5. Cabinet - UNCRC - 280426
North Ayrshire Council · 28 April 2026
Back to Cabinet — 28 April 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 28 April 2026 North Ayrshire Council Cabinet Title: Progress update on Children’s Rights and Approval of North Ayrshire’s Statutory UNCRC Progress Report (2024– 2026) Purpose: To update Cabinet on action the Council is taking to progress children’s rights and to seek approval to publish the first statutory Children’s Rights Progress Report (covering the period 2024– 2026.) Recommendation: It is recommended Cabinet: a) Notes the good progress being made across Council services and partners to strengthen the implementation of children’s rights. b) Approves the statutory Children’s Rights Progress Report for 2024–2026 for publication. c) Notes that future reporting will be aligned within the new joint Children and Families Plan 2026-2029, covering Children’s Services, Child Poverty and Children’s Rights. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 This report provides North Ayrshire Council’s first statutory update under the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, which places new duties on public bodies to act compatibly with children’s rights and to report every three years on progress. The report covers activity from 2024–2026. 1.2 During this period, the Council has taken significant steps to strengthen how children’s rights are embedded across services. Key developments include: i) establishing a cross‑service governance group to coordinate activity and drive improvements ii) increasing workforce awareness and skills through campaigns, guidance, and a mandatory iLearn module. iii) building staff capacity through targeted training and practical resources that support rights‑based decision‑making
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iv) strengthening participation and children’s understanding of their rights, including through the Youth Voice Toolkit with clearer pathways for raising concerns 1.3 The statutory report was developed with support from the Improvement Service, using their national UNCRC Implementation Framework to guide local self-evaluation. The structure of the report follows a recommended national format that ensures a clear focus on core UNCRC principles. 1.4 A child‑friendly version of the statutory report will also be produced to ensure accessibility for children and young people. This will be developed in partnership with local children and young people using the content from the overarching report as a key source. 1.5 The work set out in this paper supports the transition to the new joint Children and Families Plan (2026–2029), covering Children’s Services, Child Poverty and Children’s Rights. This approach will streamline statutory duties and ensure children’s rights remain central to planning and delivery. 2. Background 2.1 The UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 brings key children’s rights into Scots law. Public bodies must act compatibly with the Act and report every three years on steps taken to secure better or further effect of children’s rights. This first statutory report covers 2024–2026 and sets out how North Ayrshire Council has strengthened rights‑based practice across services. 2.2 Over this period, the Council has taken forward a coordinated programme of work to embed children’s rights in everyday planning, decision‑making and service delivery. Key developments include: i. Establishing a cross‑service strategic governance group to guide this work, coordinate activity across services, and identify and act on opportunities to strengthen how we uphold children’s rights. ii. Raising awareness across the workforce through campaigns, briefings, and regular updates that help staff understand their responsibilities under the UNCRC. iii. Building staff capacity through: a mandatory iLearn module that’s been completed by 1781 members of staff; targeted training sessions for senior officers and elected members; toolbox talks; and practical guidance to support rights‑based decision‑making in everyday practice. iv. Providing clearer tools and guidance for staff, including support on responding to complaints from children and young people and developing child‑friendly documents and communication. v. Strengthening children and young people’s understanding of their rights through a new Youth Voice Toolkit and expanding accessible pathways for children to raise concerns when their rights have not been upheld. 2.3 The report also captures direct positive impact across services and wider partners to improve outcomes for children and young people within the reporting period. Some notable highlights, which Cabinet may be aware of from other strategic updates, include:
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i. Initiatives and services progressed via North Ayrshire’s Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Funding, with 94% of people receiving support reporting a positive change. ii. School-based Welfare Rights Officers continued to support families to secure supports they were entitled to, helping to ease financial pressure and improve wellbeing. iii. North Ayrshire’s Winter Warmer Breakfast offer provided on average over 1,000 breakfast items per day across winter periods in 2024/25 and 2025/26, helping address hidden hunger. iv. The New Scots ESOL Hub launched in early 2024 to provide a safe and structured learning offer (over 17 hours of English learning per week plus wellbeing activities) to unaccompanied asylum seeking and trafficked young people in North Ayrshire. Since opening, 16 young people have progressed on to college ESOL, vocational training and other positive destinations. v. The Child Protection Committee engaged with approximately 100 P7 & S1 pupils at Greenwood Academy on key safety topics with feedback being used to strengthen how information is shared with young people, including through digital channels. vi. All North Ayrshire schools take part in the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) programme, showing a strong commitment to children’s rights in education. Schools are making good progress — by December 2025, 24 have Bronze, 29 have Silver, and 18 have Gold awards. vii. North Ayrshire’s Joint Cabinet Meetings continued to play a key role in bringing together local pupils with councillors and staff to discuss issues that matter to them on a bi-annual basis. As part of the Council’s established approach to budget consultation, targeted engagement takes place with children and young people in identified protected characteristic groups to inform budget priorities. Over 100 young people have actively contributed views as part of the process to budget setting process. viii. Participation in the Scottish Government’s Test of Change programme to provide free school meals to S1-S3 pupils in families eligible for the Scottish Child Payment. This started in August 2025 and runs until June 2026. 2.4 The Council’s UNCRC Steering Group developed this statutory report with support from the Improvement Service, who facilitated self-evaluation of our current arrangements using the national UNCRC Implementation Framework. This process helped identify strengths, areas for improvement and the priority actions that will be carried forward into the new joint plan for 2026–2029. Local self-evaluation included a focus on: • Leadership commitment • Participation and empowerment of children and young people • Empowerment of children and young people • Monitoring progress • Accountability and reporting on children’s rights 2.5 The structure of the statutory report is informed by Improvement Service recommendations to organise around the UNCRC principles of Embedding children’s rights, equality and non‑discrimination, Empowerment, Participation, and Accountability. This ensures consistent reporting across Scotland and provides a clear framework to aid monitoring progress over time.
