Supporting the Work of the Scottish Child Law Centre

That the Parliament recognises and supports what it sees as the vital work of the Scottish Child Law Centre (SCLC) in protecting and promoting children’s rights; understands that the provision of free, specialist legal advice Scotland-wide across all areas of child-related Scots law via the email Advice Service is vital for families in need; celebrates the centre’s work in the Govanhill Community Law Clinic and recognises the significant impact of this work in providing free, specialist, trauma-informed legal advice and support that it believes would otherwise be unavailable; further recognises that the clinic serves a community that is disproportionately impacted by multiple and intersecting disadvantages, including poverty, insecure or unsuitable housing, overcrowding, language barriers, insecure immigration status and limited access to specialist legal advice; notes that the clinic regularly supports children and families affected by domestic abuse, child protection concerns, homelessness and complex immigration matters; considers that, while the UNCRC is now embedded in Scots law, far too many children and their families struggle with serious and complex rights breaches; understands that the SCLC is seeing increasing numbers of children and families impacted by poverty and unable to afford legal representation or find legal aid representation; commits to the principle of access to justice, which is embedded within the UNCRC as incorporated into Scots law, and believes that policies, practices and investment must be enhanced to ensure that children’s rights are real.