Child protection - Information for children and young people

The Scottish Government has created a story which explains what child protection means. The story is told by Parker the Parrot and it is called 'Keeping you safe'.  You can read Parker the Parrot's story or, if you prefer, you can listen to the audio version of the story!

Sometimes children can be worried about what is happening to themselves or to other children or people in their family.  Please don't keep worries to yourself. Children should never be asked to keep secrets which cause them upset and distress. Telling someone about your worries is always better so you can get the help you need. Just like in Parker the Parrot's story, there are adults who can and will help you if you let them know what is happening.  

Here are some things you can do if you are worried: 

• You can speak to a trusted adult about what is happening - this could be someone in your family, a family friend or your teacher, your doctor or school nurse or your social worker if you have one. They will know what to do to help you.  
• You can call Childline on 0800 11 11 for advice and help from people who know how to help children to be safe.   

Always remember, it is never your fault if someone has hurt or harmed you or is not looking after you well.  You have a right to grow up safe and protected from harm. You can learn more about your rights below.

Resources for children up to 11 years old

Staying safe

Parker the Parrot's story really helps us to think about why it is important to keep safe.  Here are some resources you can look at with your parent, carer or other trusted adult to help you keep safe:   

• If you are aged between 4 and 7, you can play a game with Jessie to see how you can stay safe when you are online.
• The NSPCC have created a programme called Talk PANTS for younger children. You can also watch their short video below with friendly dinosaur Pantosaurus singing about the importance of pants! 

• If you are aged between 8 and 10, you can play a game with Alfie, Allie, Sam and the Popcorn Wizards to find out about staying safe online.
• You can also visit the Childline site for under 12s, where you'll find fun games with lots of information about keeping safe and feeling good in yourself.

Your rights

Listen to a story about Children's Rights in Scotland for younger children, read by Children and Young People's Commissioner for Scotland, Nicola Killean - Let's Explore Our Rights.

For younger children, take a look at this video from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Scotland:

For children aged 10 to 12, hear from Ellie (and the Loch Ness Monster!):

BBC Bitesize also has resources about Children's Rights for 9 to 12 year olds giving more details about the United Nations, UNICEF and the UNCRC.

Resources for young people aged 12 and over

This section is for young people aged 12 and over who want to know more about child protection and what it means for them, their friends and family.  

Child protection is about keeping unborn babies, babies, children and young people safe from harm. The Scottish Government has created a useful guide for young people to learn more about child protection. 

If you are worried about something that is happening to you or someone in your family or a friend, it can be hard to know what to do.  You might feel afraid to tell someone or anxious about what will happen if you do.  This is normal, telling someone what is worrying you can be very hard, but it is important that you do so that you or the other person gets the help that they need.  

There are different things you can do to get help:  

• You can talk to a trusted adult, this could be someone in your family, a friend of your family, your teacher, your doctor, your school nurse, your social worker if you have one. It could be someone else who works with you such as youth worker or a support worker.  They will know how to make sure you get the help you need.
• You can call Childline on 0800 11 11 for confidential counselling and advice.  
• You can make a referral yourself to the Child Protection and Duty Team by calling 01738 476768.  If you are calling about someone you are worried about, you do not have to leave your name.  

Always remember, it is never your fault if someone has hurt or harmed you, has taken advantage of you or is not looking after you well.  You have the right to grow up safe and protected from harm. You can learn more about your rights below.

Staying safe online and in real life

Making your way through life as a young person can be hard and there have been and currently are a lot of challenges that previous generations did not have to contend with such as the Covid pandemic, the widespread introduction of the internet, social media, mobile phones and most recently, AI (artificial intelligence).  It is harder than ever to know what is true online, who you might be speaking with over text or chat and what it is okay to share or not share online.  Staying safe in real life can be difficult too.  The resources below provide advice and support for young people.   

Young people have told professionals that they worry about friendships, relationships, their mental health and issues like sharing 'nudes'. The next two websites provide lots of information about these issues.  

First up is Childline: as well as running a helpline for children and young people, the Childline website has lots of good articles, games and advice on keeping safe and supporting your mental and emotional health. 

Next is CEOP's website for young people: CEOP is always working to make the internet safer for children and young people and provide sound advice and has lots of information to help you stay safe.  

There is also Report-Remove: if you have shared a 'nude' with someone and they have shared it online, this website provides a confidential way to help you have your photo taken down from the internet if you are under 18 years of age.  Please do not panic if this happens to you - it is not your fault and you are not to blame. Visit Report-Remove for further information and watch their short video about how it works:

If you are 12 and over, feeling distressed, thinking about self-harm or suicide, possibly because of something that has happened to you, please call the Lighthouse for Perth on 0800 1214820 for help and support.  They offer a free, non-judgmental, welcoming approach to anyone experiencing these kinds of feelings.

Counselling can help us manage our emotions when difficult things have happened or we are finding life a struggle.  Having someone to talk to who is independent can be very helpful.  Mindspace are a local organisation offering counselling for young people and they sum up their approach as: 'We don't judge, we listen' .

Your rights

All children and young people have rights and in Scotland, the law changed in 2024 to make sure that the rights of children and young people are incorporated into Scottish law.   

To find out more about your rights as set down by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, watch this short animation:

Perth and Kinross has its own Youth Strategy which centres the needs and rights of our youth. You can read the Strategy (PDF, 875 KB) for yourself, and also find out more about the services for young people available locally here on this website.