Seòmar agus comataidhean

I congratulate Emma Roddick on bringing the debate to the chamber. I am absolutely delighted to be able to speak today because this is exactly what members’ business is for—it allows us to shine a light on work that genuinely changes lives but often does not get the attention that it deserves.

When I first read the information about what Growing2gether actually does in pairing young people with toddlers in nurseries, so that those young people can become mentors, I thought that it was a simple idea, but it is really brilliant. The programme is not about giving young people the kind of help that adults sometimes talk about, when we step in to help them fix themselves by telling them what to do, what is wrong with them and why they cannot make progress. Instead, it is about actually handing responsibility to young people, saying that we trust them and letting them be needed. That is a lot: it is massive, but it is actually genius.

I say a proper, “Well done,” to everyone involved in making the programme happen, including the staff of Growing2gether and the facilitators on the ground, as well as the school and nursery staff who make space for the work and keep it going week after week, which I know is not easy when people are already juggling everything that they have to do to look after nursery-age children. I should perhaps declare an interest, because I used to chair a local playgroup, so I have a little bit of insight. Most of all, I say, “Well done,” to the young people who have stepped up and given it a go, and to the wee toddlers who have benefited and are at the heart and core of that work.

The motion talks about young people who are dealing with a lot, such as poverty, mental health challenges and trauma, with everything that comes on top of that, including living with the pressures of modern times. None of us can pretend that we do not see that in our own communities. I see it in my Banffshire and Buchan Coast constituency, where we have loads of young folk who have really good hearts and are good kids but are just carrying a bit too much. They may have had a few years of being told what they are doing wrong most of the time. Adults tend to say that we are preparing young folk for the risks that they might face, but we do that and tell them how they are falling behind, instead of being positive and giving them the opportunity to shine, which is exactly what Growing2gether does. I will certainly take that back to my constituency and talk about it.

I also have a little understanding of mentoring toddlers because I have had six children and know exactly what sort of patience that takes. You have to show up and be kind, and you must be consistent.

That is a lot to learn at a young age, and—believe you me—toddlers will find any loophole that they can. Of course, they are also good fun.

The programme is not just good for the wee ones; it is good for all who are involved. It builds confidence in a true, authentic way—not confidence that is put on in order to mask ourselves or to provide us with a way of showing up in society, but a true, authentic transformation within a person. Gaining that real confidence is revolutionary. It is an issue that is pertinent to everybody in the chamber.

I once again thank Emma Roddick for bringing the issue to Parliament, and I hope that the Scottish Government looks seriously at the programme to see how we can roll it out across the rest of Scotland.

13:05

I invite the member to bring that up with the rest of the committee. We will have those discussions.

I thank the minister and her officials for joining us today.

That brings us to the conclusion of our session in public. We will now go into private to discuss the remaining items on our agenda.

12:38

Meeting continued in private until 12:45.

Tess White will ask the next questions.

We move on to questions from Maggie Chapman.

Good morning, and welcome to the first meeting in 2026, in session 6, of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. We have received apologies from Paul O’Kane, and Marie McNair will be joining us remotely.

Our only public agenda item is an evidence session following the committee’s report on the operation of the public sector equality duty in Scotland, which was published last year. Under the duty, public authorities in Scotland are legally required to consider equality when carrying out their functions. This morning, we will hear from the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Minister for Equalities.

The witnesses on our first panel are representing the Equality and Human Rights Commission. I welcome John Wilkes, its head of Scotland, and Jennifer Laughland, its head of Scotland legal. Thank you for joining us.

I refer members to papers 1 and 2. Before we move to questions, I ask John Wilkes to make a brief opening statement, please.

I will bring in Tess White.

Pam Gosal has a question.

Could I just come in? We have gone five minutes over the minister’s time. Minister, are you comfortable if Tess White wants to follow that up?

Thank you very much.

We will move to questions. The committee found that the PSED is not delivering its aim to improve outcomes for people with protected characteristics. Why do you think that it has failed to achieve that?

That brings this session to a close. I thank the witnesses once again for their evidence today. We will suspend briefly while we have a changeover of witnesses.

11:22

Meeting suspended.

11:24

On resuming—