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2.6 This report recognises the key role children and young people have in shaping their own experiences through forums like Executive Youth Council, Champions Boards, Joint Cabinet, and targeted engagement in education and community settings. To ensure accessibility and transparency, the Council will also produce a child-friendly version of the statutory report, allowing children and young people to understand what has been achieved and what will happen next in a format that is simple, visual and easy to navigate. This will be developed in partnership with children and young people using existing engagement forums. 2.7 This statutory report also supports the Council’s transition to a more joined-up approach to planning and reporting. From 2026, the new joint Children and Families Plan, will bring together the statutory responsibilities of Children’s Services, Child Poverty and Children’s Rights into a single, streamlined framework. Embedding UNCRC duties and a children’s rights-based approach into this wider plan will reduce duplication, improve oversight, and ensure children’s rights remain central to how services are designed, delivered and evaluated. Importantly, the role of the Executive Youth Council will be elevated as a partnership offering a scrutiny position to the Children’s Services Strategic Partnership over the delivery and the implementation of the Children and Families Plan, and its impact on local children and young people. 3. Proposals 3.1 Cabinet is asked to: a) Note the good progress being made across Council services and partners to strengthen the implementation of children’s rights. b) Approve the statutory Children’s Rights Progress Report for 2024–2026 for publication. c) Note that future reporting will be aligned within the new joint Children and Families Plan 2026-2029, covering Children’s Services, Child Poverty and Children’s Rights. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 None. Activities to date have been delivered within existing resources. Future efficiencies may arise through the integrated joint planning approach. Human Resources 4.2 None. Legal 4.3 Approval of the statutory report ensures compliance with the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4The report highlights substantial work to reduce inequality and improve outcomes for children most at risk of disadvantage, including care experienced young people, New
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Scots, young carers, and children affected by poverty. A selection of this is highlighted in Section 2.3 of this paper. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 None. Key Priorities 4.6 This work contributes directly to Council Plan Wellbeing Priority to deliver prosperity, resilience and wellbeing for local people. Community Wealth Building 4.7 A rights‑based approach strengthens inclusive economic participation by supporting children and families to access support and opportunities. Islands Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) 4.8 None. United Nations Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 4.9 This report demonstrates the Council’s statutory commitment to upholding children’s rights and sets out key progress made between 2024–2026. Consumer Duty 4.10 None. 5. Consultation 5.1 This report draws on work developed with children and young people, the Executive Youth Council, Education and HSCP services, Connected Communities, the Community Planning Partnership, and the UNCRC Steering Group. Sam Anson Executive Director (Education) For further information please contact Stewart Robbie, Business Manager, on 01294 324619. Background Papers 1
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1 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION North Ayrshire Council Children’s Rights Report 2024 – 2026 Contents Executive Summary Error! Bookmark not defined. Key achievements and progress Error! Bookmark not defined. Key priorities for the next 12 months Error! Bookmark not defined. • Introduction 4 • Embedding: Putting children’s human rights at the core of planning and the delivery of services that affect children and young people 5 Equalities and children’s impact assessment 5 Improving local awareness and understanding of children’s rights 5 Reviewing our approach to child-friendly complaints 6 Embedding children’s rights in our Council Plan 6 Developing our joint plan for Children’s Services, Child Poverty and Children’s Rights 7 Embedding children’s services right across Children’s Services and North Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) 7 Improving local approaches to child protection 7 Council budget consultation with children and young people 8 • Equality and non-discrimination: Ensuring that every child or young person has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents 10 Keeping The Promise 10 Embedding children’s voices in how their support is planned, implemented and reviewed 11 Youth work with children with additional support needs 11 New Scots English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Hub 12 Embedding children’s rights in our housing and homelessness supports 12 MCR Pathways mentoring support 13 Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund supports 13 Closing the poverty-related attainment gap 14 Co-designing approaches to reduce child poverty 14 Supporting positive post-school destinations using the Participation Portal 14
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2 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Progressing LGBT Youth Scotland Charters 15 Progressing equality and non-discrimination in North Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) 15 Child’s voice in permanence and adoption processes 16 Expansion of Free School Meals 16 Free school meal expansion (S1–S3) test of change 16 Period Dignity in North Ayrshire 16 Winter Warmer Breakfast in secondary schools 17 Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES) 17 New Scots community-based support 17 • Empowerment: Giving children the knowledge and confidence to use their rights and hold organisations and individuals that affect their lives to account 20 Development of North Ayrshire’s Youth Voice Toolkit 20 North Ayrshire’s Champions Board for care experienced learners 20 Progressing empowerment in North Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) 21 Realising children’s rights through the Rights Respecting Schools Award 21 • Participation: Listening to children and taking their views seriously 23 Youth Services-led youth engagement 23 Youth Participation Strategy 24 Champions Boards in secondary schools 25 Education School Improvement Planning: engaging learners 26 Progressing participation in North Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) 26 Alcohol and Drug Prevention (ADP) work with schools 26 North Ayrshire’s Joint Cabinet 27 • Accountability: Organisations and individuals should be accountable to children for the decisions and actions which affect their lives 30 Revision of procurement terms and conditions 30 Family-friendly child poverty report 30 Assessing legal duties in realising the UNCRC 30 Progressing accountability in North Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) 31 Raising awareness of the UNCRC with Elected Members 32 UNCRC engagement through Joint Cabinet 32 North Ayrshire Council’s UNCRC Steering Group approach to implementation 34
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3 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Executive Summary This report summarises North Ayrshire Council’s progress in embedding children’s rights across planning, decision-making and service delivery during 2024–2026, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. Key achievements and progress • Rights-based decision-making strengthened: the Equality and Children’s Rights Impact Assessment (ECRIA) process supports services to consider children’s rights alongside equality and other legal duties. • Workforce awareness and capability: resources, communications and learning have been developed to help staff understand and apply children’s rights in practice. • Child-friendly information and redress: work with young people has helped improve how information and complaints pathways are presented and understood. • Participation routes maintained: youth forums, Joint Cabinet activity and service- led engagement provide routes for children and young people to influence decisions (UNCRC Article 12). • Targeted action to reduce barriers: examples in this report show work to support care experienced young people, children with additional support needs and New Scots to access services and opportunities. Key priorities for the next 12 months • Publish and implement the joint plan covering Children’s Services, child poverty and children’s rights. • Strengthen evidence of impact: where possible, further link activity to outcomes for children and young people. • Maintain and refresh staff capability: continue communications and learning to keep children’s rights embedded in everyday practice. • Continue to improve accessibility: make key public-facing information (including feedback/complaints routes) easy for children and families to find and understand.
