Legal experts to teach basic rights in schools Andrew Denholm Home Affairs Correspondent

CHILD law experts are to visit schools across Scotland in a new initiative to teach pupils their basic legal rights.

Staff from the Scottish Child Law Centre will travel to schools advising first and second year children on everything from what age they can start a paper round, to what to do if they get in trouble with the police.

They will also tell 12- and 13-year-olds what hours they are allowed to work, what rights to confidentiality they have when visiting the doctor and how to instruct a solicitor.

The pilot project, which will be operating in half of Scotlandís 32 local authority areas - beginning this week in Edinburgh - has been set up after concern that most children under 16 are unaware of their legal rights.

Childrenís rights north of the Border have expanded rapidly in the past decade, including that of being heard by adults and access to personal records.

Katy Macfarlane, policy and education officer with the Scottish Child Law Centre, is hopeful that the project will eventually be absorbed into the curriculum.

Ms Macfarlane said: "Children have never had as many rights as they currently do, but most children simply donít know what they are. Many parents and teachers donít know what rights children have either.

"We decided we needed to get out to Scotlandís schools to raise awareness, because there is no-one else doing this at the moment.

"Children are very vulnerable before they reach the age of 16, because they donít have some basic rights enjoyed by adults, like a minimum wage, so people can take advantage of them."

Ms Macfarlane said rights governing the world of work were particularly important. She is also concerned that children can be intimidated in situations where they are interviewed by the police, visiting a doctor or are being dealt with by childrenís panels.

She said: "Children should know what powers they have when they are interviewed by a police officer or if they appear before a childrenís panel, or when they visit a doctor wanting to obtain information about a difficult subject such as contraception."

Fiona Miller, principal solicitor for the Scottish Child Law Centre, said that, ultimately, she envisaged the package being taught in schools as part of the curriculum.

She added: "If we want a society where our children are genuinely informed of their rights, then it needs to be put on a much more official footing."

Peter Green, acting assistant principal of guidance at Tynecastle High School, in Edinburgh, the first school to be visited by centre staff, said: "This is a practical way of getting across to young teenagers how the law works and affects them."

The young have protection too

They have the RIGHT to consent to, or refuse, medical treatment: If children of any age under 16 are deemed to have the necessary level of understanding by a qualified medical practitioner, they have the right to refuse medical treatment, even if the illness is life-threatening.

RIGHT to instruct a solicitor: Children of any age deemed to have an appropriate level of understanding have the right to instruct a solicitor to act on their behalf in civil or criminal matters.

RIGHT to a fair trial: Children have the right to a trial heard by an independent and impartial body.

RIGHT to appeal against exclusion from school: If a child feels he or she has been unfairly excluded they have the right to appeal, if over 12, to a local authority committee or sheriff court.

RIGHT to be heard: Children have the right to a say in major decisions which are taken about their future by adults, such as moving house or emigrating.

RIGHT to confidentiality: Children have a right to confidentiality, for example, where they are reporting incidents of sexual abuse or where they visit a doctor.

RIGHT to access personal records: Children can access health, school and social work records if they so wish.