Evidence highlights that some population groups may be more likely to experience inequalities, poorer health outcomes, racism & discrimination or be impacted by a range of multiple risk factors that can affect health. 

It is also important to acknowledge intersectionality, social economic factors, protected characteristics, vulnerable groups and the impact these factors can have on health inequalities. This video explains more about intersectionality. Click Here

All Learners All Achieving 2022 – 2027 from Glasgow City Council Education highlights the importance of inclusion, equitable approaches and promoting equality.

Further information on Equality and Diversity is available from Education Scotland including Policy, EQIA and Children’s Rights. Click Here

The health and wellbeing of children and young people has a direct impact on their outcomes and quality of life. The GIRFEC and SHANARRI models define 8 indicators of wellbeing for children and young people: safe, healthy, active, nurtured, achieving, respected, responsible and included.  

Good health and wellbeing for children and young people helps build resilience and coping strategies even in adverse conditions or circumstances. There are a number of protective factors that help to build resilience and that will have a positive impact for children and young people. These include: 

Individual child: Learning and development, healthy living, general health, mental health, spirituality, emotional intelligence. 

Family: Family relations, family structure, parental healthy living, parental health. 

Learning environment: Teacher support, peer and friend relationships, educational environment, pressures and expectations. 

Community: Participation, social networks, social support, trust, safety. 

Structural: Wider economy and labour market, poverty and wealth, welfare and housing, social inclusion, racism, discrimination, physical environment, violence, culture.  

Glasgow City Health Improvement have identified a number of vulnerable groups with some further information. The list is not exhaustive but helps give insight. Click here to view.

It is important that all staff working with children and young people have an understanding of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and the many factors that can impact on health and wellbeing.

Scotland’s ‘needs led’ and rights based educational system is designed to be an inclusive one for all children and young people in Scottish schools.

Embedding inclusion, wellbeing and equality   from Education Scotland provides more details.

Every child and young person in Scotland has the right to education, no matter who they are, regardless of race, gender or disability; if they’re in detention, or if they are a refugee. Socioeconomic inequality can be seen across the whole education system, from early years to higher education and beyond.

Priority 2 of Scotland’s Public Health Priorities states “A Scotland where we flourish in our early years. Addressing the health and wellbeing issues of children and young people, and recognising, respecting and promoting their rights is essential to achieving this outcome. This priority places particular emphasis on our early years, recognising the impact that early childhood poverty, disability and adverse childhood experiences can have on health outcomes throughout a person’s life”. 

Giving children the best start in life is a fundamental part of improving health and reducing health inequalities. Health inequalities are known to be intrinsically linked with social inequalities in household income, life circumstances, education and opportunity and can impact of educational attainment for children and young people. 

Adolescence can lead to difficulty in relationships as young people develop their identities and gain more independence. This can be harder to navigate for those who have experience trauma. Building trusting relationships by building on strengths and enhancing protective factors are the foundations of evidence based approaches to supporting vulnerable children and young people. Acknowledging individual circumstances is vital to support young people to achieve positive outcomes. The ‘One Good Adult’ concept (see video below) provides a foundation for building trusting relationships with children and young people. 

Overlapping issues for young people may require access to specialised or professional support via onward referrals and some families may require additional support to engage with services. Services and support should be coordinated to provide a holistic approach to address a wide range of needs in the most efficient manner. 

All children and young people have the right to get the support they need to reach their full potential. In Scotland, we have an inclusive educational system which focuses on overcoming barriers to learning and Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC). Some children and young people need additional support to benefit fully from their education. Additional support needs can arise, in the short or long term, from a variety of circumstances including: 

• The learning environment 
• Family circumstances 
• Health or disability needs 
• Social and emotional factors  

The Skills Development Scotland (SDS) Equality Evidence Review (April 2023) highlights that individuals across the protected groups can face some of the greatest barriers and poorest outcomes in relation to participation and progression in the education and skills system. 

• Care experienced school leavers are less likely to go into positive destinations than school leavers in general – 86% compared with 95% of all pupils.
• Pupils with an Additional Support Need (ASN) are almost five times more likely to be excluded from school than pupils without a recorded ASN, negatively impacting on future educational attainment and career opportunities.
• A survey of transgender young people highlights that 82% of transgender young people have experienced bullying in school due to being LGBT, with 68% of those who had been bullied, saying it negatively impacted on their educational attainment.
• Pupils from deprived areas regularly have lower levels of attainment than those from more affluent areas. Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to progress onto higher education. They are also more likely to experience mental health struggles; bullying and exclusion; have poorer attendance; and are less likely to feel part of their school’s community.
• The Scottish Attainment Challenge aims to provide equity in education. This can be achieved by ensuring every child has the same opportunity to succeed, with a particular focus on closing the poverty-related attainment gap.

One Good Adult

Below is a short video developed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde which explains the One Good Adult concept. 

