Meeting of the Parliament 05 December 2024
I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. In the short time that I have, I will concentrate on Forces Children Scotland, although not because I do not recognise the contributions of all people who have been involved in the armed forces—both serving and veterans. The issue of young people and children echoes what Willie Rennie said in his speech.
Forces Children Scotland was founded in 1815, just four days before the battle of Waterloo, which stands as a pivot point in history and as a roll call for Scotland’s armed forces—the Cameron Highlanders, the Gordon Highlanders, the Black Watch and, indeed, the Scots Guards all served there. History tells us that approximately 6,000 to 7,000 Scottish soldiers paid with their lives at that battle. It is a testament to Forces Children Scotland that it is supporting more than 13,000 children—twice the number of adults who gave their lives at that battle.
I recommend, to all in the chamber and outside Parliament, the Forces Children Scotland report “It’s not just their job, it’s our whole lives”. The children are rarely forgotten in discussions about veterans and serving officers, but sadly their needs are rarely followed through on. I will follow the report in looking at that issue from the perspective of children’s rights—as colleagues across the chamber will surely know, I will never refrain from an opportunity to make reference to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
At the end of the day, our forces’ children and young people are unique among our children and young people. First, their experiences are very difficult to understand for someone on the outside who has not shared those experiences. Secondly, as we have already heard, they are a group of children who frequently move. They find a great deal of comfort among children who understand their situation, but they can sometimes feel like outsiders.