When UN member states ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, they must report to the UN initially after two years, then every five years.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child examines written evidence and meets with Government representatives. Before it meets with Government, it holds private discussions with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and with children and young people.

NGOs are invited by the UN Committee to submit a written report highlighting areas of concern, as well as significant progress in implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

CRAE co-ordinates the NGO England alternative report to the UN Committee.

We have made comprehensive submissions each time the UK has been examined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child – in 1995, 2002 and in March 2008.

For this examination, we have supported children and young people in England to carry out a major children's rights investigation and submit their own report to the UN.

CRAE's submission in March 2008 was endorsed by more than 100 NGOs in England. It makes 152 recommendations, of which at least 100 are urgent.

On June 11, CRAE's national co-ordinator and children and young people from CRAE (aged 9-17 years) gave evidence to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva.

The following week, on June 19, we held a Parliamentary event attended by many NGOs and Parliamentarians. Our guest speaker was Professor Lucy Smith from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

We will be going to Geneva in September to observe Government representatives giving evidence to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child will issue its concluding observations on the UK on October 3. CRAE will disseminate these widely, and is already pushing for debates in Parliament and a written response from Government.