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4 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Introduction The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) lists the rights that every child should have. These include civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and all are equally important. The UNCRC requires that laws and decisions affecting children from birth to 18 must respect these rights. All children and young people under 18 have rights, regardless of who they are, where they live or what they believe. Children should receive proper care, protection and respect from adults. The UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 means key children's rights from the UNCRC are now part of Scottish law. Public bodies, including councils, must follow these rights. Children and those who support them can make sure their rights are protected in Scottish courts. This report provides an update on progress made by North Ayrshire Council to: 1. ensure our actions are compatible with the UNCRC Act secure better or give further effect to children’s rights. A children’s rights based approach has been used to develop this report with sections on: • Embedding: Putting children’s human rights at the core of planning and the delivery of services that affect children and young people • Equality and non-discrimination: Ensuring that every child or young person has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents • Empowerment: Giving children the knowledge and confidence to use their rights and hold organisations and individuals that affect their lives to account • Participation: Listening to children and taking their views seriously • Accountability: Organisations and individuals should be accountable to children for the decisions and actions which affect their lives A joint plan is being created to set out steps for children’s services, children’s rights, and child poverty given the interconnectedness of these areas. It will show what the Council will do over the next three years to make sure all actions meet the law and improve children’s rights in North Ayrshire.
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5 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Embedding: Putting children’s human rights at the core of planning and the delivery of services that affect children and young people Embedding children’s rights means making them part of everyday planning, decision- making and service delivery. Across North Ayrshire, staff and partners are working together to create a culture where children’s rights guide how we design services and how we support young people and their families. The examples below show how this approach is developing and how it is shaping the way we work. Equalities and children’s impact assessment Equality and fairness guide everything the council does. The Equality and Children’s Rights Impact Assessment (ECRIA) helps make sure our services follow the law and consider how changes affect people. Every council service must use ECRIA and do an impact assessment for proposals that might affect others. The process checks laws like the Equality Act 2010, UNCRC (Scotland) Act 2024, Fairer Scotland duty, Consumer (Scotland) Act 2020, and Islands (Scotland) Act 2018. The Policy and Performance Team and Legal Services offer support, training, and advice, including guidance on the UNCRC and a dedicated iLearn module. For example, in February 2025, the Council used an ECRIA to help decide about excluding care experienced learners from education, leading to a useful discussion and a change in local practice. Improving local awareness and understanding of children’s rights During this period, North Ayrshire Council’s UNCRC Steering Group created resources and ran campaigns to help staff learn about children’s rights. In autumn 2025, a campaign was launched to raise awareness of children’s rights among staff, with plans for a wider communication campaign in early 2026. A mandatory iLearn course on UNCRC was introduced, which 283 staff had completed by 12 December 2025, and a toolbox talk for manual workers was developed. Staff also have access to support, guidance and resources, including information on making complaints child friendly, via an internal staff webpage.
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6 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Reviewing our approach to child-friendly complaints Connected Communities and the Executive Youth Council collaborated to make the Council’s complaints page easier for young people to use and understand. This supports children’s rights to be listened to and to get information in a way suitable for them. Allowing young people to help shape the page makes it clearer and helps them speak up about issues that matter to them. Guidance has also been created to support Council officers to respond to complaints that related to children and young people based on national guidance. This is being tested in the education service. While this test is underway, the Connects complaints page features updated information, and similar updates will be added to the Council website. A short news article was launched in early 2026 to inform staff about the process and guide them on handling complaints from children. Embedding children’s rights in our Council Plan The council puts children’s rights at the centre of its main plan, especially by focusing on fairness and giving everyone a voice. All residents, including children and young people, are encouraged to feel confident using their rights. This approach supports the aim of a North Ayrshire that’s fair for all and is reflected in the Council’s latest Best Value report. Scottish councils are checked each year for Best Value and get a major review every five years. The Council’s October 2025 report praised local community engagement, including work with young people, fair budgeting, and listening to residents. The report said the Council has built trust with local communities and should keep listening and acting on what people say.
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7 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Developing our joint plan for Children’s Services, Child Poverty and Children’s Rights North Ayrshire Council is integrating our Children’s Services Plan, Child Poverty Action Plan, and UNCRC Plan into one clear framework. Young people, through the Youth Voice team, are helping create a Youth Executive Panel to guide this work. Their input will shape the plan, support documents, and a simple reporting template, making sure children’s voices are heard (Article 12). By making information easy to access and understand, it will also help families and communities to get involved (Article 17). Embedding children’s services right across Children’s Services and North Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) North Ayrshire’s existing Children’s Services Plan (2023–26) aims to make the area the best place in Scotland for children to grow up. The plan’s main goals are to protect children’s rights, keep them safe, improve their wellbeing and make sure they have a say in decisions. Our Children’s Services Strategic Partnership leads on the development of the Children’s Services Plan and consists of representatives from across our Community Planning Partners with an approach founded on the principles of Getting it Right for Every Child. The CSSP worked with children and young people to set its top five priorities for this period. Information about children’s rights and the UNCRC has been added to the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) website and shared with staff. Children and young people helped shape the updated HSCP Strategic Plan through consultation and engagement. HSCP uses the Signs of Safety approach, which gives children a bigger voice in decisions about their safety. Speech & Language Therapy staff support children’s rights by making sure children can access learning and play in nurseries, schools and at home. They work with children, families and other professionals to promote inclusion and help plan education that meets each child’s needs. The Early Language and Communication Network brings together different services to support young children’s speech and language development, sharing data, checking staff skills and spreading key messages to families. The Community Planning Partnership Board has a key focus on reducing inequality and making North Ayrshire Fair for All. As part of this work, there are regular discussions to raise awareness of children’s rights and approaches to reducing child poverty. Ideas from these discussions are helping to shape future plans. Improving local approaches to child protection In 2025-26, the Child Protection Committee (CPC) spoke to North Ayrshire children and young people to understand what they know about staying safe and how best to share important information.
