supporting information final oct 13

Children’s Commissioner for Wales

RIGHT’S CHALLENGE

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

FOR

SCOUT/GUIDE LEADERS

Children’s Commissioner for WalesEveryone has rights

UNCRC stands for United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It’s a list of rights that all children and young people, everywhere in the world have, no matter who they are, where they live or what they believe in. It is the role of the Children’s Commissioner for Wales to protect and promote these rights for children and young people across the country.

This badge was conceived to provide a vehicle through which guides and scouts in Wales could learn about their rights, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales (CCfW) and to encourage their participation.

It is not meant to be a difficult badge but hopefully one that will enable children and young people attaining the badge to have fun, to be challenged and, more importantly, learn something about the areas covered.

The requirements are accompanied by activities which guides and scouts can take part in to achieve the challenge. The activities are varied to cater to most abilities and are designed to provide leaders with an instant programme with lists of equipment required and how to carry out the activity which can be downloaded as required. Only one of the activities needs to be used to achieve the result, you can, of course use as many as you wish.

The requirements for the badge are designed to build knowledge from the previous age group, except in the Beaver/Rainbow sections whose requirement form the initial base.

Some activities particularly at the older age could lead on to debates we would encourage leaders, if they feel confident to facilitate such discussions or allow others to do so.

There is one badge for all sections in both scouts and guides and is available from Girlguiding Cymru and ScoutsWales.

This is a new badge and we have tried to make it as user friendly as possible we would be glad to have your views on the badge or any variations or suggestions on activities to achieve them. If your unit has completed an activity and would like to share their achievement with others email a photograph, document or any other item to [email protected] These will be posted on the Commissioners website: www.childcomwales.org.uk


Please ensure that where pictures of young people are sent you have the relevant approval from parents.

If you are unable to upload information send it to:


Oystermouth House

Phoenix Way

Llansamlet

Swansea

SA7 9FS

es.

KEY FACTS AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER FOR WALES

In 2001 the Welsh Government appointed the first Commissioner with a remit to be a champion for children in Wales and to promote the UNCRC.

We have 26 employed staff as well as volunteers that work for CCfW, based at two offices in Swansea and Colwyn Bay. Mainly we work with and for children and young people aged under 18. But we can also act on behalf of older young people, for example if they have been looked after by the local authority.

The Children’s Commissioner’s Principle Aim is;

‘To safeguard and promote the rights and welfare of children in Wales’

The laws that set up the office were: The Care Standards Act 2000 that created the post of Commissioner and the Children’s Commissioner for Wales Act 2001 that broadened the remit and set out the Commissioners principle aim.


The office of the Children’s Commissioner works to make sure children and young people;

• are safe from harm and abuse;• get the opportunities and services they need and deserve;• are respected and valued;• have their voice within communities and are able to play as full a part as possible in

decisions that affect them; • and that they know about their rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights

of the Child (UNCRC).

The Commissioners Office is an independent institution and the law that established the office also gave the Commissioner some powers to enable him and his office to do the job including to;

• review the effects of policies, proposed policies and delivery of services to children;• examine in more depth the case of a particular child or children;• require information from agencies or persons acting on their behalf, and require

witnesses to give evidence on oath;• provide advice and assistance to children and young people, and others concerned

about their rights and welfare; and• make representations to the National Assembly for Wales about any matter affecting • the rights and welfare of children in Wales.

The Commissioner has 5 main functions within his team:

• Investigations and Advice.• Policy and Service Evaluation.• Communications.• Participation.• Corporate Services.

The Commissioner MUST…

• make sure children & young people know how to get in touch;• enable children & young people to contribute in developing work programmes; and• meet up with children & young people wherever they are, especially ‘hard to reach’

children.


Some of the work we do;

• Give advice and support to children and young people or adults; FREEPHONE 08088011000 FREE TEXT 80800.

• Policy and service reviews e.g. ‘Children Don’t Complain’ – looking at systems in place for children to complain within school settings.

• School Ambassadors Scheme – for primary school aged children –promoting and giving information about CCFW and the UNCRC within schools.

• Bilingual website and electronic ways of keeping in touch with children and young people; ‘BACKCHAT’.

• The Commissioner and his team visit schools, youth groups and colleges listening to what children and young people want to see changed and improved for them.

ALL the work that the office does is underpinned by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

Investigations & Advice Service

The Investigations & Advice Service is for children and young people, and the people who care about them, to have someone to turn to when they run out of all other options when dealing with a problem.

The Investigations and Advice Officers take calls, text messages and read emails and letters from children, young people and adults, who have been trying to solve a problem and feel like they aren’t getting anywhere. Our officers are not counsellors but they work with children, young people and adults who are involved to help them find a solution. If we can’t help then we will try to identify an organisation that can.

We always make sure we treat ever child and young person with respect. We also make sure we keep the information you share with us private unless we think you or another child or young person is unsafe – we then share the information with other organisations that can help protect you. If we need to share the information with other people that could help then we will tell you what we are doing and why we have decided to do it.


