Children’s Commissioner Nicola Killean launched a new illustrated book in Scots on human rights for very young children today.
The Commissioner read Let’s Explore Oor Richts – aimed at children aged up to five – to children in nursery and P1 at Burgh Primary School in Galashiels, Scottish Borders.
The book, beautifully illustrated by Corinna Campbell, from Inverness, takes young children on a journey to discover rights like having a safe home, the right to be healthy, to learn, and to play, and features iconic Scots landmarks like Edinburgh Castle, Glasgow’s Clydeside and Tarbat Ness Lighthouse near Tain, Inverness-shire.
An audio and video version has been recorded by Sarah, a pupil from Banff Academy in Aberdeenshire. The 17-year-old says: “It’s great learning about our rights! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this book. Scots has to be one of the best languages to learn as it’s so different from all the rest. Hope you love it as much as I did!”
Commissioner Nicola Killean said: “Let’s Explore Oor Richts explains to very young children in a way they can understand what rights are and why they are important.
“The book was published earlier this year and we are delighted that we now have a Scots edition. All children should be able to access information about their rights in their own language and this book will help teachers to have those first conversations – in Scots – about human rights with young children.
“Children are never too young to start learning about their rights and, longer term, that knowledge will empower them to be able to challenge adults when their rights aren’t being respected.”
Laura Green, from the Scots Language Centre, translated the book into Scots. She said: “Given that one of the rights that children have is the right to use their own language, it is great that the Children’s Commissioner is supporting the children’s Scots by making the book available in one of the most widely-spoken indigenous languages of Scotland.”
The Commissioner’s office has created the book in English, Gaelic, BSL, Braille and has audio versions available online. The Scots edition is available on request and is downloadable online. The English edition of the book was given to every local authority nursery in Scotland, and there is a supply for childminders and other nurseries.