'We are Scotland's future, so listen to us' Barnardo's report urges

SCOTLAND'S first Commissioner for Children has backed a new report calling on the Scottish Executive to listen more to young people about the areas of policy that affect them the most.

The report, Give Us A Chance, will be presented to ministers at the House of Lords on Tuesday. Published by children's charity Barnardo's, it outlines the opinions of 130 young people on a wide range of social concerns, from politics to drug abuse in schools.

Kathleen Marshall, the children's tsar, said greater feedback from the Executive would help children become "robust citizens" who would be more willing to give their views in the future.

She said: "Children and young people will respond better in the future if they see the evidence that their opinions have been seriously considered.

"When there haven't been any obvious changes it is very important that there is some kind of explanation. If that doesn't happen, children will just ask, 'What is the use?' and think that they haven't been heard."

Marshall said the Executive was in the early stages of passing legislation that included children's opinions. "There is still a long way to go and the point Barnardo's is making is very valid.

"If we really want good legislation, if we really want the children to feel they have been listened to, we should give them feedback about what has happened to their views."

The Barnardo's report says that children and young people still do not have a sufficient voice in "the big decisions", despite making up about one quarter of the total population of the UK.

Tam Baillie, assistant director of policy at Barnardo's Scotland, said the young people that he worked with were among the most disadvantaged in society but they still had "powerful views that are both considered and reasonable".

He also said that one of the "key challenges in Scotland" was to ensure that young people play a full role in decision making.

The Anti-Social Behaviour Act was an example of legislation where children and young people should have been consulted with, he added. "We want to see some follow-up on that, to make sure they are actually being listened to. We would like some assurance from the Executive that this is happening."

He said adults frequently forgot that children "often knew best" when it came to the things that affected them.

A recent survey on children's attitudes to traffic showed how essential it was to consult young people when implementing policies like urban planning, Baillie added. "Lots of children said they were frightened of fast traffic and they told us where they felt safe and where they felt in danger."

Among those who took part in the report were young people from Barnardo's Scottish services such as The Polepark Family Service in Dundee and The Children's Rights and Advocacy Service in South Ayrshire.

An Executive spokeswoman said it puts children's needs at the heart of everything it does.

"We believe in giving young people the opportunity to get involved in the decision-making process so they can make a positive contribution to their communities."

She also pointed out several ways young people have been involved in decision making, citing the Executive's close ties with Scotland's youth parliament. "We're not doing all this as a paper exercise, " she added.

Brian Cooper, a spokesman from the Educational Institute for Scotland teaching union, said feedback on children's views would help citizenship classes in school. "It would help increase their understanding of politics and the way the world around them works.

"If we are to encourage young people, then we have to prove to them that their opinions are being taken on board by those in government."

Nicholas Patience, 16, a pupil at Mackie Academy, Stonehaven, said it was a good idea. "Actions speak louder than words. The Executive should remember that we are the nation's future and it is important to listen to us. It will be us doing the work in the future."

He said there were many issues that listening to children's voices could help solve.

"I would like to see more policemen about on the streets. You see drunk people all the time out looking for a fight."

A government that listened would "make people want to get back in contact", he added.

Copyright 2005 SMG Sunday Newspapers Ltd.
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