Forces Children Scotland 5 hours ago
Let’s work together so children and young people’s voices are heard, and their rights are respected, in Scottish schools.
As we mark the Month of the Military Child this April, we’ll be sharing what children and young people from Armed Forces families have told us about their experiences of education in Scotland.
Their voices were the driving force behind our latest report with Children and Young People Commissioner Scotland, Camouflaged In the education system.
Children and young people told us that their education is too often disrupted by mobility, differences between education systems, and gaps in support.
At the same time, they spoke about not always being listened to when decisions are made about their learning, whether that’s around subject choices, year group placement, or the support they receive.
These two themes — education and voice — are integral to the Forces Children’s Rights Charter, which was co-produced with children and young people and asserts what they need to thrive across all areas of life:
The purpose of the Charter is to turn these rights into everyday experiences, but this report shows a gap between Forces children’s rights in principle and practice.
A rights-based approach means closing that gap and:
Most importantly, it means listening to and acting on what children tell us.
This report is an appeal to anyone with a say in children’s education, to help make these rights a reality in classrooms, schools and systems across Scotland.
If this resonates with you, we invite you to make the pledge and become a Forces Children’s Rights Defender.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll continue to explore what needs to change so that Forces children are not camouflaged within the education system, but recognised, supported and able to thrive.
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