Education, Children and Young People Committee
The Education, Children and Young People Committee was established in June 2021. It focuses on:
- schools, colleges and universities
- additional support for learning
- early years and childcare
- Children’s Hearings
- child protection
- the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry and Scotland's Redress Scheme
- languages
Next meeting of the committee
Start time:
9:30am, Wednesday 19 November 2025
Location: TG.40-CR1 The Burns Room
Agenda:
- Declaration of interests
- Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill
- Work programme (in private)
Dates for future meetings
The Education, Children and Young People Committee usually meets weekly on Wednesdays.
Previous meetings of the committee
Work of the Committee
Current work
Budget 2026 to 2027
Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill
Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland
Education Reform: OECD review and the 'Putting Learners at the Centre' report
Education Reform: independent reviews of qualifications and assessment, and skills delivery
Equally Safe
Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill
Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill
Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill
The Promise: next steps for care-system reform
Universities
University of Dundee
Widening access to higher education
Completed work
AI and Education
Additional Support for Learning
Alternative Certification Model
Budget 2022 to 2023
Budget 2023 to 2024
Budget 2024 to 2025
Budget 2025 to 2026
Bòrd na Gàidhlig
COVID-19's impact on children and young people
Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill
Colleges regionalisation inquiry
Covid and Schools January 2022
Disabled Children and Young People (Transitions to Adulthood) (Scotland) Bill
Drink and needle spiking
Early Learning and Childcare 1140 hours progress inquiry
Education (Scotland) Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum Advanced Research and Invention Bill
Legislative Consent Memorandum British Sign Language Bill
PE1548 National Guidance on Restraint and Seclusion in Schools
PE1668 Improving literacy standards in schools through research informed reading instruction
PE1692 Inquiry into the human rights impact of GIRFEC policy and data processing
PE1747 Adequate funding to support children with additional support needs in all Scottish Schools
Scottish Languages Bill
Skills alignment with business needs
The Scottish Attainment Challenge
Future work
Education, Children and Young People Committee Future business
The Committee considers its work programme regularly to maintain a rolling programme of business. The Committee's main business over coming months will include:
Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee published its Stage 1 report on 9 September 2025. Should the Bill pass Stage 1, the Committee will schedule Stage 2 proceedings in due course.
Schools (Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill: The Bill passed Stage 1 on 27 March 2025, and requires a Financial Resolution to be lodged by the Scottish Government in order for Stage 2 proceedings to take place. The Committee will schedule scrutiny of the Bill at Stage 2, if a Financial Resolution is lodged.
Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee has been designated as the lead Committee for the Bill at Stage 1. The Committee issued a call for views over the summer recess and will be taking oral evidence at sessions in September, October and November.
Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill: The Committee has been designated as the lead Committee for the Bill at Stage 1. The Committee issued a call for views over the summer recess and will be taking oral evidence at sessions in September, October and November.
The Committee will also consider its pre-budget scrutiny 2026-27, focusing on college and university funding. In particular, it will exploring the long term financial stability of the college and university sectors.
Correspondence
Correspondence
Education, Children and Young People Committee
17 November 2025
Letter from COSLA providing supplementary evidence regarding engagement with the Scottish Government - 14 November 2025
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2026-27 - Letter of 14 November 2025
14 November 2025
Letter from the Convener to the Minister for Higher and Further Education, 14 November 2025
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Follow up evidence from Social Work Scotland
14 November 2025
Letter from the Convener of Social Work Scotland, John Trainer, providing further evidence on the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill, 14 November 2025
Official Reports of meetings
Official Reports of meetings
Meeting date: Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Meeting date: Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Subordinate Legislation, Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Meeting date: Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1, University of Dundee
Meeting date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Meeting date: Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Pre-budget Scrutiny 2026-27, Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill
Meeting date: Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Meeting date: Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Subordinate Legislation, Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Meeting date: Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill, Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Meeting date: Thursday, June 26, 2025
Education, Children and Young People Committee
University of Dundee
Reports
Committee reports
Stage 1 report on the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill
A report by the Education, Children and Young People Committee on the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1.
Report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
Report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Annual report of the Education, Children and Young People Committee 2024-2025
This report sets out a summary of the Committee's work over the last parliamentary year.
Committee Remit
To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and matters relating to the Historical Abuse Inquiry, redress and languages falling within the responsibility of the Deputy First Minister.
Current Members
Douglas Ross
Convener
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Jackie Dunbar
Deputy Convener
Scottish National Party
George Adam
Member
Scottish National Party
Miles Briggs
Member
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Member
Scottish Labour
Ross Greer
Member
Scottish Green Party
Bill Kidd
Member
Scottish National Party
John Mason
Member
Independent
Paul McLennan
Member
Scottish National Party
Willie Rennie
Member
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Full details of committee membership, including substitute and previous members