Children First is Scotland’s national children’s charity.
Our purpose.
Our purpose is clear, powerful and rooted in our Royal Charter. We exist to:
Prevent harm: caused by neglect, violence, exploitation, online risks and poverty, while strengthening families and communities.
Protect children: keeping them safe, championing childhood and campaigning to uphold their rights.
Support recovery: helping children heal from trauma and abuse through advocacy, care and therapeutic services.
“I want them (social workers and teachers) to know that I worry about my family as they are so far away.”
Euan, 6
Children’s Rights. Relationships.
In 1884, when our founder, James Grahame, was horrified by the poverty, neglect and abuse faced by children he passionately declared:
“If not us, then who?”
That call to action still drives everything we do today.
“Justice takes so long. Far too long. I feel like I’ve lived my whole life before the court has even proceeded.”
Olivia, 13
Our vision.
Every child in Scotland will be safe and loved, with their right to a happy childhood protected, respected and fulfilled.
Scotland will be a world leader in preventing harm to children whose lives will be free from poverty, neglect, abuse, violence, exploitation and online harm.
Learn more about our new strategic priorities
As Scotland’s national children’s charity, we stand up for children because every child should have a safe and happy childhood.
We protect children from harm, keep them safe and support them to recover from trauma and abuse through our national support line and in their homes and communities across Scotland.
Our values.
Everything we do is underpinned by our values: Our mission continues.
With love, we put children first.
With purpose, we transform lives together.
With strength, we do whatever it takes to protect Scotland’s children.
“I worry about things on the news.”
Eva, 7
“I wish for young people’s voices to be heard and considered as important.”
Bella, 15
“It is really important to keep families together and not split us up.”
Ben, 10
Children are more at risk. Childhood is under threat. Together we can change that.
This strategic plan has been developed at a time when we have never been more concerned about the safety and wellbeing of Scotland’s children.
Despite progressive laws and a global reputation for children’s rights, Scotland is failing to protect childhood and the consequences for babies, children and young people are increasingly severe. Whilst we have made some progress, the gap between what Scotland says and what Scotland does is wider than ever.
Whilst we have made some progress, the gap between what Scotland says and what Scotland does is wider than ever.
At Children First we are determined to close this gap so that every child in Scotland enjoys a safe and happy childhood.
We are proud to have led the way in trauma-informed care, relationship-based practice, whole family support and child-centred justice.
Alongside children and with our partners and supporters, we have effectively campaigned to raise awareness of the impact of abuse, neglect and trauma, to protect children from physical punishment, for the incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and we have begun to transform the way we treat child victims and witnesses of abuse and violence.
Despite all of this, when we listened to children, young people and families’ views about what should be the focus for this strategic plan, they told us they feel anxious, afraid and alone in coping with the damaging impact of inequality, violence, chronic poverty, abuse, neglect, mental health struggles and exploitation.
Children are also facing new threats and we risk sleepwalking into the digital destruction of childhood. From a very young age children are exposed to bullying, extreme pornography and violence, sexual exploitation and sextortion at alarming rates.
We must wake up to the damage that is being done because digital devices are being placed in children’s hands before they are ready and we don’t yet properly understand the impact this has on their development, safety and emotional wellbeing.
Public services are stretched to breaking point, funding is scarce and charities like Children First are struggling to be there for the growing number of children and families who need us.
Despite commitments to public sector reform, Scotland has not made the promised shift to prevention. Services are built around systems rather than children and families struggle to access the support they need. As a result, more children are put at risk and families are pushed into crisis.
Children and their families must be met with compassion, understanding and offers of support, but too often they are subject to process driven, punitive responses. Instead of being strengthened, families are being judged harshly and separated too quickly.
As a society we are at risk of forgetting how precious children are and how essential a safe childhood is. If we want to protect our future, we need to protect children now.
