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Include Me:  Gathering Views of children who may be non verbal 17 May 2021

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UNCRC self-eval toolkit

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Ed Scot Improving Gender Balance and Equalities Team

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View the interactive image by EdScot Curriculum Innovation Team

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UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - Guide for parents - Children's Commissioner for Wales

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We've made this guide to tell you more about children's rights. They outline what children need to have the best [...]

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UNCRC - Making the right to play real for parents and children

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An Introduction to Children’s Human Rights and a Rights-based Approach

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Unfearties, together we can make children's human rights real

Feart means scared in Scottish dialect. Unfeart means the opposite - it means being brave. We need people to be brave to support the realisation of children's human rights - to ensure children are healthy, happy and safe wherever they are and whoever they are with.

Please join our band of Unfearties. Wear the Unfeartie badge and make a commitment to learning more about how children's human rights improves children's lives. Join our brave band and become an Unfeartie to find out some of the actions you can take to make children's human rights real.

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Inspiring a world of love, happiness and understanding.

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Children's Parliament is dedicated to the realisation of children's human rights in Scotland. Learn more about what we do and how you can be involved.

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DADx Talk - UNCRC Embedding Children's Human Rights

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The Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland

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All children have rights, and that includes babies and very young children.

All children have rights, and that includes babies and very young children.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) expresses these rights within the framework of children's lives and experiences. The rights in the UNCRC are linked together and support each other - so supporting one right, like the right to participate in play, promotes other rights including the right to be heard, to free expression, to development and to education.

Long before young children can understand the concept of children's rights, they can develop a sense of their own agency. Babies and very young children can develop this through relationships with parents and carers, and through their surroundings and environment. Their experience of these early relationships will influence their sense of self, how they view others and how they respond to their environment.

Babies and very young children need to be supported by the adults that care for them to make their own decisions and to be listened to. They need to feel that their ideas, thoughts and decisions are respected.

They are finding out about their rights through how others treat them. They are learning about expressing themselves, their interdependence with others, how valued they are. They are also learning about sharing, making choices and their place in the world.

Early childhood is a critical period for the realisation of rights and good early years experiences increase the chances of children being able to realise their rights through childhood.

Human rights for 0-2s

What's most important at this age?

The most important relationship in a baby's life is the one with their parents or carers. A child's survival and growth depends on the care and nurturing the child receives within the family. Love and responsive care, accepting relationships and being involved in everyday routines are important for babies. This is how they begin to make sense of the world.

Babies can express their interests through gaze, movement, facial expressions, noises and sounds. It is important that they are given the opportunities to make decisions and to express themselves as they begin to realise their rights. They can do this through exploration and play, by being offered and making choices and by being allowed to participate freely. They need to develop a sense of their own agency and show their individual personality.

Human rights for 3-5s

What's most important at this age?

This is the perfect starting point to engage young children in discussion and to increase awareness of their own rights. They can learn how to build relationships, become responsible, manage their moods, develop a feelings vocabulary, make good choices, solve problems and feel that they and others belong.

Play is an important part of any very young child's life. It can help them learn to move, share, negotiate and to take on board others' points of view. It can give them a chance to make decisions, express themselves, develop a sense of agency and show their individual personality. Article 31 of the UNCRC says that children have the right to relax, play and take part in artistic and cultural activities. Play is essential to the health and wellbeing of children and is the main way that very young children can engage with their rights.

Article 12 of the UNCRC says that children have the right to have opinions and for these opinions to matter. It says that the opinions of children should be considered when adults make decisions about them. As holders of rights even the youngest children have a right to express their view. By the age of 3 most children can communicate ideas and thoughts in words. They also communicate through play, body language, facial expression, drawing and painting. They are able to make choices, express preferences and demonstrate an understanding of their environment.

It is the responsibility of adults to provide opportunities for children to express their views. Adapting the child's interests, levels of understanding and preferred ways of communicating.

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How a parent or carer can respect a very young child's human rights and engage with these from an early age.

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Here you'll find useful links to organisations that can help with any questions you may have about parenting and your rights at work.

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Reflecting upon your time in the first session we asked you to consider the following questions about your own practice. Why not take the opportunity to share these questions with your colleagues back

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Looking for all Articles by Marie Gallagher?

