Policy and Influencing

The families we work with face poverty, discrimination and disadvantage. Working alongside children, young people and families, we make sure they can participate and contribute what they have to say in our campaigning and influencing work so that their voices are heard and can influence government, policymakers and decision-makers nationally and locally.

We listen to and work with the children and families to understand the challenges and issues that matter most to them. We create places and spaces where children, young people and families can participate and collaborate and work together with us to help influence policy, legislation and decision-making that affects their lives.

We can only ensure change is meaningful and sustainable if children, young people and families are at the heart of Aberlour’s influencing and campaigning work.

Our policy and influencing work includes:

• lobbying and working with the Scottish Government, MSPs and other policymakers
• writing policy briefings and consultation responses
• carrying out research and providing evidence papers
• public campaigns on issues affecting children, young people and families
• working in coalition with other organisations on shared policy areas
• championing children and young people's human rights

At Aberlour we are committed to championing the human rights of all children and young people across Scotland.

Underpinning everything we do is our ambition to ensure the children we work with have an equal chance regardless of their start in life.

We have campaigned and lobbied to ensure that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is fully embedded in law in Scotland.

We aim to make sure the UNCRC is visible across our organisation and is real for the children, young people and families we work with.

We work to influence policy and practice by amplifying and elevating the voices of our children, young people and families.

We continue to influence the incorporation and implementation of the UNCRC in Scotland, ensuring that children and young people’s human rights are the foundation of everything we do as an organisation.