About :: Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers

About Us

Assembly members are a diverse group of parents and carers from all over Scotland, demographically representative of different backgrounds, cultures, families and more.

The Assembly came about after consideration of the best ways to hear the voices of different parents and carers, reflecting the diversity of the Scottish population as much as possible. Assemblies and lived-experience panels are an established and exciting way to hear voices – in this case, to ensure that parental experiences and perspectives can be factored into Scottish education policy.

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.

Assembly members meet to discuss issues of interest online, in person, in focus groups or views, experiences and ideas can be shared via surveys too. The focus of the Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers is always on the best outcomes for all of our children and young people.

Working Well Together

Parent and carer members of the Assembly will be supported in their roles to play a significant part in improving education in Scotland.

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What is the Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers?

In keeping with the Parental Involvement Act, the Assembly is a key opportunity for ensuring that diverse parent and carer voices are heard and can help shape national education policy. Parental and carer engagement via the Assembly will be vital to ensuring effective and inclusive parental involvement in conversations about children, young people and their education journeys.

What does the Assembly do?

The Assembly will provide a robust and comprehensive method for gathering the views of parents and carers in Scotland, in order that they can shape and influence education policy.

This will mean that parents' views can inform and provide ongoing national research, planning, consultation and delivery of new policies, as well as feedback that would be used to update existing policy.

There will be a level of co-production in that the Scottish Government and other interested parties can suggest topics for examination to add to the Assembly's programme.

Setting up the Assembly

Parents and carers will be invited to become members of the Assembly by application. Working with a range of organisations as well as with parents and carers generally, a cohort of Assembly members will be established which has broad geographic reach and is both diverse and inclusive.

How does the Assembly work?

Supported by Connect and the Assembly's Project Co-Ordinator, Assembly members will be invited to agree the purpose and initial priorities for the Assembly. Then, Members will be invited to put themselves forward for discussion or focus groups on topics of particular relevance or interest to them. Some matters might be discussed by the full Assembly, others by sub-groups.

Who are the members of the Assembly?

In order to ensure diversity and inclusion, and a wide geographic reach, demographic information will be collected from applicants who would like to become members of the Assembly.

It is anticipated that there will be a rolling and growing membership - parents and carers will become members for as long or as short a time as they wish, they will be more or less involved as they wish, they will contribute on what matters to them and so on. In effect, there will be a pool or database of members, who will be invited to self-select for particular areas of interest and policy.

What can members expect?

A clear understanding of how members can contribute, the ability to select areas of interest to themselves, and an explanation of how their contribution has been used.

Being kept informed about the Assembly and the contribution of members overall.

Accessible, plain information will be provided by Connect and partners.

The opportunity to be listened to, and heard, respectfully and the chance to listen to other parents and carers and sometimes education partners in the spirit of co-operation and equality

A small gratuity for attending meetings, focus groups and discussion groups as a thank you for giving up their time.

Information for Parents & Carers

connect.scot

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