What are Children’s rights in the UK?
Human Rights are a set of the basic things that all people need to live in dignity. We all have human rights whoever we are and whatever we are or have done. Human rights exist to make sure that we are get treated fairly and are all given the freedom to develop to our full potential.
On top of the rights available to everyone, there are some that apply only to children. Children need special rights because they need extra protection that adults don’t. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children is an international document that sets out all the rights that children have – a child is defined as any person under the age of 18.
The UK government ratified the Convention on 16th December 1991. This means that the government must make sure that every child in the UK has the rights that are listed in the convention. The government must ensure that all children have the rights regardless of their race, their parent’s race, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status.
Information and Advice and useful self-help resources
Getting local help
Children, Families and leaning (Suffolk County Council)
