Insights
Read thought leadership from our trustees and the things we’ve learned from our work.
Empowering Young Voices: The Children and Teenagers’ Westside Plan with Shetland Islands Council
Discover how A Place in Childhood (APiC) and Shetland Islands Council are transforming community planning by centring the voices of children and teenagers in the Westside Plan 2025. This youth-led initiative empowers young people to co-create their local environments through experiential mapping, creative workshops, and inclusive dialogue. Key priorities identified by participants include safer active travel routes, enhanced play and social spaces, improved public transport, and stronger environmental stewardship. The Westside Plan not only reflects the lived experiences of Shetland’s youth but also aligns with broader strategies in spatial planning, climate action, and community development. This collaborative approach is setting a new standard for meaningful youth participation in shaping vibrant, inclusive communities.
Co-Creating the Future of North Yell with Children
At A Place in Childhood, we’re always thrilled to see our ‘How To Guide’ in action. This guest blog comes from our colleague Kate Lonsdale at North Yell Development Council (NYDC), one of Shetland’s most established and inspiring community organisations. We were...
Youth-Led Innovation on Scotland’s National Alcohol and Drugs Services Audit
We’re thrilled to share this short film, co-created and co-produced by the Audit Scotland Youth Advisory Panel! We facilitate the panel, and this inspiring video captures their vital contributions to shaping and celebrating the 2024 National Alcohol and Drugs Services Audit.
Teenagers call for joined-up action on Anti-Social Behaviour in their Communities
Today we publish a new research report on Teenagers and Public Space. This lays our teenager’s views on how to tackle anti-social behaviour from their perspective, and improve places so that they meet the needs of young people.
Exploring Urban Design with Young People Through Cities: Skylines. Part 2: What Makes a 20-Minute Neighbourhood?
In December 2022, we worked with Sustrans Scotland and the Edinburgh & Lothians Developing Young Workforce team to deliver a session on urban design at Tynecastle High School. This second blog in a two part series explores outputs from the session where we used the game Cities: Skylines.
Exploring Urban Design with Young People Through Cities: Skylines. Part 1: Why and How
In December 2022, we worked with Sustrans Scotland and the Edinburgh & Lothians Developing Young Workforce team to deliver a session on urban design at Tynecastle High School. This first blog in a two part series explores how and why we used the game Cities: Skylines.
We’re Supporting the CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S MANIFESTO: Will you?
Today we launch The Children and Young People’s Manifesto Scotland with our Young Consultants from #ScotYouthandCOVID3. Will you help them get the word out and involve as many children and young people across the country as possible?
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: Learning from Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers and Refugees
In January 2022 we embarked on phase 3 of our #ScotYouthandCOVID project. In this blog, we detail the experiences and needs of young people who are refugees or asylum seekers and have been separated from their families. We also note what they need to be incorporated into the Children and Young People’s Manifesto for Rights in Recovery.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: A Fair and Motivating School System, Part 4
In January 2022 we embarked on phase 3 of our #ScotYouthandCOVID project. In this blog, the third in a 4 part series, our Young Consultants outline how they feel extra-curricular opportunities and transitions between schools and into employment should change in Scotland’s education system.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: A Fair and Motivating School System, Part 3
In January 2022 we embarked on phase 3 of our #ScotYouthandCOVID project. In this blog, the third in a 4 part series, our Young Consultants outline how they feel assessments should change in Scotland’s secondary education.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: A Fair and Motivating School System, Part 2
In January 2022 we embarked on phase 3 of our #ScotYouthandCOVID project. In this blog, the second in a 4 part series, our Young Consultants outline how they feel the curriculum and delivery of learning should change in Scotland’s secondary education.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: A Fair and Motivating School System, Part 1
In January 2022 we embarked on phase 3 of our #ScotYouthandCOVID project. In this blog, the first in a 4 part series, our Young Consultants outline the principles they think are central to a fair and motivating Scottish education system.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People. Young Carers Part 2
In January 2022 we embarked on phase 3 of our #ScotYouthandCOVID project. In this blog, the second of two, we detail the experiences and needs of Young Carers. This blog focuses on the experiences of young carers living across Highland, and what both they and young carers from Edinburgh need us to incorporate into our Manifesto for Children and Young People’s Rights in Recovery.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People Young Carers, Part 1
In January 2022 we embarked on phase 3 of our #ScotYouthandCOVID project. In this blog, the first of two, we detail the experiences and needs of Young Carers. This blog focuses on the experiences of Edinburgh’s Young Carers to incorporate into our Manifesto for Children and Young People’s Rights in Recovery.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: Learning from Primary School Children
In January 2022 we embarked on phase 3 of our #ScotYouthandCOVID project. In this blog, we detail the needs to incorporate into our Manifesto for Children and Young People’s Rights in Recovery for children in primary school.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: Learning from Families Outside
In January 2022 we embarked on phase 3 of our #ScotYouthandCOVID project. In this blog, we detail the Asks to add to our Manifesto for Children and Young People’s Rights in Recovery for children and young people who have family members in prison.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: Long Covid Kids Manifesto Asks
In January 2022 we embarked on phase 3 of our #ScotYouthandCOVID project. In this blog, we detail the needs to incorporate into our Manifesto for Children and Young People’s Rights in Recovery, for children and young living with Long Covid.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: What it’s like to live with Long Covid
In January 2022 we embarked on phase 3 of our #ScotYouthandCOVID project. In this blog, we detail the experiences of children and young people living with Long Covid.
