Forces Children Scotland 5 hours ago
Renfrewshire Council has marked a milestone in strengthening the rights of children from Armed Forces families across Renfrewshire by endorsing and adopting the Forces Children’s Rights Charter. This makes Renfrewshire Council the second local authority to do so, following Inverclyde Council two weeks ago.
A motion tabled by Provost Lorraine Cameron, who also serves as the local authority’s Armed Forces and Veterans Champion, at today’s full council meeting welcomed the contribution made by Armed Forces families within Renfrewshire and highlighted that children from Armed Forces families can experience “unique challenges arising from high mobility, parental deployment, separation, and transitions between schools and communities”.
The Forces Children’s Rights Charter is a rights-based framework founded on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). It was created by Forces Children Scotland in partnership with children and young people from Armed Forces families. It sets out what children from military families believe they need in order to have their rights respected, protected and supported.
The charter has now been adopted by the local authority after a motion brought forward by Provost Cameron and seconded by Cllr Andy Doig was unanimously backed at a full council meeting on 22 June 2026.
Commenting following the adoption of the charter, Provost Cameron said:
“As the elected member Armed Forces Champion for Renfrewshire, I am pleased to move this motion calling on Renfrewshire Council to adopt the Forces Children’s Rights Charter.
We are a council with a long and proud commitment to supporting our Armed Forces community, in fact we adopted the Armed Forces Covenant some time ago and we already recognise forces families as an integral and meaningful part of our community.
It is important that we also specifically recognise the unique experiences of children and young people from service families.
Forces children often face challenges that many of their peers do not. Frequent moves, changes of schools, periods of separation from parents due to deployment, and the uncertainties that military life can bring can all have a significant impact on a young person’s education, wellbeing and sense of belonging.
The Forces Children’s Rights Charter has been developed by forces children themselves.
By adopting the Charter, we send a clear message that Renfrewshire values these young people, understands their experiences, and is committed to ensuring their rights are recognised and respected across our schools and services.
This is a practical and meaningful step that builds on our existing support for the Armed Forces community and demonstrates our commitment to them.”
Commenting, Chief Executive Officer of Forces Children Scotland, Steven Sweeney, said:
“As a Paisley boy, I’m delighted that Renfrewshire Council has become one of the first local authorities in Scotland to endorse the Forces Children’s Rights Charter. To use the words of one of the young people we work with, the charter is a representation of their ‘ideas, stories and vision for the future’.
“By adopting the charter, Renfrewshire Council has given a voice to Forces children and young people and ensured that their rights will be respected and considered in decision-making by the local authority.
“We look forward to continuing our work with Renfrewshire Council and Provost Cameron to ensure the aims of the charter are realised and that Forces children in Renfrewshire are given the best start in life.”
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