How picture books can help children understand their rights

Celebrated each year on 20 November, World Children's Day marks the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of the Child. Exactly 30 years later, the same coalition adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which we have come to know more commonly as the UNCRC. Countries across the world, including Scotland and the UK, have signed up to this, committing to make children's rights a priority in law, policy and service provision. There is even a possibility that the UNCRC will become enshrined in Scots law in the near future.

The first Article of the UNCRC states that children should know about the convention and the rights within it and that grown-ups have a responsibility to help children understand their rights. However, this can feel like a big and abstract concept for practitioners, parents and carers to explain to children, particularly in the early years. How do we begin to open up these conversations about rights in a way that is fun, engaging and age appropriate? At Bookbug, we believe that picture books are the best place to start, so we've created some top tips for using them to explore the UNCRC.

Don't worry about 'correct' terminology

When helping younger children understand their rights, it is okay if we don't directly mention the word 'rights' or use picture books specifically relating to the UNCRC (although many lovely ones do exist - take a look at our book list for inspiration). We can take a holistic and informal approach, whether as part of the early years curriculum or choosing books and activities for the home. The Children's Parliament explains children's rights as things that all children need to feel healthy, happy and safe. That gives us lots of scope for fun and creativity when exploring children's rights with our little ones!

Bring rights to life through character-driven stories

When choosing narrative books, think about stories that need something to change in order for the main character to be healthy, happy and safe. Often this will relate to a fundamental human need, whether emotional or physical. Also, consider the role of the adults within the story - what do they do (or not do) to help? Are they present or absent? Children need to know that the role of grown-ups is to make sure their rights are met.

Have fun with concept books

There are lots of picture books designed to explain ideas or activities through illustrations, engaging rhymes or interactive elements. Many relate to core learning areas such as numbers, shapes, the alphabet or daily routines. In addition to these, lots of children's authors and illustrators provide opportunities to learn about feelings and the diversity of people and the world around them. For example, in Happy To Be Me by Emma Dodd, bold, expressive illustrations and diverse characters highlight all of the things our bodies and minds do for us every day and celebrates the importance of love and friendship. You Choose by Nick Sharratt inspires children to imagine the reality of different types of people, activities and environments and what topics they would like to explore. These concept books are fantastic in supporting the development of emotional literacy and empathy.

Opportunities for choice and participation

As well as books themselves, think about the child's role in book sharing and the environment in which books are shared. Article 12 of the UNCRC states that children have the right to express their views and be listened to. Picture books are an excellent vehicle for helping children feel confident about sharing their opinions and influencing activities. Think about the following key questions when creating participative and inclusive book sharing opportunities:

Do children have the chance to choose books and express their preferences?

Are picture books visible and physically accessible to the children in your setting?

Is there diversity in terms of characters, subject matter and authors/illustrators from a variety of backgrounds?

How can we enrich children's experience of interacting with books through play and creative opportunities?

Celebrate - you are supporting children's rights through the joy of book sharing!

Simply by sharing books with children and building them into our daily routines, we are doing a great deal to promote children's rights, including the right to learn and play, social and emotional development, cultural activities and much more. Book sharing promotes positive relationships between children and their families, which is a perfect basis for children to begin confidently understanding and articulating their rights in a safe and supportive space as they grow.

Take a look at our book list for inspiration on getting started with children's rights and, of course, get in touch to share your suggestions!

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Exploring children's rights through picture books

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Looking for all Articles by Marie Gallagher? How picture books can help children understand their rights Celebrated each year on 20 November, World Children's Day marks the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of the Child.

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Roger Hart’s Ladder of Children’s Participation

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Children and young people centred communication

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Know Your Rights is a pack of teaching materials to introduce key rights principles to students.

These core materials have been developed by UNICEF Netherlands and are perfect for introducing children's rights to students that are not familiar with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This downloadable workbook and teachers pack contains a series of materials to help children learn about rights. The pack is aimed at children aged 11 to 12, but with minor adaptions could be used with younger or older age groups.

Ages: 11 to 12

The pack of downloadable materials contains:
Know Your Rights - student workbook Know Your Rights - teacher guidelines Know Your Rights - poster Know Your Rights - CRC Booklet

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Know Your Rights - Child Rights Education Core Materials - Rights Respecting Schools Award

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These core materials have been developed by UNICEF Netherlands and are perfect for introducing children's rights to students that are not familiar with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This downloadable workbook and teachers pack contains a series of materials to help children learn about rights.

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This year, nearly 100,000 men, women and children from war-torn countries in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia have fled their homes and traveled by rubber dinghies across the Aegean Sea to Lesbos, Greece.

