Child Protection in Angus
Information for Children and Young People - Children's Commissioner for Scotland
In 1991 our country signed up to an international agreement - the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This is a set of promises to do certain things to make life better for children and young people.
Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People's job is to make sure those promises are kept. The Commissioner has a legal duty to keep on reminding everyone of the promises and can also set up an investigation if she thinks the promises are not being kept. If the Commissioner believes that a public, private or voluntary organisation is not keeping the promises made to children and young people, she can require them to attend a public investigation, examine them under oath and force them to produce documents.
Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People promotes and safeguards the rights of children and young people living in Scotland. Kathleen Marshall, Scotland's first Commissioner is here to make sure all children have their rights respected.
Naturally, she prefers to work in partnership with people and will generally only use those powers when people do not co-operate; but it is important that they are there.
Another way the Commissioner might use those powers is if an issue has been raised by children and young people themselves. If this happens she might want to make it clear how seriously she takes it by setting up a formal investigation to raise the profile of the issue and perhaps give children and young people an opportunity to ask questions.
Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People has a very good website which contains more information and advice for all children and young people about keeping safe, about your rights and lots of interactive games and competitions.
For more on information you can visit the website for the Children's Commissioner for Scotland to find out more about children's rights in Scotland.