Children’s Health Scotland launches manifesto for change
- Area of Work: Children and Young People
- Type: News Item
- Published: 10th February 2026
Every Child’s Right to Health – The Time for Action is Now
We are the Health Rights Defenders – children and young people who know what it feels like to wait too long for help, to feel invisible, and to fight for the care we need. Scotland is failing thousands of children. Waiting lists are growing, mental health support is collapsing, and poverty and trauma are shaping lives. This is not acceptable.
Every child has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, as promised in Article 24 of the UNCRC. That right is being denied every day. We cannot wait any longer. We need urgent, decisive action.
Our Manifesto for Every Child’s Right to Health, co-created by Health Rights Defenders and Children’s Health Scotland has now launched. It is not a wish list – it is a lifeline. You can also view it on the CHS website.
We demand:
· Timely, equitable, and rights-based care – no child should have to wait until crisis hits before help arrives.
· Trauma-informed services that understand the realities of poverty, trauma, and systemic barriers.
· Robust data and workforce planning to stop the cycle of delays and shortages.
· Meaningful participation of children, young people, and families in shaping services.
· Long-term investment in third sector organisations to ensure sustainable, life-changing support.
These changes cannot be postponed. Every day of delay means another child suffers. We urge you to act now – to put children’s health and rights at the heart of every policy, every budget, and every decision.
Promises are not enough. Action is everything. The time is now.
Thank you for listening to our views and voices. We need to know how you will lead this change.
We encourage you showcasing this manifesto and getting involved in knowing all about My Health, My Rights. We’d love to have a conversation, so if you would like to know more, you can visit the CHS website.
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