Refugees travel light, for their trek is as dangerous as it is arduous. They are detained, shot at, hungry. Smugglers routinely exploit them, promising safety for a price, only to squeeze them like sardines into tiny boats. Most have no option but to shed whatever meager belongings they may have salvaged from their journeys. Those allowed to bring extra baggage aboard often toss it overboard, frantically dumping extra weight as the leaky boats take on water.

Few arrive at their destinations with anything but the necessities of life. The International Rescue Committee asked a mother, a child, a teenager, a pharmacist, an artist, and a family of 31 to share the contents of their bags and show us what they managed to hold on to from their homes. Their possessions tell stories about their past and their hopes for the future.

"You will feel that you are a human. You are not just a number."

When vicious fighting erupted in Yarmouk, an unofficial camp for Palestinians just south of the Syrian capital, Aboessa managed to escape with her husband and their 10-month-old daughter, Doua. After crossing the border to Turkey, they spent one week sheltering in another forlorn camp before jumping into a rubber raft bound for the safe shores of Europe.

The Turkish police patrolling the coast stopped them and detached the boat's motor in order to force them to turn back, but the refugees kept going, steering the boat through the sea's strong currents with makeshift paddles.

Hat for the baby
An assortment of medication, a bottle of sterile water, and a jar of baby food
A small supply of napkins for diaper changes
A hat and a pair of socks for the baby
Assortment of pain relievers, sunscreen and sunburn ointment, toothpaste
Personal documents (including the baby's vaccination history)
Wallet (with photo ID and money)
Cell phone charger
Yellow headband

"Everything is for my daughter to protect her against sickness. When we arrived in Greece, a kind man gave me two jars of food. Another man gave us biscuits and water when he saw my baby."

Name: Omran*
Age: 6
From: Damascus, Syria

Little Omran, sporting a cheerful blue shirt, is on his way to Germany with his extended family of five to live with relatives. Because his parents knew they would travel through forests to avoid detection, they made sure to pack bandages for scrapes and cuts.

1 pair of pants, 1 shirt
A syringe for emergencies
Marshmallows and sweet cream (Omran's favorite snacks)
Soap, toothbrush and toothpaste
Bandages

Name: Iqbal*
Age: 17
From: Kunduz, Afghanistan

Iqbal dragged his weary body out of the boat with only a backpack. The teenager had traveled hundreds of miles and dodged bullets to escape from the warring province of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan, fleeing east to Iran, then traveling by foot to Turkey. Now in Lesbos, he's uncertain of where to go next. He has kept in touch with a friend who already made the journey to Germany. He has a brother studying in Florida.

1 pair of pants, 1 shirt, 1 pair of shoes and 1 pair of socks
Shampoo and hair gel, toothbrush and toothpaste, face whitening cream
Comb, nail clipper
Bandages
100 U.S. dollars
130 Turkish liras
Smart phone and back-up cell phone
SIM cards for Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey

"I want my skin to be white and hair to be spiked - I don't want them to know I'm a refugee. I think that someone will spot me and call the police because I'm illegal."

When war broke out in Syria, the pharmacist's father would recall fond memories of Germany, where he lived for eight years while practicing medicine there. The pharmacist wanted a similar life of peace and hope. He fled with his family to Turkey, where he met a smuggler who arranged his trip to Europe.

With one bag strapped across his chest, the pharmacist climbed into an overcrowded dinghy with 53 others, including a handful of young children. Miraculously, the group made the crossing safely until, near the shores of Greece, they were met by the coast guard, shouting at them to stop the boat.

Money (wrapped to protect it from water)
Old phone (wet and unusable) and new smart phone
Phone chargers and headphones (plus extra battery charger)
16GB flash drive (containing family photos)

"We didn't realize it was the police. We were told by friends not to stop because they will take you back to Turkey. We didn't know the Greek language. We couldn't understand what they were saying. We held the children. I thought to myself, 'Let me reach the beach and anything you say I will do.'"

Their boat was punctured and everyone ended up in the sea. The pharmacist treaded water for 45 minutes before he was rescued.
Read about the pharmacist's full journey from Aleppo to Germany
"I had to leave behind my parents and sister in Turkey. I thought, if I die on this boat, at least I will die with the photos of my family near me."

Nour has a passion for music and art. He played guitar in Syria for seven years and painted. As bombs and gunfire echoed in the distance, Nour grabbed the items closest to his heart before leaving for Turkey - things that today evoke bittersweet memories of home.