We need to remember the science of child development; babies need connection, toddlers have tantrums, children need freedom to play, teenagers test boundaries and that’s how they learn, grow and develop to become secure, well-functioning adults.
Scotland
faces a national childhood emergency.
This isn’t just a crisis of priorities; it’s a crisis of values.
Scotland faces a national childhood emergency. This isn’t just a crisis of priorities; it’s a crisis of values.
As adults, we must create safe, nurturing and tolerant communities where children can thrive. That means investing in play, creativity and sport, giving children real alternatives to being online.
To keep the promise made after the Independent Care Review, we need a radical transformation that truly puts children at the centre of how services are designed and delivered. Most importantly, we must listen to children’s hopes and help realise their dreams.
Scotland has all the policy, legislation, knowledge and resources to make a good childhood possible for every child. We know what works; we have the solutions.
Hopeful, ambitious and deeply rooted in the voices of children and families this strategic plan has also been shaped by colleagues, volunteers, partners and funders.
We can
close the gap between what Scotland says and what Scotland does.
If we get it right for children, we will get it right for everybody.
This is more than a plan; it is a wakeup call.
Mary Glasgow, CEO
Joy Barlow, Chair
“I worry about not being safe.”
Finn, 10
“No one helps families at the moment.”
Ellen, 15
“Having a phone has ruined my time as a child.”
Poppy, 10
“I worry about being cold in the winter.”
Callum, 11
Childhood in Scotland is under threat, we have to protect it.
1 IN 5
children across Scotland live in poverty. 1
daily average referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Scotland. 2 95
1 IN 3
of sexual crimes recorded in 2024/25 by police related to a victim under 18. 4
1 IN 5 34% of children have no adult in their life they can trust (P5 – S6). 3 33% young people experience at least one traumatic event before the age of 18. 6
children have been sexually abused. 5
1. Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2022 - 2025, Scottish Government 2. CAMHS waiting times, March 2026 3. Health and Wellbeing Census Scotland: 2021/22 4. Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2024 -2025 5. Child Sexual Abuse in Europe, Council of Europe 2003 6.UK Trauma Council
“(Young people worry about) telling the truth and what might happen.”
Sophia, 17
“When I grow up I want to be a builder. I want to build houses for homeless people.”
Kieran, 10
Reports of online child abuse doubled in Scotland between 2023/24 & 2024/25. 7
almost 2/3 of Scottish adults surveyed believe growing up in Scotland is worse than ever. 9 2/3 of parents feel they have nowhere to turn when things get tough. 8 85% of people are worried about the impact of social media on children. 9 84% of young people are worried about seeing harmful online content. 10 79% of children and young people aged 11-25 in Scotland are worried about mental health. 10 92%
of families we supported were worried about their child’s wellbeing. 11
7. Chief Constable, Police Scotland in evidence to Scottish Parliament Criminal Justice Committee, Nov 2025 8. ScotPulse Survey for Children First May 2025 9. ScotPulse Survey for Children First Sept 2024 10. Truth About Youth 2025, Young Scot 11. Children First Statistics Jan – Dec 2025 60% of people contacting our national support line faced financial hardship. 11 30%
“(I worry) about being taken away from mum.” Noah, 9
“Young children deserve a childhood without screens.” Jessica, 14
Closing the gap between policy and practice: our strategic goals.
Campaign to radically transform systems for children
OUR GOALS
Campaign to make sure that incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and delivery of the promise results in radical transformation for children within family support, health, child protection and justice systems.
Develop and deliver family support and therapeutic services
Develop and deliver family support and therapeutic services that strengthen families’ ability to protect their children and manage practical, emotional and financial challenges.
Invest in our support line
Invest in our national support line to provide a digital front door to family support services so that every family in Scotland has a place to turn when they need help.
Childhood is under threat, but we can change this. The country’s future is dependent on the way we care for, protect and love our babies and children now. Informed by the voices and experiences of the children we support; our strategic goals will help us transform the lives of all children in Scotland and give us all a brighter future.
