At the time the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) opened for signatures on 20 November 1989, Margaret Thatcher was still in power and the Berlin Wall had just come down. While there have been many great advancements in the intervening years, children's rights campaigners argue that the UK has in some ways gone backwards on key children's rights issues.
Lisa Payne, principal policy officer at the National Children's Bureau, says that while the current government in particular has paid more attention and invested more in services for children, she remains concerned about the attitudes at the heart of much of UK policy. "The frameworks for progress are still very adult-led," she explains. "There is a lot about improving outcomes for children but this focuses on the child as someone who will one day be an adult, whereas the convention looks at the lives of children now."
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
