A historic moment in Scotland. A big step for children with dementia everywhere.

December 2025 A groundbreaking report launched at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 11 December 2025 marks a pivotal moment for children with dementia. The 'Childhood Dementia in Scotland 2025' report, published by Alzheimer Scotland on behalf of the collaborative network, Childhood Dementia Scotland, reveals childhood dementia's devastating impact on families and calls for urgent national action.

The report highlights that despite childhood dementia's profound impact in Scotland, it remains largely invisible to health systems, policymakers, and the public, and calls for a coordinated national response.

In response to the report, Scotland's head of government, the First Minister, agreed to meet with affected families and review recommendations.

The report attracted considerable media coverage on 'catastrophic failures' across systems for children and families.

This milestone builds on the pioneering work of Childhood Dementia Initiative, which has transformed childhood dementia from a hidden crisis into a recognised health priority. Through our partnership with Alzheimer Scotland, we've shared our evidence-based approach and learnings from Australia where the organisation was founded, helping establish Childhood Dementia Scotland as a powerful voice for change.

“This is exactly the kind of progress we envision when we talk about leading coordinated global action for every child with dementia, which is a key element in our 5-year strategy,” says Megan Maack, CEO of Childhood Dementia Initiative. “The release of this report and the groundbreaking work of Childhood Dementia Scotland marks not just a pivotal step for children with dementia and their families in Scotland; this is the beginning of strategic, coordinated action that can be replicated and adapted to the unique needs and realities across different countries and regions.”

Scotland joins Australia as one of only 2 nations globally to include childhood dementia in national dementia policy. The parliamentary event, bringing together families, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers, signals growing commitment in Scotland to transforming healthcare and support, accelerating research, and ensuring no family faces childhood dementia in isolation.

Just as our State of Childhood Dementia reports have documented the urgent need for action in Australia, Scotland's report promises to be a catalyst for meaningful action.