Qualifications Scotland publishes children's rights report
Qualifications Scotland has published a new report explaining how it is putting children’s rights at the heart of Scotland’s qualifications and assessment system.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) report highlights how Qualifications Scotland is putting young people’s rights and views at the heart of its decision-making.
Recent actions include learner consultations on AI use and the withdrawal of exams in practical subjects, working with external organisations to support care-experienced young people, and supporting its own young workforce.
The report sets out how Qualifications Scotland is meeting its legal duties under the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. It explains what has been done, and what is planned, to protect and promote children’s rights and ensure our work follows the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), as far as possible.
The report – Children’s Rights at the Heart of Everything We Do: UNCRC report 2026 – outlines the progress Qualifications Scotland has made in embedding children's rights across the organisation.
The report outlines how it collaborates with schools, colleges, training providers, educators, employers, families, and, most importantly, young people themselves and how it has adopted a children’s rights-based approach to its decision-making processes based on research, consultations and engagement activities, learner participation, and feedback received from national partners and individual stakeholders. It details what we have learned on this journey and how this has informed what we will focus on next.
Recent activities that demonstrate its commitment to ensuring young people’s voices are heard, and their views are represented include the establishment of the new Learner Interest Committee, and the Voices from the Classroom sessions.
These platforms – and the new Learner Charter which is currently in development – will ensure the organisation takes account of and considers the views of learners, teachers and practitioners when making any decisions that impact on children.
Other activities highlighted in the report include the consultation with learners and practitioners on the withdrawal of exams from practical subjects including Practical Cake Craft, Practical Metalworking, and Practical Woodworking, and making qualifications fairer by removing barriers and supporting children with disabilities and/or additional support needs to ensure they have the best opportunity to demonstrate their skills, knowledge and understanding in their assessments.
In response to technological advancements, Qualifications Scotland consulted directly with learners on their use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This led to clearer, balanced guidance on responsible AI usage, preserving the integrity and fairness of qualifications while welcoming modern tools.
By placing children's rights at the centre of its decision-making, Qualifications Scotland aims to ensure its qualifications progressively improve to be as fair, trusted, and inclusive as possible for the children and young people of a diverse Scotland.
The report spotlights how Qualifications Scotland:
works with organisations such as Who Cares? Scotland and MCR Pathways to understand the experiences of care-experienced young people and ensure their rights are recognised and supported.
has undertaken anti-racism work with the support of organisations and networks including Education Scotland, the University of Glasgow, the University of Stirling, and Show Racism the Red Card to improve equality in education.
supported its own young workforce, promoting Qualifications Scotland as an employer of choice for young people.
Nick Page, Qualifications Scotland Chief Executive said: “Taking a children’s rights-based approach means making sure that children and young people are heard and their views are taken seriously when decisions affect them.
“As our report demonstrates, we have forged ahead with improving the way learners can share their experiences and opinions, and we have worked closely with schools, colleges and training providers to better understand what matters to them most.
“We have learned a lot and there’s still much we want to do. We will continue to embed children's rights in all aspects of leadership, planning, policy development and decision-making to ensure that the rights, wellbeing and best interests of children and young people are central to our practice.”