1. An introduction to children’s rights

2. Group activity

3. agenda What are human rights? Why children’s rights? The UNCRC Children’s rights in Wales Children’s rights for foster carers Reflection and evaluation

4. Core Principles of Human Rights Universal Inalienable Indivisible Accountable

5. FREDA principles Fairness and freedom Respect Equality Dignity Autonomy

6. Why do children need separate rights? Maturity Voiceless and invisible Possessions

7. Wants, Needs and Rights Want - a desire for something Need - the state of requiring help, or of lacking basic necessities such as food Right - a moral or legal entitlement to have or do something

8. The 4 Components of a Right 1.The Rights Holder (a human being ) 2.The Object (the thing they have a right to) 3.The Obligated (people or institutions - “duty bearers”) 4.The Justification (greater human dignity, societal development, a peaceful society)

9. Body of Rights

10. The UNCRC 54 articles 41 substantive articles 3 domains

11. 4 underpinning rights Article 2 - No discrimination Article 3 - Best interests of the child Article 6 - Right to life Article 12 - Right to be heard

12. National Children and Young People’s Participation Standards 1. Information- which is easy for children and young people to understand 2. It’s Your Choice – enough information and time to make an informed choice 3. No Discrimination - every young person has the same chance to participate. 4. Respect- Your opinion will be taken seriously 5. You get something out of it- You will enjoy the experience 6. Feedback- You will find out what difference your opinion has made 7. Improving how we work- Adults will ask you how they can improve how they work for the future

13. Implementing the right to education - an example GovernmentHas an obligation to find & allocate resources, define policy, achieve progress against targets Education institutions Have an obligation to train teachers, organise resources, create a child friendly environment TeachersHave an obligation to teach well, to encourage parents, to support all children ParentsShould support their children’s learning Children and young people Should respect other children in order to support their peers to exercise their rights

14. The reporting process Every 5 years Reports to the UN: –UK Government (inc section by WAG) –NGO report –Young peoples report –Children’s Commisioners’ report (4 nations) Concluding observations WAG action plan Monitoring group

15. Coffee break

16. UN Concluding Observations 2008 most relevant to foster carers 1 WAG/UK government must 1.Make sure that the rights in the UNCRC are known and understood by adults and children 2.Must ensure respect for children’s views in the family, school, communities and institutions 3.Make sure that children are protected against unlawful interference with their right to privacy 4.Ban all physical punishment in the family 5.Make it less acceptable to use smacking to bring up children by promoting positive and non-violent ways of disciplining children 6.Provide education and training on how to positively bring up children for parents and adults working with children

17. UN Concluding Observations 2008 most relevant to foster carers 2 WAG/UK government must 7.Offer more help to parents and guardians to help them raise their children 8.Stop children being taken into care because their parents do not earn much money 9.Take children’s views into account in everything to do with the family or being in care and make sure children can easily make complaints if they need to 10.Make sure children with one or both parents in prison get the support they need 11.Monitor children living in foster care, including regular visits to these children 12.Make sure that contact proceedings can be started to allow children separated from their parents and siblings to have contact with them

18. UN Concluding Observations 2008 most relevant to foster carers 3 WAG/UK government must 13.Provide training and education to help prepare children living in care for adult life 14.Make sure there are good services to help children who have suffered abuse or neglect 15.More money should be spent on mental health services for children and particularly focus on certain groups including children in care 16.Make sure children who do not go to school get an excellent education 17.Make sure children in care have someone to represent and defend their best interests 18.Make sure all children, especially children in care, have the right to appeal to an SEN tribunal about the education and support they receive

19. Children’s Rights legislation & policy in Wales 2004 Children Act – WAG adopted UNCRC as basis for all policy for children Seven core aims – based on UNCRC National Action Plan – Getting it Right 2009 - addressing 16 priorities for Wales Children and Families (Wales) Measure - passed in 2010 Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure - Ministers will have to pay due regard to the UNCRC in all decisions they take

20. Articles most relevant to foster carers 1 Article 5 – government should respect the rights & responsibilities of families to direct & guide their children Article 7 – childs right to know and be cared for by their parents Article 8 – governments should respect children’s family ties Article 9 – right to stay in contact with both parents Article 14 – governments should respect children’s rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion Article 15 – right to freedom of association

21. Articles most relevant to foster carers 2 Article 18 – both parents share responsibility for bringing up their children Article 19 – protection from abuse and neglect Article 20 – if children cannot be looked after by their family, they must be looked after properly Article 25 – right of a child in care to a periodic review of their placement Article 26 – government should provide extra money for children of families in need

22. Articles most relevant to foster carers 3 Article 27 – right of a child to a good standard of living and to help from government to provide this Article 30 – right of a child to use the customs of their family Article 39 - Governments should promote physical and psychological recovery for child victims of abuse and/or neglect Article 42 – government should make the convention known to all parents and children

23. Examples of other rights Article 3 – best interests of the child Article 13 – right to get and share information Article 16 – right to privacy Article 29 – education should develop the personality Article 37 – right to use the customs of the child’s family

24. Think of a child …

25. Putting learning into practice

26. Any final questions?