Children’s Rights at NHS Lothian
On this page you will find information about Children’s UNCRC Rights and how NHS Lothian is working to progress the rights of children and young people in Lothian.
Championing Children’s Rights with the UNCRC
At NHS Lothian, we are committed to ensuring that the rights of children and young people are understood, respected and embedded in everything we do.
The incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) marks an important milestone towards Scotland becoming a nation where every child can flourish, and we are proud to play our part in making that vision a reality.
By embedding a rights-based approach across our services, we aim to create a culture where our core values – Dignity and Respect; Care and Compassion; Openness, Honesty and Responsibility; Quality; and Teamwork – are reflected in everyday practice that supports all children and young people to enjoy their UNCRC rights.
UNCRC Incorporation: What It Means for NHS Lothian
The UNCRC is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. It sets out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children and young people under the age of 18 years are entitled to, regardless of their background or circumstances.
In Scotland, the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 brings children’s rights into domestic law. This means public bodies, including NHS Lothian, must ensure children’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled in everything we do.
Click on each question below to expand and view the answer.
What does Incorporation mean?
- Children’s rights are legally enforceable – Children and young people can challenge public bodies if their rights are not upheld.
- Public bodies are accountable – We are required to act consistently with the rights outlined in the UNCRC and demonstrate how we are doing so.
- Children’s voices must be heard – We must take children and young people’s views seriously in the design, delivery, and improvement of services.
What are NHS Lothian’s responsibilities?
- Assess the impact of decisions we make on children’s rights.
- Ensure our policies and services promote and protect children’s rights.
- Embed children’s rights into everyday practice, through workforce development, service design, and quality improvement.
- Involve children and young people’s participation in decisions that affect them.
- Work in partnership with families, communities, and other agencies to deliver rights-based services.
What impact does this have?
Incorporating the UNCRC isn’t just a legal requirement — it’s the right thing to do. A rights-based approach helps to make sure that every child has the best start in life, is safe and healthy, and is respected as an individual.
By fully embedding the UNCRC into our work, NHS Lothian can help build a fairer, more compassionate and responsive healthcare system for all children and young people.
You can find out more about the UNCRC incorporation here:
UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024
What is the UNCRC?
The UNCRC is a special set of rights made just for children and young people under 18. It includes things like:
- The right to be safe and protected
- The right to an education
- The right to be listened to and taken seriously
- The right to play and rest
- The right to get help if you’re unwell or struggling
But where did these rights come from?
These rights are part of something even bigger called human rights — the basic rights and freedoms that everyone should have, just for being human. Adults have human rights too — like the right to work, to vote and to live free from harm.
The UNCRC is a way of making sure that children and young people get the support, respect and protection they need as they grow up. It recognises that children have their own needs and voice and are not just ‘waiting to be adults’.
In Scotland, that means professionals — like teachers, doctors, social workers and government leaders — must make decisions with children’s rights in mind.
Explore some of the UNCRC Articles by clicking on the ‘Learn More’ links below
Article 2
All children have these rights no matter what their differences are.
Article 3
Adults must do what’s best for me.
Article 6
I have the right to live and grow as a person.
Article 12
I have the right to be listened to and taken seriously.
Article 24
I have the right to be as healthy as possible.
Article 31
I have the right to rest, relax and play.
Image Gallery
Thank you to children from Woodburn Primary School, Midlothian and young people from Edinburgh YMCA Youth Group for sharing their art-work illustrating some of the UNCRC Articles. Click on the images to expand and see how many Articles you can recognise
Putting Rights into Practice at NHS Lothian
Every day, NHS Lothian staff work to deliver services that support children and young people to be safe, healthy, heard and respected.
The Director of Public Health is the Executive Lead for UNCRC in NHS Lothian and UNCRC implementation is led by the Child Health Commissioner team.
People
The Child Health Commissioner Team
Pamela Murray, Child Health Commissioner
As Child Health Commissioner, I work locally and nationally to influence policy, improve health and wellbeing, and ensure that children’s rights are at the heart of decision-making and service delivery.
I am passionate about ensuring children and young people have genuine opportunities to influence the things that affect their lives. Working alongside them helps us design better services, improve outcomes and create a culture where everyone is treated with dignity, respect and kindness.
Jillian Adie, Programme Manager, Maternal, Children and Young People’s Health
My role involves leading programmes of work to improve the health and wellbeing of babies, children and young people. Ensuring that children and young people who use NHS Lothian services can enjoy their rights is one of my top priorities.
The voices of children and young people informed our Children’s Rights Plan and I am working with staff, partners and children and young people to make sure that we deliver the promises in the plan.
I am committed to building strong and accessible participation routes so that children and young people can be involved, listened to and respected in decisions that affect them.
