Incorporating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Domestic Law in Scotland Working Group: summary report
This is the summary report of discussions of the Incorporating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Domestic Law in Scotland Working Group.
Annex G - Incorporating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Domestic Law in Scotland Working Group, 2nd Meeting
Minutes of Meeting Held in Victoria Quay, Edinburgh at 9.30 am on Wednesday, 10 July 2019
Present: Mairi Macpherson, Creating Positive Futures, Scottish Government (SG) (Chair)
Superintendent Ann Bell, Police Scotland
Lynda Brabender QC, Westwater Advocates
Dr. Katie Boyle, University of Stirling
Michael Clancy OBE, The Law Society of Scotland
Jack Dudgeon MSYP, Scottish Youth Parliament
Laura Pasternak, Scottish Youth Parliament
Juliet Harris, Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights)
Dr. Kenneth Meechan, SOLAR
Dragan Nastic, UNICEF
Prof. Aoife Nolan, University of Nottingham (by Skype)
Hannah Ross, COSLA
Clare Simpson, Parenting Across Scotland
In attendance: Alexandra Devoy, SG Children’s Rights
Helen Fogarty, SG Children’s Rights
Nicola Guild, SG Legal Directorate[60]
Ceri Hunter, SG Children’s Rights
Duncan Isles, SG Human Rights
Gita Sharkey, SG Children’s Rights
Sarah Douglas, SG Children’s Rights, Secretariat
Agnes Rennick, SG Children’s Rights, Secretariat
Apologies: Nicola Dickie, COSLA
Chief Superintendent David Duncan, Police Scotland (represented by Superintendent Ann Bell)
Lucinda Rivers, UNICEF
Douglas Ross QC, Ampersand Advocates
Norma Shippin, NHS
Suki Wan, Scottish Youth Parliament (represented by Jack Dudgeon)
Welcome and Introductions
1. The Chair welcomed new Members to the meeting and thanked them for agreeing to participate on the Working Group. They are:
- Lynda Brabender QC
- Jack Dudgeon MSYP, newly appointed Chair of SYP
- Superintendent Ann Bell who is representing David Duncan
Minutes of Previous Meeting and Action Points
2. Update on Action Points
Action 1: The SG agreed to consider possible additional members of the Group e.g. representatives from ethnic minority and disability groups, the SHRC, EHRC and the judiciary; and
Action 2: Update the Group on the separate engagement being undertaken as part of the consultation.
Update: The Chair confirmed that the Scottish Government was engaging separately with a large number of key stakeholders and groups as part of the consultation exercise. A paper was circulated to the Working Group outlining the organisations who had been invited to consultation meetings at the time of circulation. Further meetings and stakeholder engagement events had since been arranged. Action 2A - An updated paper reflecting the full span of engagement activity would be circulated.
In light of the wide-ranging engagement currently underway which included the groups mentioned, the Chair proposed to maintain the Working Group membership as it stood, but to keep this under review.
Action 3: The SG to circulate the revised membership of the Group, confirming the roles and perspectives of Members.
Update: The Chair confirmed that the revised membership list was now attached in an Annex to the Terms of Reference. Members were invited to submit any proposed amendments.
Action 4: Circulate revised Terms of Reference.
Update: The Chair noted that revised terms of reference had been circulated. Further amendments were suggested at the meeting to simplify and clarify these. The Group agreed that its output would include a report. Action 4A – Secretariat to circulate a further iteration of the Terms of Reference.
Action 5: The SG agreed to provide a note of information to the Group about officials’ recent fact finding visit to Iceland arranged by UNICEF.
Update: A note of the findings from the Iceland visit was tabled at the meeting. SG officials would welcome feedback or further discussion.
Workshop
3. The membership received a presentation on the UNCRC. This was followed by workshop-style discussions covering the following themes:
- UNCRC Articles: reserved / devolved matters.
- How public authorities might fulfil their duties.
- Language of the articles.
4. The output from this workshop is covered by a separate note which is attached at Annex H.
AOB
5. Members were invited to advise the Secretariat on whether they were content for their contact email to be shared with the other members of the Group.
Next Meeting: Wednesday 31 July, St Andrew’s House at 10 am.
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