Latest news
Schools must consider the views of students
November 12 2008
After decades of campaigning by children's rights advocates, the law was finally changed yesterday (11 November) to place a duty on all maintained schools in England and Wales to consider the views of children and young people. Carolyne Willow, CRAE's national coordinator, says:
"This is a historic moment that we have worked for years to achieve. It was simply unacceptable that schools should have no legal obligation to consider children's views. This change in the law should help transform the culture of schools, with children being firmly at the centre of policy and practice. Progressive educationalists will be delighted too; for them there is no question that children should have their views taken into account."
Many Parliamentarians have supported law reform though it was undoubtedly the steadfast efforts of Baroness Joan Walmsley, Liberal Democrat Peer and CRAE Patron, that secured the change.
The move is one of the first major actions to protect children's rights taken by new children's minister Baroness Delyth Morgan of Drefelin. The minister explained:
"… I am sure that the whole House will agree that the voice of pupils and young people is extremely important … The new duty in these amendments sends a clear message about the importance that we place on the involvement of pupils, which the Children’s Rights Alliance for England also eloquently advocates, in matters that affect their education and school life. Through regulations, we intend to require governing bodies to invite views on a core set of policy matters. As a minimum, schools should seek and take account of pupils’ views on policies on the delivery of the curriculum, behaviour, the uniform, school food, health and safety, equalities and sustainability, not simply on what colour to paint the walls."
UN human rights body once again condemns treatment of children in the UK
October 3 2008
A highly critical report published today (Friday, 3 October) by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has slammed the UK Government as failing to meet international standards on the treatment of children. In a number of vital areas - from juvenile justice to the rights of disabled children, from the protection of young asylum seekers to the right of children to privacy - the Government is failing to meet its obligations under international law. As part of over 120 recommendations made to the UK Government, the UN report calls for the review and abolition of the use of anti-social behaviour orders for children and for tighter regulation of reality television programmes that feature babies and children. The UN Committee urges the Government, as a matter of priority, to prohibit corporal punishment in the family.
Carolyne Willow, National Co-ordinator of the Children’s Rights Alliance for England, said: “We now call for the Government to take immediate action to remedy breaches in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and we want the Convention brought into UK law as a matter of urgency. Given the severity and breadth of the criticisms made by the UN Committee, Ed Balls must now make a statement to the House as soon as possible after parliament resumes next week.”
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is an international body of 18 children's human rights experts established to monitor how well UN States Parties implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Every five years the UK Government is required to report to and then be examined by this UN body for its treatment of the UK’s 13.1 million children. Government representatives faced detailed questioning by members of the Committee last week (nearly 200 questions); the examination was observed by NGOs, the Children’s Commissioners and children and young people.
UK Government tells UN Committee that it will remove UK’s reservations to Convention on the Rights of the Child and ratify the Optional Protocol on child prostitution by the end of the year
September 23 2008
Tom Jeffery, the senior official who is leading the UK Government’s delegation to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, announced to the Committee in Geneva this morning that he would be writing to the UN Secretary-General to confirm the UK Government’s removal of its two remaining reservations to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Mr Jeffery also announced for the first time that the Government plans to ratify the Convention’s Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography by the end of the year.
The reservations, made in 1991 when the UK ratified the children’s Convention, permit the UK to continue to lock up children with adults and to put immigration concerns ahead of the human rights of child asylum seekers and refugees.
Carolyne Willow, CRAE’s national co-ordinator, welcomes the move:
“This is the news we have been waiting for. All children have human rights and governments should not be allowed to pick and choose whose rights they are going to protect. This must be the start of considerable changes in juvenile justice and immigration policy. The treatment of children in conflict with the law and children in the immigration system was strongly criticised by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child when it last examined the UK in 2002. Ministers must not stop here – after removing the reservations, they must remove harmful laws and policy.”
CRAE submitted a comprehensive report, endorsed by 100+ non-governmental organisations, to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child earlier this year. Representatives from the alliance, including a delegation of 12 children and young people, met with UN Committee members in June in Geneva. The UN Committee will examine the UK Government on 23/24 September (public hearing), and issue its concluding observations on 3 October. CRAE’s report makes 152 recommendations for improvements in law, policy and practice, including the removal of the two remaining reservations.
Participation Works is running a survey for children and young people (under 18s) to find out what makes you pick up and use a booklet, leaflet, training pack or website about children’s rights and participation. Complete the survey and help us improve what’s on offer. Closes 22 September 2008 at 9pm.
Click here to take survey
Human rights select committee urges greater protection for children
August 10 2008
The Children's Rights Alliance for England welcomes the report published today (August 10) by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), in which the Committee says there is a 'strong case' for increased human rights protection for children.
Read full press release from CRAE...
Court of Appeal quashes child restraint rules
July 28 2008
The Court of Appeal has today (July 28) upheld the human rights of children in secure training centres by quashing restraint rules introduced by Ministers last summer. The rules were brought in following the damning inquest into the death of a child caused by restraint. Instead of increasing child protection in secure training centres, Ministers gave staff extra restraint powers.
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Councils must take advice from children in care
July 9 2008
Children's Minister Kevin Brennan has confirmed that every local authority will be expected to establish a Children in Care Council. Speaking during debates on the Children and Young Persons Bill, the Minister said statutory guidance would make it clear that 'every local authority should have a children in care council or an equivalent structure to ensure that looked-after children and young people are able to put their experiences of the care system directly to those responsible for service delivery'.
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Children’s rights alliance rejects Minister’s claim that age discrimination only affects older people
June 26 2008
Secretary of State for Equality, Harriet Harman QC, has announced in Parliament that there is 'little evidence' of harmful age discrimination against children and young people and that it is right to treat under 18 year-olds differently' when it comes to equality and protection from discrimination.
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