Demand sustainable investment in prevention
Demand the promised shift in long-term, sustainable investment in prevention to keep children safe, loved and well in their own families and communities.
Campaign to reclaim childhood and prevent online harm to children
Lead a campaign to reclaim childhood from screens and prevent online harm to children.
Grow and develop Bairns Hoose support
Grow and develop our advocacy, rights and recovery services based within Bairns Hoose to children in need of care, protection and justice.
Expand family group decision making (FGDM)
Expand independent family group decision making services to ensure no child is unnecessarily removed from their home without their family network having the opportunity to contribute to safety planning and decision making.
MAKING IT HAPPEN
Children’s voices
We will amplify children’s voices and inspire collective action and put them at the heart of every decision.
Strong partnerships
We will work in partnership with others because it will take collective action to achieve the change that all children deserve.
Our people
We will develop our teams and volunteers and be a place of belonging, inspiration and action.
Known and trusted
We will become a trusted household name, known for transforming children’s lives through our services and our campaigns to grow income and partnerships.
Technology that connects
We will use technology ethically, built around children’s rights and safety, to strengthen relationships and support our work.
Solid foundations
We will build on solid foundations, ensuring transparency and accountability in everything we do, while creating robust financial management to secure sustainable impact.
Technology that connects
Children’s voices
Our people
“(My Children First worker) helped me believe I could get through.”
Mia, 17
Solid foundations
Known and trusted
Strong partnerships
“Children First actually listens.”
Sequin, 17
Children can’t protect themselves. They want adults to listen and keep them safe.
Everyone in Scotland has a collective responsibility to look out for babies, children and young people. We must listen and take what children are saying seriously.
This is central to keeping them safe, supporting their wellbeing and upholding their rights. As a society we need to create safe spaces where young people feel heard and respected, empower communities and professionals to act when concerns arise and foster a culture of vigilance and compassion.
“I don’t feel safe in my local community.”
Archie, 13
“It was difficult to leave my mum and family and to have to leave my brother. I didn’t like having to visit at different times to my brother. Some of my family stayed with my aunt but they (social workers) came and took me away and I didn’t always know what was happening. I would have liked to know.
Harris, 9
“I don’t like how they threaten to take me away. I’m still scared and it’s been a long time.”
Isla, 16
Our vision delivered.
We all have a part to play in closing the gap between what Scotland says and what Scotland does to protect children.
This strategic plan focuses on the actions Children First will take to help close that gap, alongside government, local authorities, social work, education, health, justice, police, other third sector partners, supporters and families.
If we are successful, Scotland will be a country where:
• No child lives in poverty.
• Every child stays safe and loved in their own family wherever possible.
• Every child who needs it accesses a quality Bairns Hoose.
• Children are protected from online harm through stronger regulation, delayed access to devices and better advice and support for parents and caregivers.
• All children’s lives are free from racism, discrimination and exclusion.
• Childhood is protected and celebrated at every stage.
The difference we make.
We will strengthen and expand our emotional, practical and financial support, locally and nationally, to increase the number of babies, children, young people and families we reach. We will work hard to support those most at risk and marginalised communities, ensuring our support is equitable, inclusive and responsive to evolving needs. We will challenge everyone in Scotland to uphold and progress children’s rights.
We will show that our work has made an impact by measuring the difference that our local and national services and our championing of children’s voices and rights make.
As a result, children will:
Have better relationships
Be safer and feel more loved within their own family network
Feel more heard and that their experiences are better understood
“It helped me a lot and made everyone happy.”
Dan, 12
“My Children First worker helped me go back to my family and now we all live together.”
Liam, 10
“My Children First worker helps my teacher understand I am worried or scared and not behaving badly”
Ankur, 9
“My support worker saved my life quite a few times. Without her I would be lost.”
Mia, 17 Feel
“Knowing
Anne, 15
Ross,
