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Children's Rights Director, Dr Roger Morgan, shares the findings from a consultation with young people on rights and responsibilities. Some fascinating and in-depth ideas from young people. You can find the full report here https://www.rights4me.org/reportView.cfm?id=380
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Children on rights and responsibilities …the findings
Dr Roger Morgan OBE
Children’s Rights Director for England
CROA Conference,
Manchester 13 October 2010
CRD STATUTORY FUNCTIONS
Ascertaining the views of children and young people within our remit
Advising on children’s rights and welfare
Raising issues the CRD considers significant to the rights or welfare of children in his remit
By law to HMCI By Protocol to DfE and Ministers
OUR SPECIAL FEATURES …
We consult and our reports, like a research report, are
CHILDREN’S VIEWS AND NOTHING BUT CHILDREN’S VIEWS
(written for ten year olds and Ministers)
We carry out OMBUDS-LIKE CASEWORK
We don’t campaign
We input children’s views directly to Government policy
We are statutorily and specifically for children in social care or in residential education
The consultation
National children’s ‘treasure hunt’ conference (Flamingo Land)
Web survey
Written survey
Symbols survey (Widget)
6 school based focus groups
1,888 children contributed views
The consultation
List of rights provided for voting:
From Human Rights Act From UNCRC Ten from previous CRD consultations
Children asked for reasons for supporting a right
These reasons analysed to identify ‘overarching rights’
No suggested responsibilities – children’s free text responses
Further reading:… all reports on www.rights4me.org
Do we need a UK Bill of Rights and Responsibilities?
70% said yes
So people know what rights they have
So people know what is expected of them
To make sure people are listened to
To make things more equal and fair
Do we need a UK Bill of Rights and Responsibilities?
25% said no …
People already know their rights and responsibilities
People should not be told what to do
Individual people are too different to have a single list of everyone’s rights and responsibilities
People won’t read or follow them anyway
Right to go to school so you can learn stuff
Rights and responsibilities should not be changing with a new government every election- they should be consistent and have a basis
Key points to ponder …
If people have a right to have a say about what happens, then they have a responsibility to use that right and to give their opinion
Making choices is a responsibility, not a right
Everyone has a responsibility towards their parents, but there is a limit to this if their parents have not carried out their own responsibility to look after their children properly
‘A right is something you should always be able to do, to have, to know or to say, or a protection you should have from something’
Adapted from CRD definition accepted and published by Ministry of Justice
CHILDREN’S TOP TEN RIGHTS
To be protected from abuse
To have an education
To be helped to keep alive and well
Not to be discriminated against because of my race, colour, sex, language, disability, language or beliefs
Not to be treated or punished in a way that is cruel or meant to make me feel bad about myself
Special help for any child with a disability
To have privacy
Not to be bullied
To keep in touch with my parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters if I want to and they want to, wherever we all live
To have my private letters, phone calls, emails & messages kept confidential
be able to relax and enjoy themselves rather than being constantly afraid or nervous about the situation they are in
have your own space when you want to be on your own, not people following or watching you
Children’s own proposed rights – group one
Rights voted 22nd to 24th …
To enjoy myself now, as well as prepare for the future
To be told about my past life, if and when I want to know
To be treated as an individual, not as one of a group of children
Children’s own proposed rights – group two
Rights voted 27th to 31st …
To make and keep my own friends
To have my views, wishes, worries and feelings asked about and thought about when people decide things for me, however old I am
To make decisions for myself if I understand enough, whatever age I am
To do hobbies I want to do
Always to get the help the law says I should
Some children’s ideas for rights …
right to be what you want to be
right to know what’s going on
right to be naughty
right to have suitable home, suitable clothing, and good food
right to sleep
right to have a job
right to ask questions
right of freedom of movement
right to not conform though still obeying
right not to be damaged by the media
right to know your rights
we should have the right to take responsibility
being able to know that there will be more nice things to come
Overarching rights
Every right had supporters who thought it was self evident
But many rights were supported as they were needed as part of another right
Nine overarching rights emerged as being seen as so obvious that anything that was a part of those rights would get votes for that reason
THE NINE OVERARCHING RIGHTS FROMCHILDREN’S RIGHTS CONSULTATION 2010
The right to be safe from harm
The right to well-being
The right to be alive and well
The right to learning and education
The right to enjoy life
The right to be oneself
The right of all people to be treated equally and fairly
The right to socialise with other people
The right to have a say in one’s own life
Lowest scoring rights …
Lowest was …
to get information from other people
Next lowest were …
to read books and get information in other ways
to speak in my own language
‘A responsibility is something everyone is expected to do, for themselves, for other people, or for the world we live in’
CRD definition now accepted and published by Ministry of Justice
CHILDREN’S TOP TEN RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibility for your own behaviour and actions
Making use of your education
Showing respect to others
Responsibility for your own safety
Looking after others
Looking after yourself
Your own health and hygiene
Carrying out your responsibilities around the house
Looking after the environment
Giving your opinion
Some thoughts on responsibilities …
Responsibility to influence people positively
Everyone has a responsibility to show respect to other age groups
Take a responsibility for the environment
Obey the laws of the country
On consultation …
NB – UK Children Act 1989 is stronger for children affected than UNCRC, as it includes taking feelings into account
Children voted many rights as more important than being consulted about things – but identified being consulted as the main area where children’s rights need improving
Being asked – being toldfrom Children’s Care Monitor 2010
53% are usually or always asked their opinions about things that matter to them
51% say their opinions, when asked, usually or always make a difference to decisions about their lives
69% say adults usually or always tell them when changes are going to happen in their lives
Care planningfrom Children’s Care Monitor 2010
72% stated they had a care plan
81% of those knew what was in their care plan
60% of them had a say in what is in their care plan
65% of them agreed with their care plan
81% of them said their care plan was being fully kept to
some adults can be too busy to listen to what kids want to say – sometimes kids say some amazingly influential and important things because they see the world from a different perspective
all children should have the responsibility to be their own person, to not have to be forced under other people’s views about life, obviously to follow the law and to be well-mannered, but they should have the responsibility to grow up as themselves