Understanding Children's Rights: A Guide to Law, Policy and Practice

Childrens rights are legal protections that ensure children and young people can live healthy, safe, and fulfilling lives. They come from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and are necessary to protect children from harm and ensure their well-being. Practitioners face difficulties in developing a rights-based approach due to the complexity of the legal framework and the diverse needs of children and families. Children and young people can provide valuable insights into their experiences and perspectives regarding rights, which can help practitioners better understand and address their needs.

Format: Hardback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 01 January 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Childrens rights are a set of legal and moral principles that protect children from harm and ensure their well-being. They are derived from a variety of sources, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was adopted in 1989 and has been ratified by almost every country in the world. The convention sets out the rights of children to education, health, safety, and other essential needs, and it requires governments to take steps to ensure that these rights are realized.

One of the key difficulties practitioners face in developing a rights-based approach to their daily work with children, young people, and their families is the tension between the rights of children and the needs of adults. Children have unique needs and perspectives, and they may not always be able to express themselves in the same way as adults. This can make it difficult for practitioners to provide effective support and services.

Another difficulty is the lack of resources and funding available to support children and young people. Many children and young people face poverty, discrimination, and violence, and they may not have access to the necessary services and support. This can lead to poor health outcomes, social exclusion, and criminal behavior.

Despite these difficulties, there are many positive aspects to a rights-based approach to childrens work. For example, it can help to promote children's participation in decision-making and to ensure that their voices are heard. It can also help to reduce the risk of harm and abuse, and to improve the quality of life for children and young people.

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of children's rights in the global context. The United Nations has launched a number of initiatives to promote children's rights, including the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Compact on Education. These initiatives have helped to raise awareness of the importance of children's rights and to encourage governments to take action to address them.

However, there are still many challenges that need to be addressed in order to ensure that children's rights are realized. For example, there is a need to address the issue of child trafficking and child sexual exploitation, which are major threats to children's rights. There is also a need to address the issue of climate change, which is having a significant impact on children's health and well-being.

In conclusion, childrens rights are a set of legal and moral principles that protect children from harm and ensure their well-being. They are derived from a variety of sources, and they require governments to take steps to ensure that these rights are realized. Despite the difficulties that practitioners face in developing a rights-based approach to their daily work with children, young people, and their families, there are many positive aspects to this approach. By promoting children's participation in decision-making and reducing the risk of harm and abuse, we can help to create a better world for children and young people.

Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781138184282