Children and Young People programme roundup 2024

The Children and Young People Programme continues to raise awareness for the importance of Getting It Right For Every Child.

Our programme is committed to ensuring disabled children and young people, those with long term conditions, their families, their carers, and the third sector organisations who support them have increased capacity to influence the local implementation of Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC). As part of this, we were delighted to receive CPD accreditation for our GIRFEC Training earlier this year. This has allowed us to increase our reach across Scotland, strengthening knowledge and understanding of the children and young people sector. This year saw the first GIRFEC Regional Gathering Insight Events. These events brought together over 300 professionals within Scotland’s children and young people sector who play a role in implementing GIRFEC. Through networking opportunities, participants could connect with colleagues from the third and statutory sectors, fostering collaboration and the exchange of insights.

This year, we launched our series of GIRFEC Stories, amplifying voices and sharing stories about people and organisations experiences of GIRFEC. Captured so far are stories from Children’s Health Scotland, Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS), staff and pupils from Kelso High School, and more.

The ALLIANCE continues representation on the National Transitions into Adulthood for Disabled Young People Strategy Working Group, developing Scotland’s first transitions strategy, ensuring there is a joined-up approach so that all disabled young people can experience a supported and positive transition to adult life.

In April, we took our learning to an international audience by attending the International Conference on Integrated Care in Belfast, where we held a workshop focussed on making engagement meaningful when involving children and young people.

We are pleased to continue our partnership work with East Ayrshire Council which looks to understand families’ experiences of accessing out of school additional support needs services in their local area. As part of our engagement with families, we published a short film which highlighted the need for the voice of young people and families to be at the heart of designing children’s services – they hold the key to getting it right for every child.

The Children and Young People Community of Practice (CoP) continues to thrive, bringing together professionals and volunteers within the sector who have a shared interest. A space to learn, collaborative and network with one another. In partnership with the Scottish Child Law Centre, we hosted our first training event of the CoP this year, focussing on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

Moving forward into 2025, we want to utilise the learning gathered this year to continue our policy into practice efforts. We’re continually seeking new opportunities to improve outcomes for children and young people in Scotland.

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