2018) noted levels of community participation varied by geography, with the highest levels reported by young people in Orkney (81%), Shetland (72%) and the Outer Hebrides (70%).

• This suggests that in island communities the guidance may reinforce opportunities and uptake of opportunities for engagement of young people.

Children and young people want their views to be heard and to make a meaningful contribution to making things better. Involving young people in decision-making requires supporting them to take meaningful, responsible, age-appropriate roles, working in co-operation with professionals and parents/carers. Participation in civic engagement groups has been found to be associated with increased confidence and mental wellbeing as well as positive health and wellbeing outcomes for children and adolescents. Involving people in decision making can further improve service and policy design to meet the needs of young people, leading to longer term positive impacts. (Child and adolescent health and wellbeing: evidence review (2018))

• This suggests that there is desire for enhanced engagement with children and young people, it can improve their wellbeing, and that they need to be supported in their engagement. The guidance supports opportunities for engagement of children and young people, in finalised form it also highlights connections with Community Learning and Development professionals, as well as using the engagement on LDPs to improve participants’ knowledge about the planning system.

There is some evidence to show ‘that general support for young people’s participation in decision-making has improved at an organisational level’ (Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making: UK 2022 Survey Report).

• This suggests that there is organisational receptiveness to enhancing engagement opportunities for children and young people, which the guidance supports.

This is also reflected in peer research which noted that children and young people want to be involved in decisions about the places they live (Health Inequalities: Peer Research into the role of communities (2020)).

• This suggests that there is desire for enhanced engagement with children and young people.

In consulting on the NPF4 Position Statement, youth engagement was undertaken by Planning Aid Scotland and the National Planning Framework 4: Position Statement, Youth engagement Report (2021) was published. In relation to empowering places, comments included having community groups, spaces and events that are noticeable and inviting for all people and having people around including through clubs, groups and organisations helps people feel connected to the wider community. Whilst the ECEG is not intended to consider particular methods of engagement, it does highlight particular groups of people who should be engaged with.

• This suggests that the methods of and resources for engagement is important. While the guidance isn’t about methods, resources, or funding, the guidance in its final form further highlights the importance of methods.

The Draft NPF4 Integrated Impact Assessment for the Draft NPF4 recognised that certain factors disproportionately impact people due to a protected characteristic and considered that this would be reflected in the ECEG (Scotland 2045: fourth National Planning Framework – draft: society and equalities impact assessment (2021)).

• The evidence suggests that there are barriers and that an intersectional barrier is likely to be experienced by disabled children and young people. The guidance highlights children, young people, and disabled people, and that appropriate methods of engagement need to be deployed.

In terms of participation in the planning system, the analysis of responses by stakeholders to both the NPF4 Position Statement (NPF4 Position Statement analysis of responses) and the Draft NPF4 (Draft NPF4 analysis of responses) point towards desire for improved engagement with children and young people.

• This suggests that where opportunities are provided for engagement of children and young people, there is a good likelihood that they will want to engage, that apathy may be low.

Barriers to engagement and excluded groups

Young people, older people, those who are digitally excluded, women, those from more deprived communities, disabled people, racialised minorities, people with first languages that are not English, and people without time to read and respond to lengthy documents, were identified as groups likely to have difficulty engaging with planning system (Our Fourth National Planning Framework, Analysis of Responses to the Consultation Exercise (2022)).

• This suggests that there is desire for enhanced engagement with children and young people and that the methods of and resources for engagement is important.

Other evidence, (Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making: UK 2022 Survey Report), indicates there are fewer organisations supporting young people from the following groups to engage:

• Gypsy, Traveller, Roma;
• parents;
• asylum seekers;
• people with criminal justice system experience; and
• people with experience of homelessness.

This suggests that there is desire for enhanced engagement with children and young people but that they may benefit from support to engage. The finalised guidance also highlights connections with Community Learning and Development professionals, as well as using the engagement on LDPs to improve participants’ knowledge about the planning system.

Language barriers, lack of confidence and dominant characters can discriminate against some people during community engagement, specifically women, racialised minority groups, young and old people, and people with disabilities (‘Hard to reach’ or ‘easy to ignore’? Promoting equality in community engagement – Evidence review | What Works Scotland (2017)).

