Achievements
Over the last 13 years we have worked for Scotland's children and families, influencing policymakers and practitioners as well as conducting research, and providing training and communication for all those working in the children's sector both within Scotland and internationally.

Policy and research

The last three years has seen a continuing high level of activity on children’s issues, with important new legislation and developments within Scotland and at a UK and EU level (listed below). On each and every one of these developments, Children in Scotland has contributed in one or more ways: promoting awareness and understanding, disseminating good practice, researching relevant issues, enabling discussion and feedback and supporting the implementation of legislation.

We continue to coordinate the monthly debates of the cross-party group on children and young people in partnership with Youthlink.

Practice development
Our programme of multi-disciplinary training workshops, seminars and conferences is designed for those involved in policy making and planning and those working directly with children, young people and their families.

The events are a key part of our commitment to improve the quality and effectiveness of services for children, young people and their families by providing opportunities to debate issues and share valuable knowledge and experience. We try to ensure they are offered throughout Scotland on both a planned and commissioned basis.

We continue to grow our programmes and over the last year have introduced

• Understanding the new Additional Support for Learning Act
• The competent child
• Introduction to child protection; practitioners
• Introduction to child protection; policy
• Problem solving and coping mechanisms for young people
• Releasing the artist within
• Supporting children dealing with loss and change
• Bullying: a relationship issue

Communications
We continued to produce our monthly magazine Children in Scotland, our daily news service for members and to support the promotion of the organisation, its members and their work. Particularly popular is Children in Europe, our twice-yearly magazine produced with nine European partners in nine languages. Issue 10 (March 06) – An appetite for life: young children, food and eating considered the provision of food in services for young children. It examined how food was grown, cooked and eaten, and looked at cultural, social, educational and aesthetic importance of food.

Enquire: the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning
Enquire successfully bid for extended funding from the Scottish Executive securing its work until March 2007. Helpline hours were extended and calls increased. We redesigned our website and saw an increase in visits. We launched a training manual and a series of training and outreach events reaching parents as well as professionals.

Legislation and Policy Development

New domestic legislation enacted and pending included

• Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004
• Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004
• Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004
• Breastfeeding (Scotland) Act 2005, Smoking
• Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005
• Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005
• Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006
• Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006

New Westminster legislation included

• Child Trust Funds Act 2004
• Child Benefit Act 2005
• Disability Discrimination Act 2005
• Equality Act 2006

Work and Families Act 2006

and at an EU level

• the publication of the  European Commission’s Communication Towards an EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child.

Other policy publications:

• A Curriculum for Excellence (2004)
• Getting it Right for Every Child (2004-05)
• Mental Health of Children and Young People framework (2005)
• Culture Commission Report (2005)
• 21st Century Social Work Review (2006)
• National Review of the Early Years and Childcare Workforce (2006),
• NEET strategy (2006).

On each and every one of these developments, Children in Scotland has contributed in one or more ways:  promoting awareness and understanding, disseminating good practice, researching relevant issues, enabling discussion and feedback and supporting the implementation of legislation.