Scottish Child Law Centre is Scotland’s only dedicated hub protecting children’s rights, offering free and confidential legal advice on all aspects of Scots law relating to children and young people. As a specialist organization staffed by qualified solicitors, it stands out for its commitment to accessibility, expertise, and long-term advocacy for systemic change in child-related legal matters.
The Centre provides direct support to children, young people, parents, carers, and professionals through a secure and empathetic service, ensuring that legal guidance is both practical and empowering. With a significant annual caseload supporting thousands of individuals, it focuses on complex and urgent issues affecting young people’s rights, supplemented by community-based clinics and partnerships to extend its reach across the nation.
Services Offered
- Free and confidential legal advice on child-related Scots law
- Specialist legal support for children, young people, parents, carers, and professionals
- Advice on education law and additional support needs
- Guidance on health-related legal issues affecting children
- Support in matters of residence and contact disputes
- Legal assistance for youth offending cases
- Help with accessing records and confidentiality issues
- Rights-based advice and representation for children’s hearings
- Support in court disputes involving children
- Specialist training programs on child law and children’s rights
- Community legal clinics offering in-person advice
- Influencing long-term legislative and policy change for children
Operating across Scotland, the Centre delivers services in English and leverages partnerships to serve diverse communities, with notable outreach efforts such as the Govanhill community clinic. It is funded by sources including the National Lottery Community Fund, reinforcing its capacity to address growing legal needs effectively.
