Advocacy for Race Equality in Schools Scotland (AdRESS) is a new advocacy and advice service launched to support parents and carers whose child has experienced racist incidents or racially motivated bullying in school.
Coordinated by the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER), AdRESS is the anti-racism policy and research charity’s first and only frontline advice service.
The unprecedented decision to set up this service came after CRER received multiple enquiries from parents and carers about their children’s experience of racism in school. These experiences included ongoing harassment and physical violence, with serious consequences for the young people's health and wellbeing.
While some schools are handling incidents well, enquiries to CRER demonstrated that many parents and carers struggle to receive appropriate responses from schools when reporting racism. Some complained of poor treatment and were left feeling ignored or belittled.
Funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, AdRESS will work with parents and carers to actively listen to their concerns, advocate and give advice whilst equipping them to navigate the complaints process.
CRER's research also highlights weaknesses in policy and practice on racism in schools. In 2020/21, CRER found that 83% of schools in Scotland were not recording racially motivated bullying incidents in line with Scottish Government guidance.
Enquiries will be taken by telephone on 0330 122 4600, as well as by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. they can also be submitted through our online contact form on our website, www.AdRESScotland.org, where you can find further information and resources.