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8 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION On 2nd of May, around 100 pupils from P7 and S1 joined group discussions at Greenwood Academy about online safety, vaping, substance misuse, healthy relationships, mental health, and spotting signs of harm. Staff from Council, HSCP, Police, and Women’s Aid supported the event. Young people said they want clearer information about child protection, mental health, and bullying, especially on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The CPC is using this feedback to improve messages, and youth services have started sharing updates on these digital channels. Council budget consultation with children and young people In October 2024, North Ayrshire Council asked local people and groups for their views to help set the 2025-26 budget, receiving over 4,400 responses. The consultation was made easy for young people, focusing on four budget topics that matter to them. Both online and in-person options were offered, and 110 young people from every part of North Ayrshire took part. The Council made sure to hear from young people with protected characteristics, including those who are LGBTQ+, disabled, New Scots, care experienced, or living on islands. The feedback helped update Equality and Children’s Rights Impact Assessments and was shared with councillors in a timely fashion to help inform Budget decisions. Given the success of this process, a similar approach was adopted for the 2026/27 budget.
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10 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Equality and non-discrimination: Ensuring that every child or young person has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents These efforts all share a common aim: to make sure every child has what they need to learn, grow and feel included. By listening to young people, adapting services, and working closely with families, we are creating more equal opportunities across North Ayrshire. Local services and projects that help children with additional needs, care experienced young people, and those new to Scotland to feel included and succeed are referenced in this section. Keeping The Promise The Corporate Parenting Team in Community Learning and Development makes sure The Promise is put into action across the council. They help staff, care experienced young people, and everyone connected to them. Staff get support through the Promise Champions network, special training, and a required online course. For young people, the team organises the Champions Board youth forum, runs regular events, and a summer programme. Sometimes, staff, young people, their friends, parents, carers, or family all join in together at bigger events like conferences, Care Experienced Week, and seasonal celebrations. This way, everyone works together and keeps young people’s voices and involvement at the centre of corporate parenting.
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11 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Embedding children’s voices in how their support is planned, implemented and reviewed Education Services have put a spotlight on ensuring children’s voices are actively sought, listened to and valued as part of the ongoing work into the realisation of the recommendations of the Morgan Report related to Additional Support for Learning. We have reviewed and enhanced our approaches to ensure children’s views are embedded in planning tools used to identify and support needs. Examples include: • Staged Intervention and planning templates require practitioners to record pupil contributions in every plan. • Co-ordinated Support Plans and Inclusion Group processes include communication profiles, preferred approaches and learner-led insights. • Communication-focused approaches (including SCERTS, visuals and AAC systems) ensure children with limited or non-verbal communication can express preferences and needs. • The Educational Psychology Service delivers training on ‘Gathering Young People’s Views’, alongside supports for anxiety, communication and social-emotional development. • The Education Service Improvement Plan actions track improvements in inclusion, communication and learner engagement across universal, targeted and specialist supports. • Individual establishment Improvement planning documents show a continued focus on strengthening communication pathways so children can influence decisions about their support. • New targeted and specialist provisions such as the Secondary Support Resources allow personalised, needs-led placements where children's profiles shape their support. • The Supporting Needs Governance Board gives oversight of safeguarding, wellbeing, mental health and accessibility – all informed by children’s experiences. Youth work with children with additional support needs Community Learning and Development (CLD) youth work in North Ayrshire helps young people with Additional Support Needs (ASN) take part in community life. Youth workers use specialist training to create safe, supportive places where young people can build confidence and social skills. Each week, two ASN groups offer structured activities for those who might find mainstream settings difficult. The ASN Scratch Group focuses on creative coding and digital skills using MIT Scratch, with staff adapting to each person’s needs in a calm, sensory-friendly space. The ASN Gamers Group uses gaming to help young people make friends, communicate, and work as a team. Activities are tailored to
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12 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION different needs and encourage both learning and fun. Staff in mainstream youth work teams have training in ASN support, so young people with additional needs can join their local groups alongside peers. Youth Work Wellbeing staff deliver group work at Trindlemoss provide an essential layer of emotional and mental health support for young people, including those with Additional Support Needs. This support complements the wider Youth Work offer and ensures that young people have access to safe, confidential, and trauma-informed guidance within their own community. New Scots English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Hub The New Scots ESOL Hub, started in early 2024, gives unaccompanied asylum-seeking and trafficked young people in North Ayrshire a safe place to learn English when schools and colleges could not fully meet their needs. Young people get over 17 hours of English lessons each week, along with activities like sports and wellbeing sessions. This helps them feel safe, included, and confident, and supports their health and learning. Since opening, 16 young people have moved on to college ESOL courses, some at higher levels than expected, and others have started vocational training. The Hub helps young people feel they belong, reduces isolation, and gives them important skills for life in Scotland. It is seen as a great example of helping children’s rights and building bright futures. Embedding children’s rights in our housing and homelessness supports Housing and Homelessness Services are progressing work to strengthen the implementation of children’s rights across all service pathways. Engagement with other local authorities and partners has provided insight into established UNCRC-related
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13 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION governance, reporting, and operational practices. This will inform improvements to North Ayrshire Housing’s approach and ensure alignment with national expectations and emerging best practice. To support this development, a meeting with the Improvement Service is being arranged to seek expert advice on the Homelessness Prevention Strategy and to explore required updates to housing and homelessness application processes. Legal Services will also develop a clear and accessible statement outlining children’s rights under the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. This addition will help guide children on their rights during the homelessness application process. MCR Pathways mentoring support The MCR Pathways Young Talent Programme supports care experienced young people and those at risk of becoming care experienced in North Ayrshire. It runs in seven secondary schools, with Largs Academy joining in April 2024. Young people are matched with a volunteer mentor in S3 and meet weekly at school. The programme helps boost young people’s progress in literacy, numeracy, qualifications, and future opportunities. Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund supports The Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund’s most recent report highlights in a single year it supports 6,527 children & young people as well as 1,212 family members. 94% of the family members who responded to this feedback indicated a positive change from this support. Working closely with local partners, schools, and health teams meant children got quick and tailored support, including counselling and help with anxiety. Some highlights of what the funding has supported in a single year include: • The Wellness Model now runs in nearly all areas, helping children access support sooner and strengthening referrals to CAMHS. • School Welfare Rights Officers aided 259 families to gain £818,000, improving their wellbeing. • 343 young people earned the SQA Mental Health Award, helping fight stigma and build resilience. • Staff and public accessed Be Amasin’ anxiety resources over 11,000 times. • Project Restore improved attendance, with children reporting benefits from grounding and breathing techniques. • Area Inclusion Workers supported 5,541 children and families, running 64 group and family sessions to build stronger relationships and manage behaviour.
