Child friendly complaints reporting
All colleagues must familiarise themselves with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child requirements in relation to child-friendly complaints reporting. Read this update for everything you need to know.
Child friendly complaints
In July 2024, the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Children (UNCRC) (Incorporation)(Scotland) Act 2024 made Scotland the first country in the UK, and the first devolved nation in the world, to directly incorporate the UNCRC into domestic law. This Act ensures that children’s rights are central to policy and decision-making, and that their needs are met by public service complaints procedures in Scotland.
Child friendly complaints handling principles
These principles underpin how to handle and investigate complaints from or involving children, in a way that respects their rights under the UNCRC. They are not intended to stand alone. Instead, they add to the main principles, adapting the complaints process to meet children’s rights and needs.
The principles were recently approved by the Scottish Parliament and now form part of the SPSO’s wider Statement of Principles, which all public bodies under their jurisdiction must ensure their complaints procedures comply with.
What this means for the council
In practice this means we are likely to require the child's consent for a complaint to proceed if the service complained about is provided directly to the child. Where a child may be affected by issues or matters raised in a complaint, we will likely require to reach out to the child to seek their views as part of the complaint investigation.
Whilst it is being decided how best to embed this new process, anyone handling a complaint made by, or in respect of, a child should in the meantime take account of the SPSO guidance and principles which can be accessed via the following links:
The complaint page in Connects has been updated to reflect the above.
Published January 19, 2026