The Children’s Commissioner for Wales and his staff implement the All Wales Child Protection Procedures 2008 and the organisation’s confidentiality policy conforms to these procedures.We will treat every child or young person with respect and protect their privacy unless it is necessary to share information with other agencies in order to safeguard a child or young person’s welfare. Children and young people are informed of this fact whenever they begin to disclose information which may indi-cate they, or another child, is at risk of significant harm.

The Children’s Commissioner for Wales offers children and young people complete confidentiality where there is judged to be no risk of significant harm. If you need to talk to someone from the Commissioner’s office, here are the ways you can get in touch.

Contact details for advice & support

Tel: 01792 765600

Email: [email protected]

Write: Children’s Commissioner for Wales Oystermouth House Charter Court Phoenix Way Llansamlet SA7 9FS

Open Monday to Friday expect Bank Holidays from 9am -5pm


THE FACTS AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE ‘UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD (UNCRC)’:

Some Key Dates and Events:

Some Key Dates and Events:

• The UNCRC was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on the 20th of November 1989.

• 192 out of 194 countries, territories and states have signed up (ratified) to the convention and it is the most ratified convention in the UN’s History (USA+ Somalia have yet to sign up to it).

• The UK government ratified the convention on December 1991.• The Welsh Assembly Government formally adopted the United Nations Convention

on the Rights of the Child in January 2004.• Welsh Government passed a law called ‘Rights of Children and Young Person’s

(Wales) Measure’ on 17th March 2011 – meaning Welsh Ministers must have due regard to the UNCRC from 2012.

UNCRC sets minimum standards for children and young people’s civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.

The UNCRC consists of 54 articles. Articles 1 to 42 are those that contain the RIGHTS of children. The rights are all the things that children need to survive and develop to their full potential, they are the things children have a right to make them happy, healthy and safe.Articles 42 to 54 are how Governments implement and monitor the Convention.

The 42 rights all come under 3 categories;

• Provision of appropriate health care, standard of living, education, facilities plus support for special needs.

• Participation in society as active members of community.• Protection from violence, dangerous work, abuse and abduction, prevention of harm.


All rights interconnected and none more important than others here, are the 4 Guiding Principles behind the UNCRC

• Non-discrimination (article 2) – the rights apply to all children without exception.• Best interest of the Child (article 3) – all organisations or individuals concerned with

children and young people should make sure what they do is best for the child.• Survival and development (article 6) – all children have the right to LIFE, and the

government should make sure as much as possible that every child’s chance of survival and development.

• Participation (article 12) – Children and young people have the right to have their say and their views to be taken into account when adults are making decisions that affect them.

Some Key messages from the office:

• The Children’s Commissioner is someone who stands up for children and young people and their rights.

• The Commissioner doesn’t work for the government, he works on what children and young people want to see changed and improved.

• Rights are all the things that children need to grow, be happy, healthy and safe.• Some of the rights children and young people have are; right to have your say, right to

learn and have a good education, right to play, right to be safe and not be hurt etc.• Children and young people can call/text if they need to contact the office. If they need

advice or support, or you think they’re not getting their rights.

Everyone has rights, often the concept of rights and responsibilities are often linked. The Children’s Com-missioner for Wales advocates that the concept of everyone having rights is preferable to linking rights directly with responsibility.

We believe this is a more positive basis for raising awareness with children about their rights. The ap-proach encourages children and young people to become aware of their own rights and those of other groups in society, and fosters a respect for other people’s rights.

The convention is not reliant on any actions from the child. By signing up to the Convention the UK and Welsh Governments have committed that the rights in the convention should be fulfilled and provided to all children in Wales no matter what their situation. Children, like any members of society, have responsi-bilities but their rights are not dependant upon them fulfilling those responsibilities.


Resources:

For more information about the UNCRC and children’s rights have a look at:

www.childcomwales.org.uk

www.funkydragon.com

www.savethechildren.org.uk

www.unicef.org.uk

Participation:

We believe that it is really important that we listen to children and young people.

Participation is the word used to describe the way that we involve children and young people in the work that we do. A young person wrote a definition for participation that is used by the Welsh Assembly Government:

‘Participation means that it is my right to be involved in making decisions, planning and reviewing an action that might affect me.’

We listen to children and young people about their views and experiences so that we can represent and stand up on their behalf, making sure that children and young people’s voices are really clear. At the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for Wales we work to make sure children and young people are protected, are able to take part in decisions about their lives and have services provided for them to help them to reach their full potential.

To help us make sure that we involve children and young people in the work that we do, we use the National Participation Standards in our work.

See http://www.participationworkerswales.org.uk/standards/


Benefits of Participation

There are a number of benefits to encouraging children and young people’s participation:

• It encourages the development of communication skills, confidence and self

esteem and an understanding of democracy and negotiation.

• It means decisions made are more likely to be successful as all those affected by

them have been involved in the decision making process.

• It encourages children to become active citizens not only within the meeting

environment but also within their communities.

• It means adults know the issues children and young people face, without having to

guess what they are.

• It is a child’s right to say what they think should happen when adults are making

decisions which affect them.

Participation Resources

Participation – Spice It Up! (Save the Children) 2002

Breathing Fire into Participation (Funky Dragon) 2002

www.funkydragon.com

www.savethechildren.org.uk

www.participationworks.org.uk

www.participationworkerswales.org.uk

supporting information final oct 13

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