Top 10 Tips for Resilience

Understanding individual’s strengths and capabilities is important for assessing needs and risks and reducing high-risk behaviour. Helping young people recognise their unique skills, interests and abilities can build resilience. Children and young people should be actively involved in planning and working towards their goals. 

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have developed Top 10 Tips for Resilience as a guide to help children, young people and the people supporting them to build resilience and develop their own coping strategies, to cope with life’s challenges. Resilience is something that can be built and that can rise and fall at different stages of a person’s life. Someone who is resilient may also struggle to cope from time to time. However, developing and recognising your own coping strategies can be a protective factor for health and wellbeing. 

Below includes some resources and useful websites for further information about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and supporting children, young people and families.

Asylum Seekers

We Journey Together is a resource pack for frontline staff, practitioners and volunteers across all sectors who may support asylum seekers and refugees as part of their roles. Click here    to access the website.

Please note, contains potentially upsetting content and not advised for use with under 14s.

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Communities 

Amina – The Muslim Women Resource Centre have a range of online toolkits and resources suitable for Secondary Schools on their website. Click here    to access it.

Intercultural Youth Scotland have resources, videos, blogs and reports on their website for Primary and Secondary Schools. Click here    to access it.

TURAS Equality and Diversity Zone provides a range of resources relating to Race, one of the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.  Information, resources and awareness raising on racial equality, diversity and inclusion and included in the page. Click here to access.

Care Experienced

Celcis has a range of free supporting resources, information, webinars and a knowledge bank on their website for Primary and Secondary Schools. Click here   to access it. There is a dedicated section for education resources including an education forum. 

The Promise Scotland has a range of supporting resources, reports, links and webinars on their website, including a document on keeping the Promise in Education. Click here    to access the website.

Who Cares? Scotland is a national voluntary organisation, working with care experienced young people and care leavers across Scotland. They support care experienced young people to have their voice heard. Click here    to access the website.

Disabilities

The Autism Toolbox is a resource to support the inclusion of children and young people with autism spectrum disorder in mainstream education services in Scotland. Click here    to access it.

TURAS Equality and Diversity Zone provides a range of resources relating to disability, one of the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. Click here to access.

I am Me Scotland – Education Scotland Resources encourage children and young people to recognise and understand the range of disabilities, including hidden disabilities. Designed to be progressive, the lessons highlight the impact of bullying and the consequences of hate crime, whilst encouraging children to be inclusive and embracing of difference. Click here to access.

Disability Matters provide free resources and E learning for the UK workforce. Click here to access.

Gender Based Violence

Relationships and Sexual Health section highlights several GBV resources including RSHP, Keeping Mum, Crush and Equally Safe at School. Click here to view.

Equally Safe at School  Equally Safe at School has been developed for secondary schools to help them take a whole school approach to preventing gender-based violence, with staff and students working together with a shared understanding and commitment to equality and safety for all. Click here to view

Preventing and Responding to Gender Based Violence: A Whole School Framework.  This framework provides support to those working with and in schools to develop and strengthen universal and targeted approaches to gender-based violence. Click here to view.

Young Scot have developed materials and resources for children and young people around healthy relationships and domestic abuse. Click here    to access them.

LGBTQI+ 

LGBTQI+: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Intersex people, and all gender identities and sexual orientations)

LGBT Schools Charter is a programme to ensure your school proactively includes LGBT people. Click here    to find out more.

LGBT Youth Scotland work with young people aged 13 to 25 and their goal is to make Scotland the best place to grow up for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex young people. Click here    to access their website for more information.

Time for Inclusive Education are an LGBT Inclusive Education charity. The charity take an educational approach to tackling homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying and prejudice in schools. Resources for secondary schools (including lesson plans) are available online to download. Click here    to access the website.

TURAS Equality and Diversity Zone provides a range of resources and learning relating to sexual orientation, one of the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. Click here to access.

Resilience Toolkit with top ten tips for resilience poster provides a visual aid and practical guidance for promoting the resilience of children and young people. The resource includes interactive sessions and is designed to be used by workers and volunteers working with young people aged 10 and over. Click here   to access it.

Trauma Informed Practice 

Addressing Childhood Adversity and developing a trauma informed approach: an infographic created by the Glasgow City Health Improvement Team provides a snapshot of adverse childhood experiences and trauma for young people in Scotland and how we can address them. Click here   to access it.  

Public Health Scotland provide an overview of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Health Inequalities and National on their website. Click here    to access it.

The National Trauma Training Programme resources are openly available to support all members of the Scottish workforce to meet the vision of: “A trauma informed and responsive nation and workforce, that is capable of recognising where people are affected by trauma and adversity, that is able to respond in ways that prevent further harm and support recovery, and can address inequalities and improve life chances.” Click here to access the programme.

Young Carers

Education Scotland Young Carers Resource can be used to help identify young carers and to highlight the impact of caring. Downloadable reference documents and links to key legislation, policy and guidance are also provided. Click here   to access the website.