Small bag of personal documents
A rosary (gift from his friend; Nour doesn't let it touch the floor)
A watch (from his girlfriend; it broke during the journey)
Syrian flag, Palestinian charm, silver and wooden bracelets (gifts from friends)
Guitar picks (one also a gift from a friend)
Cell phone and Syrian SIM card
Photo ID
1 shirt

"I left Syria with two bags, but the smugglers told me I could only take one. The other bag had all of my clothes. This is all I have left."

From: Aleppo, Syria

This family lost everything. When they left Syria, each member took one to two bags. During the course of the journey to Turkey and then Greece, their boat began to sink. There were seven women, four men and 20 children. They managed to salvage just one bag among them.

1 shirt, 1 pair of jeans,
1 pair of shoes
Toiletries
1 diaper, 2 small cartons of milk and some biscuits
Personal documents and money
Sanitary pads
A comb

"I hope we die. This life is not worth to live anymore. Everyone closed the door in our face, there is no future."

Name: Hassan*
Age: 25
From: Syria

"This is all I have. They told us we could only bring two things, one extra shirt and pants."

Learn more about the IRC's work in Lesbos where we provide clean water, sanitation, trash removal and protection and information services to refugees staying in the Kara Tepe camp and other locations on the island.

*Last names omitted to protect the privacy of those interviewed
Photos by Tyler Jump; Produced by Kulsoom Rizvi Nearly 60 million people have been forced to flee their homes by war, conflict and persecution - more lives uprooted than at any time since World War II. Produced by the International Rescue Committee, "Uprooted" keeps the spotlight on the individual human beings behind the tragic numbers in this global refugee crisis.

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This year, nearly 100,000 men, women and children from war-torn countries in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia have fled their homes and traveled by rubber dinghies across the Aegean Sea to Lesbos, Greece. Refugees travel light, for their trek is as dangerous as it is arduous.

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Best practice case studies - Rights Respecting Schools Award

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Home > Resources for Rights Respecting Schools > Resources > Best practice case studies

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Jenny McGarry is the headteacher of St Mary's CoE Primary School in Moss Side, Manchester. Here she shares her experiences for other schools starting out on their Rights Respecting journey.

"You have to get your staff and your governing body on board. Don't do anything without that. The work to win hearts and minds needs to go in at the beginning and everyone must be clear about the direction for RRSA. Do that work, take your time, work together.

"Make sure you have the right people on board and make sure you are committed. It can't be that RRSA is an 'add on', it needs to be authentic and you need to really listen to children and take on board what they are saying even when its uncomfortable. You must be prepared to hear things about your school that you don't want to.

"I remember children telling me the food at lunchtime was not the best quality and I thought 'How do I deal with this on top of other priorities! I've had children tell me Mrs so-and-so said this and it's not rights respecting and what are you going to do about it?

"If you encourage children's voice, children won't always tell you things you want to hear!

"Getting parents on board is really important too. In our area parents' have often emigrated from countries where maybe they haven't experienced democracy in the way we understand it . So, there can be challenges and opportunities to empower children's and parents' voices through communicating a rights respecting approach.

"We address this by meeting regularly with parents. They know the children's charter inside out, they know how we teach and facilitate their children in school. We get them to think clearly about their children and about their own lives. We hold lots of workshops, we have a parent's charter, and parents have worked hard to priorities the things they want to work with children on. Parents sign up to charter, so if things go wrong we can then go back and say 'let's make sure we are linked back to what we agreed upon.'

"RRSA has to be up there with other school improvement priorities, it's a central piece of work - it's not just a curriculum or a PSHE thing.

"It has to be part and parcel of how we live day-to-day, a rights respecting language and approach is embedded minute-by-minute in our school. Our curriculum is rights respecting, our maths and literacy scheme is based on pupils having control and contributing to their own learning. The RRSA ties into safeguarding and provision - we've not had any exclusions in 11 years - which we are really proud of in light of some of the challenges our children face."
Find out more about Rights Respecting Schools at St Mary's C.E Primary: www.st-marys-mossside.manchester.sch.uk/unicef

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Advice from a Gold: Rights Respecting Headteacher - Rights Respecting Schools Award

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"You have to get your staff and your governing body on board. Don't do anything without that. The work to win hearts and minds needs to go in at the beginning and everyone must be clear about the direction for RRSA. Do that work, take your time, work together.