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14 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Children’s voices are put first, ensuring they can thrive at school and in life. Through early intervention and collaboration, barriers are broken down, resilience is built, and support is provided when needed. Closing the poverty-related attainment gap Closing the gap in achievement between North Ayrshire’s least and most disadvantaged young people is one of the Education Service’s five main priorities. Around 45% of local learners live in the most deprived parts of Scotland, more than a third get grants for shoes and clothes, and about one in five children live in poverty after paying for housing. North Ayrshire’s Education Service is focused on helping children affected by poverty reach their potential. Schools receive £4.2 million every year in Pupil Equity Funding so head teachers can support pupils where help is needed most. Head teachers can choose the best ways to use this money for their learners. Besides school funding, the council also provides extra support through central programmes. This includes 21 Excellence and Equity Leads who work in early years settings with the highest levels of deprivation, offering early support to children and families. North Ayrshire Council also receives Strategic Equity Funding each year to help us to close the poverty related attainment gap, although this funding has reduced over the last 4 years. This supports authority-wide projects like the Professional Learning Academy, which trains school staff to help close the attainment gap. The funding also pays for specialist teams in mental health, wellbeing, leadership, data analysis, and strategy to help staff use resources more effectively and support pupils better. Co-designing approaches to reduce child poverty North Ayrshire Council’s Child Poverty Strategy Team, through the Scottish Government’s Fairer Futures Partnership, launched a local project to better understand and reduce child and family poverty in specific areas. Initial research involved meeting families in libraries during school holidays, speaking with 140 Primary 7 Youth Council members about the cost of living, and asking young apprentices about how easy it is to get support online. After this, two local third sector organisations received grants to help design and deliver new ways to support families, working together with the council and community groups. New roles were created to connect families with the right services at community spaces and events, and to spot gaps in support. This work helps families access social and economic support and ensures children and families have a say in decisions that affect them. A shared database is also being developed to list services related to child poverty and wellbeing, which will help staff — and eventually the community — find support more easily. Supporting positive post-school destinations using the Participation Portal The 16+ Participation Portal is a secure online system that brings together education, employability and national partner data to track what young people aged 16–19 are
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15 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION doing across a full year. It replaced the previous data hub and allows information from schools, colleges, Skills Development Scotland, HMRC and other partners to be shared, updated and accessed more consistently. The 2025 Annual Participation Measure for North Ayrshire rose to 92.5%, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from the previous year and represents the highest rate recorded locally. The use of the Participation Portal has partly contributed to this recent improvement, as it has improved tracking and reduced the number of young people with an unconfirmed status. This has also supported better analysis of participation data and targeting of local support. By providing more accurate and timely education data and supporting stronger collaboration between services, the Participation Portal is anticipated to support further progress as its use becomes more established in North Ayrshire. Progressing LGBT Youth Scotland Charters Many young LGBT people can feel isolated or face discrimination, so these efforts help schools support them better and make everyone feel they belong. Six schools have either achieved or are working towards higher levels of the Charter, which has four stages: Foundation, Bronze, Silver and Gold, each taking 12–18 months to complete. Greenwood Academy has Silver and is aiming for Gold, while the council’s Youth Services team also holds Silver and deserves recognition. Arran High School, Garnock Community Campus, Largs, Kilwinning, Irvine Royal and Auchenharvie Academies have Bronze and are working towards Silver this year. Progressing equality and non-discrimination in North Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) North Ayrshire’s HSCP services are joined up to make sure children and families get the right support, with help that is practical, accessible, and tailored to each family’s needs. Health visiting is available for all children under five, with home visits reducing access barriers and a standard care pathway for everyone. Extra help is offered to those who need it, including targeted support from the Early Years Team, and school nurses testing private ways for young people to reach out. Immunisation teams adapt to families’ situations, providing vaccines at home, in schools, and at community clinics—even helping families who have language barriers make appointments. Whole Family Wellbeing Funding breaks down practical obstacles, making sure all families can access support. The Dietetic Service listens to young people’s views on their nutritional care, works closely with CAMHS and other services for smooth transitions, and uses feedback to improve care plans and quality. Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) helps children communicate in ways that suit them, whether through speech, signing, devices, or pictures. SLT gives families, carers, and teachers tools and training — like Talking Mats and specialist programmes — to support children’s communication at home and in school, making sure everyone can take part in learning and express their views.
