An introduction from our Executive Director

Firstly, can I thank you being part of the family at Connect? We really rely on our parents, teachers and carers who make up our members and supporters.

Our ethos has always been about trying to accurately reflect your experiences, both positive and negative and express that as effectively as we can to drive change. It is in that spirit that we have decided to build a Parents’ Charter to ensure your voice is heard and those in power listen and act.

Parents are a huge demographic in Scotland. We pay the majority of tax and keep the country going but too often the people we care about the most - our kids - are not supported in the way we want them to be.

The ideas expressed in this consultation are directly informed by the host of surveys, consultations and focus groups we’ve carried out over the past 18 months. However, we wanted to ensure that we haven’t missed anything you are passionate about or we haven’t represented your views adequately. Our focus - as you would expect - is about children’s educational experiences and support. We hope you’ll agree that it’s important to concentrate on our central areas of expertise.

In May 2026, Scotland will vote for its next Government, and we want to ensure that all the political parties are left in no doubt about the strength of feeling of Scotland’s parents and carers.

Our main themes in the Charter are: 
  • Respect our rights: parents’ and children’s rights; effective communication; the right to be involved in our child’s education  
  • Parent representation: hear our voices; parents and education improvement 
  • Support our children: additional support for learning; health and wellbeing; ethos and school culture 
  • Learning and achievement for all: a curriculum for all; wider achievement and opportunities for all; involving parents 
  • Understand our families: get to know us; learning at home; diversity of families; care-experienced learners and young carers
Thank you for completing our consultation and I hope that you will decide to sign our Charter when we publish it later this year. Our nations’ mums, dads, carers and young people need to be listened to, and the team at Connect are here to do just that.

Please submit your views by the 27th October.

Gavin Yates, Executive Director, Connect

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