The Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE) has today (6 April 2010) written to the children’s leads of the three main political parties asking them to set out their general approach to children’s rights should they form the next Government. The letters to Ed Balls, Michael Gove and David Laws ask the parties’ views on: ministerial responsibility for children’s rights; action on the UN recommendations on children’s rights; whether children’s rights will be considered when drafting laws and policy affecting children; listening to and taking account of children’s views; training on children’s rights for the children’s workforce and teaching children’s rights in schools; and Ministers’ roles in promoting positive images of children and childhood.

CRAE plans to publish the responses in the week of the General Election. Carolyne Willow, CRAE’s national co-ordinator, says:

‘There are 11 million children in England. While under 18s have no vote, these children are surrounded by parents, grandparents, neighbours and other adult voters that want to know politicians’ plans for protecting children’s rights. We could have asked hundreds of questions about children’s lives in England today, from plans to end child poverty, to protection from violence, to making sure children involved in crime get the right support, to laws promoting fair treatment of children and families when using public transport and community facilities. Instead, we have focused on six broad areas which we think will give voters a clear picture of the main political parties’ general approach to children’s rights.’    

The children’s leads have been asked identical questions. For each question they have been asked to respond “yes / no / not yet decided” and to give a comment of no more than 30 words. The responses will be made available in full, including where no answer has been given.