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16 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Child’s voice in permanence and adoption processes The Adoption and Permanence Team makes sure children’s voices are at the heart of every decision about their future. This aligns with Article 12 of the UNCRC, which says children have the right to share their views and have them taken seriously. As a result, no child’s permanence plan is now progressed without the child’s views being obtained. To achieve this, Life Journey Workers spend time with children using play and conversation to help them express what they think and feel. These views are written into reports that inform decisions. “Let’s Talk About Me” conversations also bring together people who know the child well to share information, create memory boxes, and help the child prepare for moving to a permanent family. The team is also working with nurseries and schools to hear from younger children using tools like stories and feelings charts. All of this helps make important decisions that truly reflect the views of the child. Expansion of Free School Meals In the last four years, many North Ayrshire schools upgraded their kitchens and dining spaces to support the expansion of Free School Meals. All pupils in primary 1 to 5 are entitled to get free meals, and those in primary 6 and 7 can get them if they qualify for the Scottish Child Payment. Kitchens have better equipment and dining areas have new furniture so more pupils can eat comfortably. Two schools will get bigger dining areas to handle more pupils, so PE lessons won’t be affected by lunch times. The first extension will be finished in late 2026, and the second in 2027. Free school meal expansion (S1–S3) test of change North Ayrshire is part of the Scottish Government’s Test of Change programme, which gives free school meals to S1-S3 pupils in families eligible for the Scottish Child Payment. This started in August 2025 and runs until June 2026. Families have been told about their eligibility, and schools are raising awareness to make sure everyone who qualifies knows and can easily access their meals. Uptake has been strong, helped by clear communication and improvements like pre- ordering and QR codes to make queues quicker. This helps with access to meals and allows the young people to still spend time with friends outside of the school setting if they so wish. Every pupil who asks for a meal will get one, with no stigma or barriers, so no child goes hungry. Period Dignity in North Ayrshire North Ayrshire was the first UK local authority to offer free period products in schools, starting in 2017. The ‘Period Dignity’ brand makes local support easy to recognise. The Council listens to feedback from pupils and staff to keep improving. Free period products are always available in primary and secondary schools, in a private and respectful way. Young people are told about their right to take products whenever needed.
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17 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Free period products are available from any Fairer Food Community Larder in North Ayrshire as well as from all council buildings like libraries, leisure centres, and community halls. Winter Warmer Breakfast in secondary schools The Winter Warmer Breakfast initiative has been running since December 2022 and offers a free breakfast to all secondary school pupils over some of the winter months. Over the last two winters (2024/25 and 2025/26), an average of over 1,000 breakfast items were given out every day. Every school day, all secondary schools will be offering a free breakfast to pupils every morning which includes either a hot roll or two of the following: fruit pot, croissant, cheese scone, pancake or toast. Many young people leave home in the morning without breakfast and this offering which has been well received since its inception, should help sustain learners throughout their morning lessons and help alleviate hidden hunger. Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES) North Ayrshire’s CHES programme is a two-year partnership with Public Health Scotland and the Institute of Health Equity, launched in February 2025. The goal is enhance health outcomes in local communities by improving the conditions that contribute to good health. Two national reports have been produced so far that show how poverty leads to poor health and highlight what communities need for good health. In North Ayrshire, a steering group and three workstreams work together to make North Ayrshire fairer for all. This work is helping to provide enhanced support children, young people and families, especially in areas where health can be improved most. The programme uses data and works with local people, focusing on helping everyone get a good start, a good job, and good health. New Scots community-based support A range of support is provided by North Ayrshire Council and local partners to support the New Scots community. This case study provides two examples of local support that enables the New Scot community to develop their skills and further integrate into their local community. The Big Class Experiment helps deliver ESOL lessons to people from many different towns, despite limited staff. By bringing everyone together in one central place, more learners could attend. People were put in groups based on their English level, with materials and tutors matched to their needs. A special table supported Afghan learners with basic literacy. Volunteers helped run the classes and felt more connected. Digital resources were shared for use in other classes. This approach supported up to 40 learners and proved sustainable. Learners liked the targeted help and engaging materials. The experiment is now a key part of ESOL provision, offering flexible and inclusive learning.
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18 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Since May 2025, North Ayrshire Youth Services and ESOL North Ayrshire have worked together to support New Scots aged 15-21. The New Scots Youth Committee meets every two weeks and brings together around 30 young people from different countries. The group helps members settle in Scotland by offering support with education, jobs, culture, and language. Together, they build community, confidence, and leadership through peer support and activities. They run cultural workshops, like name writing in different languages, making crafts, and sharing food from around the world. The group creates resources for schools and community workers to help with integration. They organise university visits and career events to show education and work options, as well as trips to historic sites to learn about Scotland and enjoy the outdoors. The committee also offers a weekly space to practise English and help each other with studies. The video below provides further information: New Scots Youth Group Video D1 8.12.25
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19 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Bronze New Scots DofE Group
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20 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Empowerment: Giving children the knowledge and confidence to use their rights and hold organisations and individuals that affect their lives to account Empowerment is about giving children and young people the confidence and tools to understand their rights and speak up about what matters to them. The work across North Ayrshire supports young people to take part in decisions, influence change, and feel respected in the places they learn, live and spend time. Development of North Ayrshire’s Youth Voice Toolkit Community Learning and Development has created a Pupil Voice Toolkit in North Ayrshire which has been co-designed with young people, educators, and community partners to ensure that learner voice is embedded across all secondary schools. It provides practical guidance, tools, and strategies to help schools create meaningful opportunities for pupils to influence decisions, shape their learning experiences, and participate in school improvement. By fostering a culture of collaboration and respect, the toolkit supports schools in developing inclusive approaches that empower every young person to be heard and valued. North Ayrshire’s Champions Board for care experienced learners Every secondary school in North Ayrshire has a Champions Board for care experienced young people, with over 68 young people regularly taking part. The boards meet every two to four weeks, offering a safe place for young people to share their views, build confidence, and help shape services. Each year, all the Boards join for a big conference to talk about topics that matter most to them. Members get involved in projects like creating apps, raising awareness, organising events, and fundraising. These activities help young people learn about their rights, build leadership skills, and have their voices heard by organisations that support them. Their efforts are recognised with awards and opportunities to learn from each other and take part in national consultations. The Corporate Parenting Team supports the groups, making sure care experienced young people are involved in decisions and North Ayrshire keeps its Promise by 2030.
