SCOTLAND
Children’s commissioner meets with local kids
Hundreds of young people met with the Children’s Commissioner’s at M&D’s Theme Park recently for “A Right Blether”. The event was part of the national consultation with children and young people.
Children’s Commissioner Tam Baillie’s visit was part of a Scotland-wide tour which has already seen him meet thousands of children and young people at more than 40 schools, youth centres and care units around Scotland. He listened to their views and helped them understand more about their rights.
The national consultation aims to capture and use the views, ideas and advice offered by children and young people to inform a national vote in November to mark the 21st Anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
It is hoped that tens of thousands of children and young people will
take part. They’ll be asked to vote on 20 of the biggest and most
challenging issues facing children in Scotland to identify the top four
issues which the Commissioner’s office will integrate into a four-year
work plan. Although the exact issues are yet to be defined, topics such
as bullying, safety in the streets and family relationships will likely
be included.
As part of the visit, the Commissioner’s office also encouraged children and young people to send in their “right brilliant things”, ideas and thoughts about things that make their life good. These could be people, projects or services. The Commissioner’s Office will showcase these submissions online at www.arightblether.co.uk, on www.youtube.com/user/RightsSCCYP and in exhibitions.
The information captured during the visit to North Lanarkshire will also be showcased at a major event planned for February 2011, to explore the results of the vote in November and agree the priorities for the Commissioner’s work plan.
Tam Baillie said: “I believe we need to get better at listening and acting on the views, opinions and experiences of children and young people. I want to listen and learn from children and young people so that in my role I can fulfil my obligation to make Scotland a country where they can understand, exercise and experience their rights every single day of their lives.
“Their expertise and their ideas for the future will influence and help to shape my work for the next four years. This, in turn, will ensure that Scotland is a country that’s respected on the world stage, as a place where children and young people are held in the highest regard, through an approach built on the cornerstones of wisdom, virtue, compassion and integrity.”
Between now and the national vote in November, there will be dozens of events for children and young people across Scotland, giving them an opportunity to air their views.
Graham Miller
25 August 2010
