Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill: Consideration prior to Stage 3

Author: Nicki Georghiou

PDF Published: Thursday 12 Feb 2026 (SB 26-11)

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Overview
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Overview
Report
- Summary
- Introduction
- Stage 1 scrutiny
  - Part 1. Pupil Involvement in Withdrawal from Religious Observance (RO) and Religious and Moral Education (RME)
    
    The conflation between RO and RME
    
    The potential for conflict between parents and children
    
    The right for a child to independently opt-out of RO and RME
    
    A child's capacity to form a view
    
    Compatibility with the UNCRC
  - Part 2. Amendment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 (UNCRC Act)
  - Stage 1 debate
- Financial Resolution
- Stage 2 consideration
- Stage 3
Sources

United Nations. (1989). Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child [accessed 9 February 2026]

Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill. (2025, April 30). Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6-bills/children-withdrawal-from-religious-education-and-amendment-of-uncrc-compatibility-duty-scotland-bill/introduced/spbill66s062025.pdf [accessed 12 February 2026]

Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill: Policy Memorandum. (2025, April 30). Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6-bills/children-withdrawal-from-religious-education-and-amendment-of-uncrc-compatibility-duty-scotland-bill/introduced/spbill66pms062025accessible.pdf [accessed 12 February 2026]

Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill: Explanatory Notes. (2025, April 30). Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6-bills/children-withdrawal-from-religious-education-and-amendment-of-uncrc-compatibility-duty-scotland-bill/introduced/spbill66ens062025.pdf [accessed 12 February 2026]

Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum. (2025, April 30). Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6-bills/children-withdrawal-from-religious-education-and-amendment-of-uncrc-compatibility-duty-scotland-bill/introduced/spbill66fms062025accessible.pdf [accessed 12 February 2026]

Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill: Delegated Powers Memorandum. (2025, April 30). Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6-bills/children-withdrawal-from-religious-education-and-amendment-of-uncrc-compatibility-duty-scotland-bill/introduced/spbill66dpms062025accessible.pdf [accessed 12 February 2026]

Georghiou, N. (2025, September 15). The Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/ResearchBriefings/Report/2025/9/15/c7854669-08a0-4638-9bce-593e6d545185 [accessed 12 February 2026]

Scottish Parliament Official Report. (2025, September 30). Meeting of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee: Tuesday 30 September 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=16612 [accessed 12 February 2026]

Scottish Parliament Official Report. (2025, October 2025). Meeting of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee: Tuesday 7 October 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=16627 [accessed 12 February 2026]

Scottish Parliament Official Report. (2025, October 28). Meeting of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee: Tuesday 28 October 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=16640 [accessed 12 February 2026]

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. (2025, November 19). Stage 1 report on the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://bprcdn.parliament.scot/published/EHRCJ/2025/11/19/8b21719d-e5fe-4428-be24-854910bbca1a/EHRCJ062025R07.pdf [accessed 12 February 2026]

Scottish Parliament Official Report. (2025, November 25). Meeting of the Parliament: Tuesday 25 November 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=16701 [accessed 12 February 2026]

Scottish Parliament Official Report. (2025, December 16). Meeting of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee: Tuesday 16 December 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=16765 [accessed 12 February 2026]

Scottish Government. (2025, November 24). Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to the Convener, 24 November 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/equalities-human-rights-and-civil-justice-committee/children-withdrawal-from-re-and-amendment-of-uncrc-compatibility-duty-24-november-2025.pdf [accessed 12 February 2026]

Scottish Government. (2025, October 21). Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to the Convener, . Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/equalities-human-rights-and-civil-justice-committee/correspondence/2025/children-withdrawal-from-re-and-amendment-of-uncrc-compatibility-duty-21-october-2025.pdf [accessed 12 February 2026]

Scottish Government. (2025, November 20). First Children's Rights Scheme. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/proposal-first-childrens-rights-scheme/ [accessed 12 February 2026]

Scottish Human Rights Commission. (2025, October 14). Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill: Letter from the Scottish Human Rights Commission to the Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, 14 October 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/equalities-human-rights-and-civil-justice-committee/correspondence/2025/children-withdrawal-from-re-and-amendment-of-uncrc-compatibility-duty-14-october-2025.pdf [accessed 12 February 2026]

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. (2025, October 8). Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill: Letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills from the Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, 8 October 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/equalities-human-rights-and-civil-justice-committee/correspondence/2025/children-withdrawal-from-re-and-amendment-of-uncrc-compatibility-duty-8-october-2025.pdf [accessed 12 February 2026]

Scottish Parliament Official Report. (2025, December 11). Meeting of the Parliament: Thursday 11 December 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=16744 [accessed 12 February 2026]

Scottish Parliament Official Report. (2025, December 16). Meeting of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, Tuesday 16 December 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=16765 [accessed 16 December 2026]

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. (2025, December 16). Minutes: 16 December 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-equalities-human-rights-and-civil-justice-committee/meetings/2025/equalities-human-rights-and-civil-justice-committee-16-december-2025/minutes [accessed 12 February 2026]

Scottish Government. (2026, February 10). Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill: Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to the Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, 10 February 2026. [accessed 12 February 2026]

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