Young Carers in Schools 

Carers Trust Young Carers in Schools Click here  . They have also created a useful resource on identifying and supporting young carers in education. Click here    to access this. 

Carer Aware Glasgow City HSCP resources here  

Getting support Glasgow City HSCP – Refer a young carer here  

Young Carers Glasgow City HSCP information here   

Young Parents

The Young Parents’ Support Base forms part of a wider strategic approach to supporting young parents in Glasgow which includes key partners such as Health, Social Work, Education, Development and Regeneration Services and Skills Development Scotland. The overall aim of the service is to support young parents to attain the best possible start in life for themselves and their children. In working towards this aim, young parents involved with the Base have opportunities to engage in a variety of individual and group work activities to support their development as a person and as a parent. The Base provides opportunities around a wide range of health and social needs for all young parents. For more information, click here   

Youth Homelessness

Rock Trust has a range of publications and supporting resources on their website to help people learn more about youth homelessness including the Youth Homelessness Prevention Pathway. Click here   to access it.

Runaway Helpline has been supporting young people for many years and is run by the UK charity Missing People. The charity have produced a free resource to use with children and young people who may be at risk of running away or going missing. Click here   to access it.

Simon Community Scotland's vision is for everyone to have a safe place to live with access to the help they need.  Simon Community have services for adults and young people. Their website contains a range of resources and information to support learning on youth homelessness. Click here to access.

Youth Justice

Families Outside is the only national charity in Scotland working exclusively on behalf of families affected by imprisonment. A range of information for parents and young people as well as professionals is available on their website.  Click here  to access.

Mentors in Violence Prevention is Scotland's largest anti-violence schools programme. It aims to empower young people to safely speak out against all forms of violence from rape and sexual harassment to bullying and abusive behaviour. Click here  to find out more.

No Knives Better Lives has a range of resources available for working with young people. Click here  to access the website.

The Violence Reduction Unit work closely with colleagues and partners across health, education, social work, housing and other areas to identify, understand and address the underlying causes of violence. A range of resources, reports and learning are available on their website. Click here to access 

General

Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities Professional Learning Framework, from Education Scotland. Click here to access.

School Attendance, Emotionally based School non attendance, resources and information from educational psychology. Click here to access.

Glasgow Virtual School Information. Click here to access.

Language Matters – How to Talk about Health Inequalities in the Context of Young People. Resources from AYPH. Click here to access.

The Glasgow City HSCP Health Improvement Team have collated a list of key strategy and policy links regarding children and young people. These documents should be used to inform planning and delivery within your classroom and school community.

These documents are a useful resource to build a knowledge base around current priorities and work on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Glasgow and across Scotland. Please note that clicking on these documents will take you to external websites.

General

Equality and Diversity Education Scotland, Policy EQIA and Children's Rights

UNCRC Conventions on the Rights of the Child (Scotland Act 2024)

European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) 

Getting it right for looked after children and young people strategy Scottish Government (2015)

The Equality Act (2010) 

The Fairer Scotland Action Plan (2016) 

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

Asylum Seekers

New Scots: Refugee and Integration Strategy 2024 

The Race Equality Framework for Scotland 2016-2030

BAME

Addressing Race Inequality in Scotland: The Way Forward – Scottish Gov (2017) 

The Race Equality Framework for Scotland 2016-2030  

The Race Relations (Amendment) Equality Act

Care Experienced Young People

Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (GCHSCP) Corporate Parenting Action Plan

Independent Care Review – The Promise (2020) 

Disabilities

National Transitions Adulthood Strategy for Disabled Young People

Scottish Strategy for Autism: outcomes and priorities 2018-2021 

Supporting disabled children, young people and their families Scottish Government (June 2018)  

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2016   

The Keys to Life (2019) an implementation framework for the delivery of Scotland’s Learning Disability Strategy  

Gender Based Violence

Every Day Hero's Equally Safe Delivery Plan

LGBTQI+

LGBTI Inclusive Education Report 2023 

LGBT Youth Scotland Strategy 2023 - 2027

Young Carers

Carers Act Scotland (2016) 

Glasgow City HSCP Carer Strategy 2022-2025 

Scottish Government's Carer's Charter

Young Parents

Pregnancy and Parenthood in young people strategy (2016) 

Pregnancy and Parenthood in young people strategy Progress Report (2019)

Youth Homelessness

Youth Homelessness Prevention Pathway, For all Young People (2021) 

Youth Homelessness Prevention Pathway, Improving Care Leavers Housing Pathways (2019) 

Youth Justice

Children and Young People Priorities 2024 - 2026

Preventing Offending and Getting It Right for Children and Young People, Youth Justice Strategy Scotland 2015-2020  

Scottish Violence Reduction Unit Strategic Plan 

What Works to Prevent Youth Violence, Key Findings (2021) 

What Works to Prevent Youth Violence, A Summary of the Evidence (2021)