Boluwaji Oladuja, Business Support Officer
My role as a Business Support Officer involves supporting a range of children’s rights and participation activities. I have been involved in developing the Children’s Rights website and creating resources that help make information more accessible, while ensuring that examples of children and young people’s participation are shared and celebrated.
I enjoy contributing to work that helps ensure children and young people are informed, involved and listened to, and that their views are reflected in the services and decisions that affect them.
The Champions Network
Children’s Rights Champions are staff who speak up for children and young people and promote their rights. All of our Champions have completed training on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and many have completed advanced training with Children’s Parliament to help them embed their knowledge in practice. Champions are helping to make sure that everyone in NHS Lothian knows about and respects children’s rights.
UNCRC in Action
▶NHS Lothian UNCRC Strategic Framework
▶NHS Lothian Children’s Rights Plan
▶NHS Lothian Children’s Rights Report
Watch the NHS Lothian: On Board with Children’s Rights video below to learn more about children’s rights in NHS Lothian. The video was co-produced with children and young people – you can read about their involvement in the ‘Children and Young People’s Participation’ section further down this page. To view the video with BSL, click on the arrow to the right of the page. You can add subtitles to both videos by clicking the CC button in the menu at the bottom of the video.
Progressing Children’s Rights Through Building Positive Relationships and Understanding
We worked with Dr Sarah Sivers, a healthcare law and ethics expert from Robert Gordon University, to translate research with parents and healthcare professionals into talking head videos for children, young people, parents and carers, and Health and Social Care professionals. Click on the links below to find out more and watch the videos.
Children
Young People
Parents and Carers
Professionals
Children and Young People’s Participation
We are working to improve the ways in which babies, children and young people can be involved in their care and can influence decisions that affect them. Click on the links below to see some examples of how children and young people’s participation is helping to deliver change.
Action on Smoking in Hospital Grounds
How children’s voices are creating healthier outdoor spaces at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.
Creating an animated video about children’s rights
How children, young people, NHS Lothian and Palindromicals worked together to co-produce a children’s rights video.
‘Growing and Changing’ Supportive Person Campaign
How young people in East Lothian are influencing local policy to ensure every child grows up feeling safe, valued, heard and supported.
Young People Shaping Their Care and Support in CAMHS Inpatient Unit
How young people are informing staff interviews and strengthening peer connections.
From Voice to Action
How a secondary-aged young person with Developmental Language Disorder was empowered to use their voice to shape their own support.
Using Talking Mats to Inform Assessment and Support
How a young person shared what mattered to them most and influenced their diagnostic assessment and support.
UNCRC in Action Across Lothian
Learn more about how the UNCRC is being embedded in the local authorities NHS Lothian partners with.
East Lothian
Edinburgh
Midlothian
West Lothian
Talk to Us
We want to hear from you. Talking to us helps you, as a child or young person, enjoy your right to be listened to and taken seriously (Article 12).
Tell us about this website
We want this website to be useful for children and young people, families and professionals.
Tell us about your care or treatment
We want to hear from children and young people about your experiences of healthcare, whether things have gone well or not so well.
Your feedback helps us understand what is working and what we can improve.
Find out how to share your experience by following the link below.
Speak to someone
If you have a question about your care or treatment, or if there is something you are worried about or unhappy with, it is important that you can talk to someone.
You can:
- speak to a doctor, nurse or another member of staff involved in your care
- ask a parent, carer or another trusted adult to help you
Often, talking to someone directly can help answer questions or sort out concerns quickly.
Make a complaint
If you feel that your concerns have not been resolved, or if you want to make a formal complaint, you have the right to do so.
Our child-friendly complaints process explains:
- how to make a complaint
- what will happen next
- where you can get support
Follow the link below to find out more.
Child-Friendly Complaints – Your Rights & Privacy
Resources
Children and Young People’s
Commissioner Scotland
The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland is Nicola Killean. She works with her team to protect the human rights of children and young people.
Children in Scotland
Offers various services, including My Rights, My Say, and funding opportunities aimed at improving the lives of children and young people in Scotland.
Together: Scottish Alliance for
Children’s Rights
Together is an alliance of Scottish children’s charities that works to improve the awareness, understanding and implementation of the UNCRC.
Children’s Parliament
Established in 1996, Children’s Parliament is dedicated to the realisation of children’s human rights in Scotland.
Observatory of Children’s Human
Rights in Scotland
The Observatory of Children’s Human Rights are a collaborative of Scottish organisations working to drive implementation of children’s human rights in Scotland, with local impact and global learning.
The Institute for Inspiring Children’s Futures
Inspiring Children’s Futures is a partnership at the University of Strathclyde with a collective vision of ensuring that children and young people have what they need to reach their full potential, particularly those facing adversity.