• This suggests that the methods of and resources for engagement is important. While the guidance isn’t about methods, resources, or funding, the guidance in its final form further highlights the importance of methods.

English language skills for Gypsy/Travellers aged 3 and over were generally lower than for the population as a whole. (Gypsy/Travellers in Scotland - A Comprehensive Analysis of the 2011 Census (2015)).

• This suggests that the methods of and resources for engagement is important. While the guidance isn’t about methods, resources, or funding, the guidance in its final form further highlights the importance of methods.

Health and wellbeing

Participation in positive activities has been shown to improve psychological wellbeing, self-perception and self-esteem, and skills development. Volunteering also has wider benefits, strengthening community cohesion and public services, which in turn act as protective factors for young people's health and wellbeing. (Child and adolescent health and wellbeing: evidence review (2018)).

• This suggests that opportunities for engagement in LDP-making could support young peoples’ health and wellbeing.

Influence of involvement in decisions

Around six in ten of young people surveyed (58%) agreed that adults were good at taking their views into account when making decisions that affect them. This was an increase from 2017, when 53% agreed. Of note:

• boys were more positive on both questions;
• older children, for example pupils in S6, were more negative; and
• respondents with a mental or physical health condition were less positive.

(Young people's participation in decision making: attitudes and perceptions (2020)).

• This suggests that when young people are engaged, they feel that their views will be considered, but that this feeling declines with age and presence of health conditions. The guidance may be a means for reinforcing engagement being influential beyond younger age and health condition.

Democracy matters to children (2019) noted that children’s ‘…paths to meaningful involvement in decision-making are currently limited and many children have limited or no experience of participation in democratic processes.’ A number of local issues were identified as ones which children wanted to have a say in – this included planning and the built environment. There is some evidence of skills, confidence and disenfranchisement being barriers to young people’s engagement, as well as issues around working through gatekeepers, organisations, and the location of organisations.

• This suggests that there is scope for broadening opportunities for engagement of children and young people and the reach of issues in which children and young people are engaged. Given the breadth of topics addressed by the planning system, the guidance is a good opportunity to extend the reach of influence of children and young people.
• It also suggests that using the LDP engagement as a learning opportunity about the planning system could help enhance skills and confidence to engage. The guidance could help inform people of the opportunities available to them, thus helping to overcome disenfranchisement.

There is some evidence that fewer disabled young people agreed that adults were good at taking their views into account than non-disabled young people in 2019 (54% vs 62%) (National Performance Framework - disability perspective: analysis (2021)).

• This suggests that there is room for greater transparency in how views have been considered.

In relation to NPF4, comments included that there should be more of a focus of engagement in the planning system on children and young people, recognising statutory duties (Fourth National Planning Framework Position Statement, Analysis of Responses to the Consultation (2021)).

• This suggests that there is desire for enhanced engagement with children and young people.

There is some evidence that girls and young women are increasingly making their voice heard about issues (76% in 2023, 61% in 2018) (Girls’ Attitudes Survey 2023).

• This suggests that where opportunities are provided for engagement of children and young people, there is a good likelihood that they will want to engage, that apathy may be low.

Improving engagement opportunities

Recommendations include that there should be more opportunities for young Gypsy/Travellers to take part in decision making and have their voices heard (Young Gypsy/Travellers Discuss the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child - Children and Young People’s Evidence Bank (2018)).

• This suggests it is appropriate for the guidance to highlight engagement with this group.

A commitment to better and more meaningful engagement between Government and children and young people is sought (Scot Youth and COVID 2: Young People’s Participation Through Crisis - The Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland (2021)).

• This suggests that there is desire for enhanced engagement with children and young people. The guidance in finalised form includes enhanced content relating to accountability. The guidance is clear that appropriate methods of engagement should be pursued.

Solutions for young people’s engagement included:

• flexibility in the method of engagement;
• improved relationships with young people, including supporting the needs of individuals;
• addressing physical and practical barriers; and
• ‘going to young people’ including partnership working with organisations and creating groups locally.

(Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making: UK 2022 Survey Report)

• This suggests that the methods of, and resources for, engagement are important. While the guidance isn’t about methods, resources, or funding, the guidance in its final form further highlights the importance of methods.

Some organisations felt that funding was key to support engagement work with young people but other ideas included legal requirements for young people’s participation; training and capacity building, and champions (Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making: UK 2022 Survey Report).

• This suggests that the methods of, and resources for, engagement are important. Legal requirements for engagement in the planning system are set out in the Planning Act and are not changed by the guidance. While the guidance isn’t about methods, resources, or funding, the guidance in its final form further highlights the importance of methods.

Reporting of young Gypsy/Traveller discussion on rights of the child contains the recommendations of young people with regards to the Concluding Observations published in 2016, and the issues which they feel continue to impact upon their lives, and those of their families, friends, and communities. The recommendations included:

• “We should be consulted about where sites should be”;
• “We should be part of the planning process to allow us to say what type of sites and facilities we want”; and
• “There should be more opportunities for us to take part in decision making and have our voices heard”.

(Young Gypsy/Travellers Discuss the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child - Children and Young People’s Evidence Bank (2018)).

• This suggests that where opportunities are provided for engagement of children and young people, there is a good likelihood that they will want to engage, that apathy may be low.

Evidence from Stakeholders

The Consultation Draft NPF4 asked whether stakeholders agreed that the policy on human rights and equality effectively addressed the need for planning to respect, protect, and fulfil human rights, seek to eliminate discrimination, and promote equity. The analysis of responses (Draft NPF4 analysis of responses) identified support for the principle of promoting human rights and equality across the planning system and included strengthening suggestions. One such theme was a view that change is required to ensure that planning decisions take better account of communities’ views by strengthening planning service resources and skills to deliver meaningful engagement. Other suggestions in relation to the responsibility to consult and engage collaboratively, meaningfully, and proportionately within the planning system included calls for guidance including around approaches to engagement, identification of key stakeholder groups, and provision of examples of proportionality.

• This suggests that where opportunities are provided for engagement of children and young people, there is a good likelihood that they will want to engage, that apathy may be low. The guidance identifies key stakeholder groups, including children and young people, and will help to aid proportionality in establishing expectations for the level of engagement anticipated to occur at different stages of the development planning system.

The Community Engagement Working Group, in the development of the approach, were asked whether they had thoughts on the range of individuals, groups and organisations beyond those listed in planning legislation who could be referenced in the draft guidance. Responses included that reference to women and girls as well as families with young children could be considered.

• The guidance is not intended to be a detailed account of methods, including for particular groups but does point to the need for methods to be appropriate and does highlight inclusion of women, girls, and families with young children in engagement activities.

Other stakeholder discussions about the impact assessments included a few comments on the partial Children’s rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment from three organisations (a young people’s representative organisation, a charity, and an architectural consultancy). Discussions were also held with two equalities organisations who commented on the EQIA more broadly. Although, due to timing of the consultation, a specific question was not included about children’s rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. Discussions noted that often children and young people were relatively unheard and that their distinct inclusion in the guidance was positive and responded to the UN Convention of the Right of the Child, Article 12. The third organisation noted the importance of hearing directly from children and not only through those responsible for them.

• This indicates the importance of the guidance making special and specific references to the inclusion of children and young people, which it continues to do in the finalised form.

In response to Question 6 of the consultation draft guidance, one organisation responded specifically about the partial Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment, to suggest that reference be made to the benefits of greenspace for children.

• This is a thematic aspect which is beyond the scope of what the guidance is intended to do and has not been added to the finalised guidance. However, NPF4 is clear that its Policy 21 (Play recreation and sport) supports and facilitates spaces and opportunities for play, recreation, and sport in our natural and built environments for children and people for all ages.

In response to Question 7 of the consultation draft guidance, issues for children and young people did not feature strongly although it was felt that engagement should include a broad range of people, including young people.

• This supports the guidance in identifying a range of groups of people who may be engaged with, including children and young people.

There was a feeling from a few respondents to the consultation draft guidance that the guidance could be presented more clearly, including in the language used.

• This point on accessibility indicates that the guidance is of interest to people but for some groups the presentation may have been a barrier. In finalising the guidance opportunities to use plain language and include definition of terms have been taken.