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21 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Progressing empowerment in North Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) Community Link Workers and North Ayrshire Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service (NADARS) staff work closely with advocacy services and carers’ organisations to help people access support and have their voices heard. They signpost to advocacy services like ‘Voiceability’ and help raise awareness of young carers’ rights. Children, young people and parents are supported to access advocacy and legal representation when involved with social work or the children’s hearing system. Every child has a personalised plan to help overcome barriers to participation. Speech and Language Therapy involves children and young people in setting their own goals. Services are delivered flexibly, often near home or school, and digital tools are used to make access easier. Most Early Years settings now have a trained Communication Champion who links with parents, promotes communication-friendly environments, and shares advice from Speech and Language Therapy. They help identify children needing extra support and encourage best practice among staff. Realising children’s rights through the Rights Respecting Schools Award All North Ayrshire schools take part in the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA) programme, showing a strong commitment to children’s rights in education. Schools are making good progress — by December 2025, 24 have Bronze, 29 have Silver, and 18 have Gold awards.
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22 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION There is now a trained RRSA assessor and plans to appoint a Strategic Lead, who will help manage the programme and secure discounted award costs. A coordinator group has also started to help schools work together and share ideas. Schools say the RRSA programme helps children talk about their rights, builds confidence, and improves school life. Pupils are more involved in making decisions and support each other, creating welcoming and safe environments for everyone. North Ayrshire is clearly committed to children’s rights through this work.
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23 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Participation: Listening to children and taking their views seriously Children and young people are experts in their own experiences, and their views shape how we plan and improve services. Across North Ayrshire, we create spaces where young people can share what is important to them, work with adults on solutions, and influence decisions in meaningful ways. Youth Services-led youth engagement Community Learning and Development support a wide range of youth forums and groups across North Ayrshire to make sure young people can share their views and help shape decisions about things that matter to them, following UNCRC Article 12. These include local Youth Forums, Scottish Youth Parliament members, the Executive Youth Forum, New Scots, Sports Leaders, ASN groups, care experienced young people, LGBT groups, and young carers. These groups work on local and themed projects and speak honestly about important issues. They also team up for bigger projects, bringing different voices together to help improve policies, make positive changes, and encourage more young people to get involved across the area.
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24 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Youth Participation Strategy Community Learning and Development lead on North Ayrshire Council’s Youth Participation and Citizenship Strategy in North Ayrshire. This helps young people have a real say in decisions about their lives and communities. The strategy gives staff practical advice and tools to make sure youth voices are included in projects and services. It encourages creating spaces where young people can shape policies and lead activities. The strategy follows national standards and helps staff feel confident supporting youth involvement. A new version, co-designed with young people and focused on rights, will be launched in 2026.
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25 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Champions Boards in secondary schools The Champions Board lets care experienced pupils in every North Ayrshire secondary school meet regularly to share their views and help make decisions. They lead projects, set priorities, and make sure their ideas are listened to. All boards join at a yearly conference, where young people talk directly to decision-makers about what matters to them. Pupils also help plan events, create tools like the CE4U app, and take part in national discussions. This way, the Champions Board makes sure young people’s voices help shape school and council decisions
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26 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Education School Improvement Planning: engaging learners Learner Executive Groups (junior and senior) have been convened to engage with children and young people on Education Service priorities and issues that matter to them. The current focus is involvement in the evaluation of our current Service Improvement plan and input into the co-creation of the new service priorities. This builds on existing mechanisms for capturing learner views, including Joint Cabinet and the pupil council networks as well as pupil councils and focus groups across all our educational establishments. Progressing participation in North Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) Signs of Safety is a way of working that helps families and social workers make plans together to keep children safe and well. It puts children and families at the centre, recognising that families know best about their own lives. Signs of Safety uses simple, friendly language to talk about worries and what needs to happen next, making sure everyone understands and feels listened to. Social workers use special tools to help children understand why they are in care and to let them share their feelings and wishes. The Words and Pictures tool, provides a gentle and clear way to explore, what adults are worried about and why children need extra support or protection. The Three Houses tool, wizards and fairies, and magic carpet tools give children different ways to talk about how they feel and what they hope for, making it easier for them to have a voice in decisions. Some tools also help children see what adults are doing to keep them safe. Safe and Together mapping tools are also used to support children's safety and happiness. Alcohol and Drug Prevention (ADP) work with schools North Ayrshire’s ADP works with schools and partners to teach young people about drugs and alcohol early. Every year, experts run S1 workshops on vaping, safety, stigma, real-life stories, and the effects of substances. In 2024/25, 1,285 pupils took part, helped by Police Scotland, KA Leisure, and Children First. Older pupils at Irvine Royal Academy started a peer mentoring pilot, training to lead the ‘Champions for Change’ sessions in local primary schools. A six-week programme was also designed with young people and taught to Extended Outreach learners, with plans to continue next year. All activities are shaped by what young people say and local issues. Quotes from workshop participants: “It was very educational and I think it changed my perspective on things.” “We heard from people who had used drugs and alcohol themselves. They were open about their experiences and showed us the risks and how it can affect family and friends.”
