How can academia and civil society work in partnership to create a new model of UNCRC implementation?  There is no better time to harness the momentum of the children's human rights movement, to develop innovative partnerships and methods of working to answer this question.

Two developments made this an ideal time for this programme.  In 2016, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child reviewed the UK's progress in implementing the UNCRC and made a series of recommendations (known as Concluding Observations) in June 2016. These recommendations outline what more needs to be done in legislation, policy and practice to ensure the rights of all children are upheld across the UK. Their publication coincided with the commencement of UNCRC-related duties on Ministers and public bodies through the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (CYP Act), and a new Scottish Parliament.

However, Together’s 2016 State of Children’s Rights report identified that much more needs to be done – there are still widespread failures to recognise and support children’s rights, from local and national weaknesses in children and young people’s participation to significant gaps in children’s legal protection in criminal law. The UNCRC in Scotland seminar series sought to improve and address gaps in the implementation and monitoring of the UNCRC in Scotland through an examination of the UNCRC in law, practice, policy and identify next steps for implementation.