Scottish Budget 2025 to 2026: child rights and wellbeing impact assessment

Conclusion

7. 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?

The significant new spending on social security, early learning and childcare, and free school meals is likely to be positive for child rights and offset any negative impacts from measures announced in September’s Fiscal Statement.

Applicable answer(s): Positive.

8. 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.

There are likely to be many positive impacts on children’s rights as a result of this Budget Statement, which would support Articles 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 15, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 31.

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

Whilst minor negative impacts have been identified against Article 26, (the right to benefit from social security (where appropriate, taking into account the child’s and their parents’/guardians’ circumstances and resources) Article 27, (the right to an adequate standard of living) and Article 31 (the right to leisure, play and to participate in culture and the arts), these do not represent significant negative impacts and are not considered likely to materially affect children’s ability to realise these rights in practice. There are no risks of potential incompatibility identified across all portfolios as part of the impact assessment for the Scottish Budget Statement 2025-26. As this assessment accompanies a draft Budget, there is opportunity for the Scottish Parliament to consider any mitigation through the usual budget process.

Issue or risk identified and relevant UNCRC requirement

The negative impacts identified in relation to Articles 26, 27 and 31 are not considered significant when considered against the mitigations in place. Whilst the Scottish Government will continue to review these impacts, it is already deploying significant mitigation with its strong focus on this budget on child poverty, for example through the significant increase in culture spending from £195 million to £238 million, which should mitigate entirely against savings from regeneration budgets.

Date action to be taken or was taken

Action will take effect from the next financial year (2025-26), should the Budget Bill pass successfully through the Parliament.

10. As a result of the evidence gathered and analysed against all wellbeing indicators (Annex 2), will the proposal contribute to the wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland?

Safe: Yes, supported by a positive impact on articles 12 and 19

Healthy: Yes, supported by a positive impact on articles 3, 6, 12, 15, 18, 23, 24, 25 and 26

Achieving: Yes, supported by a positive impact on articles 3, 6, 12, 13, 14, 18, 23, 28 and 29

Nurtured: Yes, supported by a positive impact on articles 18 and 27

Active: Yes, supported by a positive impact on articles 6, 23 and 31

Respected: Yes, supported by a positive impact on articles 3, 12, 13 and 14

Responsible: Yes, supported by a positive impact on articles 3, 12, 14 and 15

Included: Yes, supported by a positive impact on articles 6, 18, 23 and 28

If yes, please provide an explanation below:

Children’s rights and their wellbeing are intrinsically linked and mutually reinforcing. The broad scope of the decisions made within the Budget Statement and resulting positive impact on children’s rights, in turn contributes to a positive impact on children and young people’s wellbeing. Above is an example of how a positive impact on the identified articles in question 8, can support a positive impact on the wellbeing indicators.

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

A copy of this CRWIA will be published on the Scottish Government website (Gov.scot). A separate CRWIA will also be produced for the Budget Bill when it is introduced.

At the individual policy level, relevant teams will continue to ensure that children and young people who engaged with the Scottish Government and highlighted their priorities are made aware of both this CRWIA for budget purposes, and of the role and purpose of CRWIAs in individual policy delivery.