14 March 2018

Kilbrandon Again - enquiry into Scotland's care and justice system

Scotland's Children and Young People's Commissioner has co-established an enquiry into how well Scotland supports children and young people in trouble.

Kilbrandon Again is a partnership between the Commissioner and Action for Children, supported by the University of Edinburgh and aims to find out what's going well for children and young people in care and in the justice system, and what can be improved.

The enquiry will hear from

  • young people and adults with lived experience
  • professionals working in the system
  • experts

Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People's Commissioner for Scotland said:

"Scotland is one of only a few countries internationally which have decided to address youth offending on a rights-based, holistic welfare basis.

More than 40 years since its inception, the Children's Hearings System continues to have much to recommend it, but we should always be willing to challenge and review law, policy and practice.

In particular, I am concerned that the age of criminal responsibility remains at eight years old and that vulnerable children and young people can acquire lifelong criminal records that affect their future opportunities.

It is in everyone's best interests that we have a system which works effectively and in a rights-compliant way."

Read more on the CYPCS website.