IMPORTANT NOTICE: Updates to the ScotPHO website are currently paused while we undertake a review of the content, structure and hosting of the website. See our Website Notice for further details. Updates to the ScotPHO online profiles tool will continue as normal.

Children and young people: key points

  • The ScotPHO Children and Young People webpages primarily signpost users to data and information presented elsewhere.
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and particularly child poverty are key determinants of outcomes for children and young people in Scotland, and can have a profound impact on their health in later life.
  • Socio-economic inequalities are widespread, with the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study showing a higher prevalence of positive health outcomes among adolescents from more affluent families.
  • The Scottish Government vision is a Scotland where children’s human rights, which are set out in The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), are embedded in all aspects of society.

Section updates:

  • The last major update of this section was completed in September 2025.
  • The next major update is due to be carried out by September 2026.