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27 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION The ADP alongside education will continue to offer staff professional learning on local drug tends and harms that responds to local intelligence. In November 2025, the ADP held a staff conference to upskill our staff on current trends, risks and harms, develop partnerships and engagement activity to inform next steps. North Ayrshire’s Joint Cabinet The North Ayrshire Joint Cabinet Meetings give young people a real say in local decisions. Twice a year, pupils from all schools and outreach groups meet with councillors and staff to talk about issues that matter to them. These meetings aim to: 1. Empower young people, letting them help shape local policies and services. 2. Encourage adults and young people to work together on solutions. This supports young people’s right to be heard, as set out by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Thanks to these meetings, young people have helped improve mental health support, transport accessibility, and action on climate change. They also gain confidence and learn skills like public speaking and teamwork, and many get involved in more youth activities.
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28 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION The council now values youth participation as a key part of their work, with leaders regularly asking young people for their views before making changes. This approach is seen as best practice by national organisations and shows how councils can work with young people as equal partners, not just ask for their opinions.
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30 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Accountability: Organisations and individuals should be accountable to children for the decisions and actions which affect their lives Strong accountability makes sure that rights are not only understood but acted on. By reviewing our policies, checking our legal duties and involving young people in how we design and assess services, we are building a consistent approach that keeps children’s rights at the centre. Examples include updating contracts to follow the rules, making child poverty reports easier to understand, and checking if services meet legal standards for children and families. Revision of procurement terms and conditions The UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) 2024 Act requires the Council and organisations delivering a service on behalf of the council to uphold children’s rights. As a result, the Council has updated its procurement contract Terms & Conditions to clearly say that the suppliers must act compatibly with the UNCRC Act and share evidence to show that they have complied with this if requested. Work is also underway to review and update agreements between the Council and Third Sector providers who deliver services on behalf of the Council as part of a Service Level Agreement. Family-friendly child poverty report Young Modern Apprentices contributed to making the Child Poverty Action Plan Progress Report easier for children and families to understand. Apprentices reviewed sections of the draft report, identified words and areas that were confusing or difficult, and suggested adding a glossary for these terms. Much of the detailed information was considered unnecessary for families, so the recommendation was to focus on main points and include contact details for services in shorter, flyer-style graphics. Based on this feedback, flyers were created, approved, and are due to be published online soon. In future reporting cycles, young people will be involved earlier, with a youth panel established to help shape important documents and guidance from the outset. This approach ensures young people’s views are reflected and that families receive clear, practical information about child poverty and available local support. Assessing legal duties in realising the UNCRC The UNCRC law is still quite new, so everyone is still learning about what the Council’s legal duties are and where problems might come up. Senior staff have been told what is expected of them and can see where more work is needed to meet the rules. Council teams are in charge of this, and they can get legal advice if they need it. In 2025, the legal team worked with national partners to check how things are going and what still needs to be done. This helped the steering group focus on important areas like buying services, working with others, asking people for feedback, dealing with complaints, making financial decisions, and checking how actions affect children’s
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31 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION rights. All this work helps make sure services are following the law and putting children’s rights first. Progressing accountability in North Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) After an NHS A&A board session in April 2024, each director selected a children’s rights champion to help meet UNCRC requirements in their directorate. In North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (NAHSCP), the Senior Manager for Children and Families (Health) took on this role, with a focus on promoting children’s rights across health and care services. Champions developed short action plans. In NAHSCP, this meant setting out clear steps for improving how children’s rights are supported locally, including ways staff can better identify and address risks to children’s wellbeing. NAHSCP led a benchmarking exercise in late 2024, involving all Heads of Service and Senior Managers. This exercise reviewed current practices, measured how closely services align with UNCRC standards, and identified gaps or risks to children’s rights. Actions were suggested to close these gaps and prevent future breaches. The Improvement Service’s ‘Getting ready for UNCRC Incorporation Framework’ was used throughout. NAHSCP is now working to put these findings into practice, making sure children’s rights are protected in all health and social care activities.
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32 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION Raising awareness of the UNCRC with Elected Members Community Learning and Development (CLD) has created training for North Ayrshire’s Elected Members to explain children’s rights and the new UNCRC law in Scotland. The training shows councillors how the law affects their daily work, including making policies and decisions that impact children and families. It also gives practical examples and clear guidance to help councillors understand their responsibilities. This training is part of the council’s promise to keep children’s rights at the heart of everything they do and to make sure young people’s views help shape all council services. UNCRC engagement through Joint Cabinet North Ayrshire Joint Cabinet involves young people in discussions about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to understand their knowledge and priorities. Through consultations, workshops, and youth-led discussions, young people raise issues such as mental health, education, equality, and participation. These views are included when planning and reporting on local services, making sure that UNCRC commitments match young people’s real experiences and needs. By listening to young people, local priorities and services better support and protect children’s rights.
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34 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION North Ayrshire Council’s UNCRC Steering Group approach to implementation After the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 became law, North Ayrshire Council set up a Steering Group with senior staff from different services to make sure children’s rights are supported across the Council. Led by the Education Executive Director, the group takes action and checks progress on children’s rights. Since December 2024, the group has: 1. Run a campaign to help staff understand their UNCRC responsibilities 2. Set up support and training, including mandatory online learning for all staff 3. Delivered training for senior staff and councillors 4. Created clear guidance on complaints and made it easier for children to report issues 5. Helped develop a toolkit so children can learn about their rights and have a say in decisions 6. Reviewed progress using the UNCRC Implementation Framework 7. Worked with Education, Housing and Health partners to further strengthen children’s rights The group was established to support services to embed children’s rights and met four times per year to review progress and drive further improvements across services. The
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35 OFFICIAL INFORMATION OFFICIAL INFORMATION group agreed to disband in February 2026 after delivering on the most important key steps and agreeing what work will be taken forward by individual services and the new joint plan for children’s rights, children’s services and child poverty that is led by the Children’s Services Strategic Partnership.