Education and Social Services

Social Services

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 As Children and Young Persons Champion, I wish to offer a particular welcome to all the young people attending today's launch of East Ayrshire Council's Children and Young Person's Charter of Rights.

2. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE CHARTER OF RIGHTS ?

2.1 The purpose of the Charter is to :

· Help children and young people become aware of their rights;
· Assist children and young people obtain their rights;
· Make children and young people aware of the social responsibilities that accompany rights;
· Help children and young people to play a useful part in their communities and neighbourhoods;
· Promote active citizenship.

2.2 Active citizenship is described in the Council's Education Committee Paper of 18th September 2001, as ensuring'' That children and young people have a voice in issues which affect them. ''

3. WHY HAVE A CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS CHARTER ?

3.1 In 1926 the Geneva Declaration on the Rights of the Child was the first international statement on children and young people's rights. This was followed by other important declarations and statements throughout the years, until the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child came into being in 1989.

3.2 In 1991 the British Government agreed to abide by the main terms of the Convention. It reports to the United Nations every 5 years on progress made in doing this. The Scottish Parliament also takes the United Nations Convention into account when considering new laws.

3.3 The Children ( Scotland ) Act 1995, is a law based on the United Nations Convention, which instructs each Council in Scotland to publish a Children's Service Plan every 3 years. ' Our Children ,' East Ayrshire Council's first Children's Service Plan was published in 1998. It promised the development of a Children and Young Persons Charter of Rights, based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. That promise was kept in 2001,by the inclusion of the Charter we are launching today, in 'Inspiring Young People,' the Council's second Children's Service Plan.

4. WHO IS A CHILD AND / OR A YOUNG PERSON ?

4.1 ' The United Nations Convention ' and Children's Service Plan regards anyone between 0-18 years as a child. Hoewever, some of the work carried out by the Department of Educational and Social Services targets young people between 12-25.

4.2 Almost 1,000 young people played a meaningful part in the development of the Children and Young Persons Charter:

· 595 young people aged 12-25 participated in a postal consultation exercise use ' Use Your Voice : Take Part ';

· A group of teenage service users wrote the Charter with assistance from the Council;

· The contents , design and methods of spreading word about the Charter, were discussed at the 1999, 2000 and 2001 Youth Conferences.

4.3 The Charter was therefore developed by East Ayrshire's young people, for East Ayrshire's children and young people. This very effective partnership between youth and the Council, is in itself an excellent example of active citizenship.

5. HOW DO WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP ?

5.1 There are already many instances of partnership involving East Ayrshire's children, young people and the Council. Some of these are :

· East Ayrshire's 2 Scottish Youth Parliament Members, receive support from the Council's Support to Communities Section;

· Young People's involvement in School Councils, Local Committees and Youth Forums;

· Consultation with children----( including pre-5 children )-----using Circle
Time in schools and nurseries.

· Internet consultation with school pupils and North Kilmarnock Youth Project and Yip World. Com service users, regarding the 2001-2004 Children's Service Plan. Approximately 500 children and young people took part.

· The inclusion of young people on employment interview panels for some Department of Educational and Social Services posts.

5.2 Much has been done, but there is still much to do. My task as Children and Young Persons Champion is to :

· Make sure that children and young people in East Ayrshire receive the information they need, have their views listened to and play a part in Council decision making;

· Give a voice to the most excluded children and young people;

· Support the work of the Children's Service Plan and Children and Young Persons Charter of Rights.

6. HOW WILL I ACHIEVE THIS ?

6.1 I will achieve this by working directly with children, young people, and other Council representatives :

· A panel of senior Council representatives will be pleased to answer questions at the end of today's programme;

· A consultation exercise to find out what information young people need and how it should be presented, will take place between January and March 2002. This will involve School Councils, groups in the community supported by the Council and the 2 East Ayrshire Youth Information Projects;

· The Council's Children and Young Persons Rights Group will work with children and young people to improve Children's Service Plan services.

6.2 Additionally, help will be sought from colleagues in Health, Police, Scottish Children's Reporter Administration, community groups and organisations.

7. WHEN DOES THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CHILDREN'S CHAMPION AND EAST AYRSHIRE'S CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE BEGIN ?

7.1 Our partnership begins today. I will end by saying to the children and young people here and those you represent, that I am looking forward to working with you. Together we will build a community where children are respected as young citizens, young people feel part of their neighbourhoods and the Council listens and responds to you in a way, which enables you to play a meaningful part in its decision making.