About Us
The Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers brings together parents and carers from across Scotland to share their experiences and help shape education policy.
In keeping with the Parental Involvement Act, the Assembly ensures that diverse parent and carer voices are heard and play a meaningful role in national discussions about children, young people, and their education journeys.
Through the Assembly, parents and carers are directly contributing to creating a more inclusive and responsive education system in Scotland.
The Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers was established in 2024.
Assemblies and lived-experience panels are a type of deliberative democracy, a discussion-based way of considering important issues.
Insights and feedback from members inform national research, planning, consultation, and the development of new policies as well as the review and improvement of existing ones.
The Assembly works collaboratively with the Scottish Government and other partners. Topics for discussion are co-produced, ensuring that both parents’ priorities and policy needs are reflected in the Assembly’s work plan.
As an established collective, the Assembly is regularly invited by national education bodies to contribute to consultations and discussions on education reform, ensuring that parent and carer voices are represented in decision making at every level.
The Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers brings together parents and carers from across Scotland to share their experiences and help shape education policy.
In keeping with the Parental Involvement Act, the Assembly ensures that diverse parent and carer voices are heard and play a meaningful role in national discussions about children, young people, and their education journeys.
Through the Assembly, parents and carers are directly contributing to creating a more inclusive and responsive education system in Scotland.
The Assembly provides a robust and representative way for parents and carers to share their views, helping to shape and influence education policy and practice.
Insights and feedback from members inform national research, planning, consultation, and the development of new policies as well as the review and improvement of existing ones.
The Assembly works collaboratively with the Scottish Government and other partners. Topics for discussion are co-produced, ensuring that both parents’ priorities and policy needs are reflected in the Assembly’s work plan.
As an established collective, the Assembly is regularly invited by national education bodies to contribute to consultations and discussions on education reform, ensuring that parent and carer voices are represented in decision making at every level.
Parents and carers are invited to become members of the Assembly by application. Working with a range of organisations as well as with parents and carers generally, the cohort of Assembly members will have broad geographic reach and will remain both diverse and inclusive.
The best way to be notified when recruitment is open is to sign up to our newsletter here.
Supported by Connect and the Assembly's Project Co-Ordinator, Assembly members help to agree priorities and contribute to ongoing discussions about key education issues.
- Members can choose how to get involved
- Join focus or discussion groups on specific topics
- Share views through surveys or written feedback
This flexible model ensures everyone can have their say in a way that works for them.
Assembly members are parents and carers from across Scotland with a wide range of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives.
To help ensure diversity and balance, we collect demographic information from those who apply. Membership is flexible. Parents and carers can stay involved for as long as they wish, choosing the issues that matter most to them.
The Assembly operates as a growing and evolving collective of parents and carers who are shaping education policy through lived experience and collaboration.
- Clear information about how to contribute and how your views are used - see this page
- The chance to focus on the areas that interest you most
- Updates on the Assembly’s work and its impact
- Accessible, plain-language information from Connect and partners
- A respectful, safe space to share experiences and hear from others
- Opportunities to collaborate with other parents, carers, and education partners in a spirit of equality and co-operation