Children's Neighbourhoods Scotland
Children’s Neighbourhoods Scotland (CNS) is a distinctive approach to improving outcomes, services and opportunities for all children and young people in neighbourhoods with high levels of poverty. The approach is neighbourhood-based and has the agency, voice and empowerment of children and young people and communities at its core empowerment.
Working in partnership with local public, private and third sector organisations CNS aims to improve the involvement of children and young people in local decision-making and to ensure that efforts across services are co-ordinated for children and families in the communities in which they live.
CNS adopts a holistic approach which is driven by the views and input of children, young people and their families, community members and local professionals.
The expansion of CNS in Scotland is supported by the national Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan; Every Child, Every Chance: tackling child poverty delivery plan 2018-2022 as a mechanism to alleviate the impacts of child poverty.
A total of six CNS sites will be established over the duration of the programme – four in urban areas, one in a small town and one in a rural community.
All sites are now identified, and work is underway across all six CNS communities. At present, there are two CNS sites, one in Bridgeton and Dalmarnock in Glasgow’s east end and Clydebank in West Dunbartonshire.
Two further sites in Glasgow City are in development and are located in the communities of Castlemilk and Drumchapel. The rural and small town sites are being established in the South Lanarkshire communities of Rigside and Smyllum respectively.
Children’s Neighbourhoods Scotland is a collaborative centre, developed by Glasgow Centre for Population Health, Policy Scotland and Robert Owen Centre at the University of Glasgow.
Further information on this programme can be found on the CNS website.