Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers

🌟 I’m over the moon to have been elected as the Convener of the Scottish Parliaments Education and Gaelic Committee!

🧑‍🧒‍🧒 As many of you know, my route into politics was due to the exeriences I’ve had as a mother for my children with additional support needs.

🚸 I have six kids and have being doing the school run since 1996, which is still ongoing! I’ve had various experiences across many levels of education, as a parent, I ran a playgroup for a few years, and I was the SNP spokesperson for Education when I was a Local Councillor. I’ve had the joy of getting to know the schools across Banffshire and Buchan Coast and have interacted with many of our young people.

🙌🏻 I look forward to this new challenge and working cross party to ensure the best scrutiny possible for our Scottish Education system. It’s also really exciting that languages are in this brief, including BSL and Scots, and I’m ready to get to work!

EXCITING NEWS........ As you may have already heard, we have received funding to bring back the fantastic 'Partners in Policymaking' programme. We will be running the programme over 8 residential sessions from September 2026 - March 2027 at Stirling Court Hotel in Stirling. Please share the information with any parents of disabled children (up to the age of 18) and any disabled adults (18 and over) you may know and think would be interested in applying for a place on the programme.😀

Children and young people are experts in their own experiences. Creating an education system that works for every child depends on listening to those with lived experience and ensuring their voices help shape decisions.

A really worthwhile read from the Inclusion Ambassadors project. Thank you for continuing to champion lived experience in ASL discussions👏

Over the last six years, the Inclusion Ambassadors project has played an important role in ensuring children and young people with additional support needs have had the opportunity to inform policy development, implementation and reviews around additional support for learning.

This new report, published by the team supporting the Ambassadors, highlight some of the key topics raised as well as what's next for the group.

Read the full report here:https://childreninscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IA_Reflective-report-2020-26.pdf

The Inclusion Ambassadors are managed by a project team from Children in Scotland and Enquire.

💛Congratulations to everyone at Positive and Active Behaviour Support Scotland - PABSS Sc049511 again who have brought the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Act to this significant moment following Royal Assent this week!

Earlier this year, Beth Morrison shared her story with us.
📖Read her powerful reflection:
https://parentcarerassembly.scot/blogs/our-journey-calums-law-story-love-courage-and-children-who-changed-scotland-beth-morrison

A huge well done to all involved!👏

Absolutely delighted to be able to say that this week, The Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) bill 2025 known as Calums Law went through Royal Assent this week.

Huge thanks again to Daniel Johnson MSP and everyone who supported us over the last 12 years to get to this point.

📢 Opportunity for you to share your voice.

As part of Caring Matters week, BBC Radio Scotland is hosting a special programme exploring kinship care and they would like to hear directly from kinship carers about their experiences.

There will be a live phone in taking place Wednesday 27th May, from 9.45 to 10.45am, where kinship carers can share their stories.

If you would like to take part in the phone in, please tune in tomorrow and follow the on-air instructions to get in touch.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002wv9f

MY HEALTH, MY RIGHTS: A NATIONAL SURVEY FOR SCOTLAND'S CHILDREN - Children's Health Scotland Take part in our National 'My Health, My Rights' Survey and share your experiences as a child or working with children.

Parents and carers! We need you! Connect’s latest survey is out now!

As the summer holidays approach, we are keen to hear your experiences and views about the kind of childcare, clubs or organised activities your family needs or uses for your children. This is also known as ‘out of school childcare' and includes:
• before or after school (or nursery/early years settings) - this is sometimes called ‘wraparound care,’ and can include specific activity or after school/breakfast clubs.
• Childcare/activities in the school holidays.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GKNP7SZ

This survey will close on Friday 29 May 2026 and should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

💛Assembly members recently worked with Education Scotland to gather parent and carer views to help shape their future direction.

Through focus groups and a member survey, parents shared clear priorities around consistency across Scotland, support for additional support needs, high quality learning and teaching, and the importance of meaningful partnership with families.

We’d like to thank Education Scotland for their open and constructive approach to engaging with parent voice.

https://parentcarerassembly.scot/news/all-news/education-scotland-x-sapc-future-direction-education-scotland

For parents and carers in Aberdeen