The health and wellbeing of all children and young people in Scotland and their right to the best possible health, lies at the heart of the work of Children’s Health Scotland. We provide health and wellbeing support Programmes directly to children and young people with health conditions and to Foster and Kinship Carers. We’re the only charity in Scotland dedicated to informing, promoting, and campaigning on the healthcare needs and rights of all children and young people with health conditions and we work directly with children and young people, and those who love and care for them including families, carers, educators, and health professionals.
Vision
Everything we do at Children’s Health Scotland is informed by our Vision, which is: “To support the right of every child to the best possible health”.
Charitable Purpose
A charity must have a charitable purpose that helps the public (known as being ‘for public benefit’). Our charitable purpose is ‘the advancement of health and wellbeing for children and young people and supporting their right to the best possible health’.
Our Values
Our values reflect the way we want to work and we have five main personality attributes:
We will act as Ambassadors within our sector by continually driving awareness of the healthcare rights of children and young people. We believe in the rights of children and young people as enshrined in the UNCRC and in the EACH Charter.
We are friendly and approachable, actively engaging with children and young people and our key stakeholders. We encourage collaborative networks and effective partnerships to drive awareness and change when necessary.
We exist to make sure children and young people are treated well and are safe and we will challenge when necessary to protect their rights.
We are experts in our sector and can offer guidance and information on the health and wellbeing of children and young people.
We are skilled professionals and work inclusively to welcome and support people with all kinds of differences.
Core Objectives
Our core objectives explain what we do to support our charitable purpose and we’re managed and controlled by trustees who act in the best interests of our charity.
- Inspiring children, parents, and carers with knowledge and understanding of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and health rights, and defending these rights, when necessary, with professionals, government, committees, and non-governmental organisations.
- Working alongside young volunteers to ensure their voices are at the centre of our work and of health rights development and promotion in Scotland.
- Informing children, parents, and carers of their health rights and responsibilities, where to access information and support, and what they should expect from service providers – enabling them to participate in decisions about their care.
- Irrespective of illness and condition, work to improve the life-experiences of children (0-18), particularly vulnerable children, those living with health conditions or care-experienced children, through the provision of information, Programmes and Training designed to support their health and wellbeing.
- Through sharing knowledge, understanding, and awareness – empower children to take control of managing their health and wellbeing and their future life choices, enabling them to be the best version of themselves that is possible.
- Further the health and wellbeing of children by promoting an understanding and awareness of health-related play and optimising the use through a wide range of play based materials.
- Lead, encourage, and coordinate collaboration between children, families, organisations, and agencies by providing or facilitating information, expertise, training, research and other services relating to health and wellbeing in order to nurture good practice.
- Influence health policy, planning and practice for sick children at a national level with the Scottish Government, NHS, and the voluntary sector and at a local level with health professionals, parents, and carers to enable the development of child centred services that support their health and wellbeing.
- Stimulate interest, campaign, and educate those responsible for health and transition services available to children in Scotland living with health conditions and care-experienced families.