In response to Question 8 of the consultation draft guidance, the ‘Girls’ Attitudes Survey 2023’, and ‘Young People’s Participation in Decision Making: UK 2022 Survey Report’ were identified as sources of further information.

• These information sources have been included and considered in the evidence base.

Feedback from Children and Young People

A workshop, designed by the Scottish Youth Parliament in consultation with two Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament and Scottish Government, was held with some Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament, representing their constituents on 11 December 2023. Workshop participants were asked to:

• share views on the barriers and opportunities for engaging with planning in their local area;
• rate how the levels of engagement would make them feel in terms of being part of the process, influential, and valued; and
• discuss whether the levels of engagement were useful for young people’s understanding of planning, how to be involved; and whether that understanding would increase desire to be involved.

A national #WhatsYourTake survey was run by Scottish Youth Parliament from 29 November to 20 December 2023 and included two questions relevant to the ECEG:

• Q13 What are the things that help you or stop you from taking part in making a LDP or in decisions about changes in your area? Multiple choice answers provided:
  • I have knowledge of the planning system;
  • I have knowledge about what LDPs are;
  • I have knowledge about when or how I can take part in making an LDP;
  • I have knowledge of how to make my views known to the council;
  • I can access the information about the LDP provided by the council;
  • I believe my views will be taken seriously;
  • I know/or am part of a group that talks about changes we want to see in the local area and the group makes it known to the council; and
  • the council has informed me when they will consult with children and young people in making the LDP.
• Q14 If you were informed of when and how you could take part in making a LDP and the possible impact of your input, would this help you feel like… multiple choice answers provided:
  • there will be opportunities to be involved;
  • my views will be taken seriously when provided at the right time;
  • I understand the planning process better; and
  • I can take part.

Of the 191 responses to the survey, Q13 received between 147 and 149 responses to the 8 individual multiple choice answers. For Q14, 131 responses were received.

The workshop noted desire for engagement of young people at all stages of the development cycle, and for young people to be treated as equals. Comments were made about the individual levels of engagement, generally positively. Although the framework provided was thought useful if it creates change, it was felt that the presentation and language could be improved to assist understanding. The collaborate level was the one where most positive reaction was given in terms of the group feeling part of the process. Implementation examples were sought as was clarity on the intended audience. It was felt that engagement targeted at specific groups should be designed for them, with a focus on outcomes for that group from the proposals.

The survey indicated over half of the respondents raised lack of knowledge about the planning system and LDP, including how or when to engage in its preparation, stops them engaging. Over half also felt they had not been informed about when the council would be engaging with children and young people as part of making the LDP. Around half were not part of or didn’t know about groups that discuss changes in the local area. Of those survey respondents 41% didn’t know how to make views known to the council and comfortably over a third didn’t feel they could access or were unsure about how to access LDP information provided by the council.

However, there is positivity among survey respondents because in the situation where they were informed about how they could participate and the potential impact of that involvement, over 40% said they could take part and would understand the planning process better. Around half felt their views would be taken seriously if provided at the right time, and 60% felt there would be opportunities for them to be involved.

• This evidence suggests that where opportunities are provided for engagement of children and young people, there is a good likelihood that they will want to engage, that apathy may be low.
• The point on accessibility indicates that the guidance is of interest to people but for some groups the presentation may have been a barrier. In revisions to the guidance opportunities to use plain language and provide definition of terms have been taken.
• In the finalised form the guidance also highlights the potential to use the engagement on LDPs to improve participant knowledge about the planning system.

The 1997 Act requires certain groups to be included in the preparation of LDPs, including children and young people. The Act also sets out how the duties for engagement with children and young people in relation to LDPs should be discharged in the first instance.

Provision of guidance is an option within the Act. The Effective community engagement guidance sets out the levels of engagement that apply to different stages of the planning system and identifies groups of people to be included in engagement. This responds to the statutory requirements and groups identified through preparation of the guidance, and responses offered during consultation on the draft guidance. The guidance applies to anyone involved or who wants to be involved in the process of preparing a LDP. The choice to provide the guidance at this time and the approach set out is considered to help support expectations around engagement, and to help engagement undertaken by all groups, including children and young people and disabled people, to be effective.