Our Vision for an Inclusive and Effective National Planning Framework 4
We recently submitted a response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on their draft National Planning Framework 4. Read a summary here of how we think it could become more child-friendly.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: Learning during Crisis
In January 2022 we embarked on phase 3 of our #ScotYouthandCOVID project. In this blog, we detail the experiences of children and young people during the latest wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what it’s been like to learn during this disruption.
Event: Children, Young People, and The National Planning Framework 4
Play Scotland and A Place in Childhood are inviting representatives of organisations that work with children and young people to a discussion on planning, to help inform responses from the sector to the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) draft, released by Scottish Government in November 2021. We are holding three events 19th, 21st and 22nd February
Minecraft – a creative sandbox for engaging children and young people in urban design
In June 2021, we had the absolute pleasure of working with Sustrans Scotland, St Paul’s Youth Forum, and St Philomena’s Primary School (in north-east Glasgow), on a pilot placemaking project to engage local children using game Minecraft. Working with a team of 10 budding young designers, we alternated between site visits, group discussions, and using Minecraft to explore designs for a new public square in neighbouring Langdale Street. The Minecraft world included a faithful rendering of the local area, with local landmarks and many of the children’s homes.
Launching our COVID-19 research report with the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland
Today we launch our #ScotYouthandCOVID2 report with the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland. The repot tells the story of our Virtual Participatory Action research project on children and young people’s experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic so far. Read all about it here!
Hearing Children’s Voices in Policymaking: Lessons for the new Scottish Government policy roundtable
In this blog, Dr Jenny Wood and Dr Maureen McBride reflect on a policy roundtable on hearing children’s voices in policymaking.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: A Strategy to turn our Asks into a Scotland-wide Manifesto
This blog presents the strategy, constructed with our Young Consultants on the #ScotYouthandCOVID2 project, to turn their Asks to the Scottish Government into a manifesto for as many children and young people as possible. Key themes include representation, communication, cooperation & collaboration, being heard, and considering timelines.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: Our Asks to the Scottish Government
In March, we resumed workshops for STAGE 2 of APiC's COVID-19 Project with Children and Young People in Scotland. Supported by the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland (CYPCS). ScotYouthandCOVID2 has recalled the Young Consultants who participated in our...
COVID-19: In Conversation with the Children and Young People’s Commissioner for Scotland
In March, we resumed workshops for STAGE 2 of APiC's COVID-19 Project with Children and Young People in Scotland. Supported by the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland (CYPCS). ScotYouthandCOVID2 has recalled the Young Consultants who participated in our...
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: Our Post-Pandemic Vision
Last month we resumed workshops for STAGE 2 of APiC's COVID-19 Project with Children and Young People in Scotland. Supported by the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland (CYPCS), ScotYouthandCOVID2 has recalled the Young Consultants who participated in our...
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: New Experiences and Best Practice
In workshop 4 of #ScotYouthandCOVID2 we reflected together with our Young Consultants on how the project had gone so far, anything new that had emerged over the Easter Holidays, and within each taskforce group looked at how we might learn from best practice for developing recommendations to the new Scottish Government administration. The findings relate to wellbeing, remote schooling and the return to school buildings.
COVID-19: Communication and Relationships Matter for Children and Young People
Two weeks ago we resumed workshops for STAGE 2 of APiC's COVID-19 Project with Children and Young People in Scotland. Supported by the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland (CYPCS), #ScotYouthandCOVID2 has recalled the Young Consultants who participated in...