In the Government's 2002 consultation, young people voted first for more - and more fun - things to do and places to go. In the summary responses, however, play and education were merged into one outcome, enjoyment and achievement, misrepresenting education as their priority.
The green paper, Every Child Matters then all but ignored the "enjoyment" part of the equation, citing a stream of educational indicators in its rationale. It should have come as no surprise, then, when the Children Bill translated "enjoyment and achievement" as "education and training".
What a marked contrast in the approach of the Greater London Authority.
While naming the same outcomes, the Mayor's Children and Young People's Strategy develops an explicit children's rights framework and genuinely reflects what young Londoners say most concerns them.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