What changes (if any) have been made to the proposal as a result of this assessment?

Early contribution of the Community Engagement Working Group helped shape the overall approach to the guidance and led to the highlighting of women and girls as well as families with young children within the breadth of stakeholders who may be included in engagement on LDPs.

The draft guidance included within the stages of making a LDP where children and young people would need to be engaged with as required by the Planning Act, and in response to the evidence identified to inform the draft guidance.

The engagement responses and additional evidence don’t change the overall approach to the guidance, which is about setting a high-level framework for how planning authorities can meet their engagement requirements when making LDPs and the influence people can expect from that engagement on the LDP process. However, the themes emerging have been considered in finalising the guidance. Points raised about inclusion and exclusion of young people have been noted. The guidance is in part about reinforcing/fulfilling rights for engagement within the Planning Act and the comments made serve to reinforce the importance of that purpose. Reference to the link between engagement in LDPs and fulfilling, respecting, and putting into practice children’s rights has been included in the final draft to strengthen the importance and purpose of engagement beyond outcomes for the LDP. The guidance in final form has additionally highlighted that attention should be paid to methods of engagement that can help overcome barriers to engagement faced by children and young people, including Gypsy/Travellers, those who are disabled, and those who do not have English as a first language.

Clarifications have been made throughout and plain language has been used to improve the accessibility of the guidance as a result of the feedback from respondents to the consultation draft and workshop with Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament. The guidance has also been restructured to help people understand what it is about, who is it for and how it is put into practice.

Conclusion

As a result of the evidence gathered and analysed against all UNCRC requirements, what is the potential overall impact of this proposal on children’s rights?

Children’s Rights

Positive X

Negative

Neutral

No impact

If you have identified a positive impact on children’s rights, please describe below how the proposal will protect, respect, and fulfil children’s rights in Scotland.

The guidance responds positively to desire for inclusion of children and young people within the process of the preparation of LDPs, in so far as the guidance is able to do given its status and purpose. The guidance has been enhanced in its final form to reinforce to those responsible for engagement activity the importance of considering appropriate methods and addressing potential barriers, including intersectional barriers, for children and young people.

Each relevant UNCRC Article is addressed below:

Article 3 ‘Best Interests of the Child’

• The guidance indirectly helps the Scottish Government and local authorities fulfil their obligations towards the best interest of the child being a primary consideration in the preparation of LDPs through ensuring children and young people are heard as part of the process, which enables consideration of how future places will respond to needs expressed by children.

Article 12 ‘Respect for the Views of the Child’

• The guidance directly helps the Scottish Government and local authorities fulfil children’s and young peoples’ right to freely express their views in matters that affect them. Place affects children and the guidance helps to ensure children and young people are heard, and that their views are being taken seriously as part of the process of preparing LDPs, which are about the future of places.

Article 13 ‘Freedom of expression’

• The guidance indirectly helps the Scottish Government and local authorities fulfil children’s right to freedom of expression and imparting information as the guidance helps to ensure children and young people are supported to express their views and be heard as part of the process of preparing LDPs, which are about the future of places. The guidance is clear that the methods for engagement identified should be appropriate to those being engaged, including children and young people.

Article 23 ‘Children with a Disability’

• The guidance indirectly helps the Scottish Government and local authorities fulfil the provision for conditions suitable for disabled children that facilitate their active participation in the community, as the guidance helps to ensure children and young people are heard as part of the process of preparing LDPs which are about the future of places. In finalised form the guidance is clear that particular attention should be given to engagement methods which will help to overcome barriers to engagement, in particular barriers faced by young disabled people.

Direct and Indirect Impact

Directly the guidance supports the right for children to express their views and those views being given weight.

Indirectly the guidance helps implement articles that support: acting in the best interests of the child through hearing children’s and young peoples’ voices; the right for children to seek, receive and impart information, and facilitation of disabled children’s participation in the community.

If a negative impact has been identified, please describe below. Is there a risk this could potentially amount to an incompatibility?

N/A

Mitigation Record

What options have been considered to modify the proposal in order to mitigate negative impact or potential incompatibility issues?

