Do the Right Thing: children's rights progress report

3 Promotion and awareness raising of the UNCRC, including training of professionals who work with children

What the Committee said:

"The Committee recommends that the State party further strengthen its efforts, to ensure that all of the provisions of the Convention are widely known and understood by adults and children alike.

It also recommends the reinforcement of adequate and systematic training of all professional groups working for and with children, in particular law enforcement officials, immigration officials, media, teachers, health personnel, social workers and personnel of childcare institutions."

Progress to date

• We continue to take forward the development of a common core of the skills, knowledge and understanding and values every worker (paid or unpaid) should have as a minimum if they work with children, young people and families. As a result of a consultation about this common core, we have produced a set of "essential characteristics" which are explicitly cross-referenced to the guiding principles of the UNCRC.
• We have supported Cl@n Childlaw with funding of approximately £40,000 per year. Part of their work involves providing children's rights training for individuals and organisations involved in the delivery of services and support to children and young people.
• We have provided grant funding to support Together Scotland, who promote the UNCRC through, for example, regional seminars, national newsletters and annual reports.
• We have, and will continue to engage with, the National Children's Rights Officers Network to help support increased awareness and understanding of children's rights and the UNCRC.
• We will continue to support the above activities in 2012-13.
• By the end of 2012 we will give professionals information about how effective implementation of GIRFEC supports implementation of the UNCRC.

Next steps

• We will work with stakeholders over the course of 2012 to develop legislative proposals to further strengthen our approach to children's rights, and to raise awareness and understanding of the UNCRC.
• We will publish information materials for parents and families focussing on the UNCRC.
• We will work with UNICEF and the Children's Commissioner over the course of 2012 to identify how we can support increased opportunities for the UNCRC to feature in children and young people's learning experiences.