What does it really mean for children and young people to experience their health rights in Scotland today? Over the past year, Children’s Health Scotland has been listening.
Through our My Health, My Rights Survey, more than 1,100 voices have come together to create one of the most significant conversations about children’s health rights in Scotland. Children and young people, parents and carers, health professionals and education professionals have shared their experiences, insights and ideas for change. Families and professionals from every NHS Health Board area in Scotland have taken part, helping us build a truly national picture of children’s health rights.
Alongside 414 survey responses from children and young people, we also received 224 drawings, ensuring younger children’s voices could be heard in ways that felt meaningful, creative and accessible. Together, these contributions offer a powerful insight into children’s experiences of health, wellbeing, participation and support across Scotland.
As we prepare to launch the report, our Chief Executive, Helen Forrest, reflected on the significance of this work:
We are currently bringing together one of the most important pieces of listening work Children’s Health Scotland has undertaken. More than 1,100 voices from across Scotland have contributed, including children and young people, parents and carers, health professionals and education professionals. Families and professionals from every NHS Health Board area have shared their experiences, helping us create a truly national picture of children’s health rights.
Listening has always been at the heart of Children’s Health Scotland. For almost 50 years we have worked alongside children, young people and families to ensure their experiences help shape services, policy and practice. This report is an opportunity to reflect on what children’s health rights have looked like in Scotland, where progress has been made, where challenges remain and what children, families and professionals believe should happen next.
Most importantly, this report ensures that the voices of children and young people are heard. Their experiences, alongside those of the families and professionals who support them, will help shape the future of children’s health rights in Scotland.
Four Voices. One Conversation.
As we prepare to publish the findings, these are just four of the voices that will be heard.
- “Sometimes doctors and nurses explain what is wrong to my parents and not to me. This makes me feel like I don’t matter.”
Child or Young Person - “Knowing their rights has not meant services meeting those rights.”
Parent/Carer - “There is a strong desire to deliver services that are rights based.”
Health Professional - “It is vitally important to get health support right in schools.”
Education Professional
These voices, alongside more than 1,100 others, will help shape a national conversation about children’s health rights and what needs to happen next.
Be Among the First to Hear the Findings
The findings from My Health, My Rights will be explored at our My Health, My Rights Conference 2026, bringing together children and young people, families, professionals, policymakers and partners from across Scotland to discuss what the findings mean and how we can work together to strengthen children’s health rights.
We’re not giving anything away just yet.
What we can say is that the voices we heard were honest, powerful, thought-provoking and impossible to ignore.
🎟️ Early Bird tickets are available until 21 August.
Book your place today:
👉 https://www.childrenshealthscotland.org/events/my-health-my-rights-conference-2026/