Please summarise mitigation actions taken below

N/A

Issue or risk Identified per article/Optional Protocol: N/A

Action taken/to be taken: N/A

Date action to be taken or was taken: N/A

As a result of the evidence gathered and analysed against all wellbeing indicators, will the proposal contribute to the wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland?

Yes X

No

If yes, please provide and explanation below:

It is envisaged that the guidance will potentially positively impact on the opportunity of all children and young people to become more actively engaged with the planning system through making their views known on planning and place matters in the preparation of the LDP for their area.

The guidance highlights that awareness of the planning system may be low within some groups of people and the council may need to consider how to increase awareness ahead of or as part of engagement in the LDP, which is a form of skills development and could be a form of support and guidance for children and young people.

The guidance interacts positively with the themes raised in the following wellbeing indicators and could create an improvement in wellbeing in relation to them:

Healthy - Evidence points towards children and young people being excluded from the planning system but wanting to be involved. Having control over decisions that affect people contributes to wellbeing/mental health. Although the guidance can’t compel the participation of children and young people in the making of LDPs, indirectly where that participation does happen there could be a positive effect on the mental health of those involved.

Achieving - The guidance in final form strongly encourages the participation of children and young people in the making of LDPs. While the guidance cannot compel particular methods of engagement to be used, or groups to be involved (as it is not law), the opportunities for engagement that may flow from it interact positively with the themes raised in this indicator. Where engagement is a positive experience that could help increase young people’s confidence and self-esteem as part of their community.

Respected - The guidance in final form strongly encourages the participation of children and young people in the making of LDPs. While the guidance cannot compel particular methods of engagement to be used, or groups to be involved (as it is not law), the opportunities for engagement that may flow from could interact positively with the themes raised in this indicator. Participating in the making of an LDP is a means to have children’s and young peoples’ voices heard in the shaping of the plan that will set out how places will change in the future, including where development should and shouldn’t happen, bringing together many different sectors and interests to achieve desired changes for places and communities.

Responsible - The guidance in final form strongly encourages the participation of children and young people in the making of LDPs. While the guidance cannot compel particular methods of engagement to be used, or groups to be involved (as it is not law), the opportunities for engagement that may flow from it interact positively with the themes raised in this indicator. Participation in LDP-making engagement is playing an active role within a community.

Included - The guidance in final form strongly encourages the participation of children and young people in the making of LDPs, including children and young people with intersectional issues and barriers. This positively interacts with the ‘overcoming inequalities’ themes of this indicator.

The guidance is about engagement in LDPs and is not about the themes raised in the following wellbeing indicators:

• safe (although see the ‘respected’ indicator for ‘listened to’ in a broader sense);
• nurtured; and
• active.

How will you communicate to children and young people the impact that the proposal will have on their rights?

Communication of the guidance will be primarily through its onward use by planning authorities, community bodies and others involved or wishing to be involved in the preparation of LDPs. This assessment is published on the Scottish Government’s website and taking a plainer/more accessible approach to the language used in the finalised guidance, as prompted by responses to it, can help children and young people understand the guidance and potential impact on their rights. They may be able to use the guidance to help reinforce their rights.

The guidance has been updated in its final form to include a reference to engagement being a means of fulfilling children’s rights.

Post Assessment Review and sign-off

Planning for the review of impact on children’s rights and wellbeing

As part of the decision-making process, plans for reviewing the impact on children’s rights and wellbeing need to be developed.

• How will the impact of the proposal on children’s rights and wellbeing be monitored?
• When will you review and update the CRWIA if required?

The coming into force of National Planning Framework 4 in 2023 has been followed by a requirement for new LDPs to be in place for each planning authority area by mid-2028. As such, it appears appropriate that a review of the guidance, monitoring of impact on children’s rights and wellbeing, and a review of the CRWIA happens after 2028 to make use of the experiences gained in the preparation of the new LDPs.

Sign off

Policy Lead Signature & Date of Sign Off:

Simon Bonsall

November 2024

Director Signature & Date of Sign Off:

Fiona Simpson

November 2024

Date CRWIA team first contacted: May 2023

Confirmation of engagement with SGLD: 19 June 2024