The YE-HA (Youth Economy) Bill
Introduction
1. The
Children’s Act 1989 recognised that the welfare of the child is paramount and
set out an overarching system for safeguarding children and the roles different
agencies play. It introduces the concept of consulting children and young
people based on their age and understanding.
2. The
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 was ratified by the UK in 1991.
It set out the principle for a legal framework to underpin all aspects for the
care, development and education of all children. It sets out the first ever
right to ‘freedom of expression’ and ‘freedom of association’, for children to
meet and form associations.
3. The
Government having considered over 30 public inquiries into child care since the
1970’s should adhere to these recommendations in both the Children Act 1989 and
the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 legislations and these
recommendations should now be built upon.
4. There
is no central agency that expresses the child’s view-point on any issue of
public importance that concerns children and young people directly. In fact
most agencies pay mere lip service to consumer involvement and may just tick
boxes to adhere to ‘freedom of expression’ legislation by using token
representatives, from think tanks to government working parties. Children and
young people do not run most if not all, child consumer organisations. Their
governance is made up of senior adults often with establishment links. Many
consumer child-care groups are reliant on government or other funding. This
cannot allow them any freedom to express themselves.
5. It
is time we act on children’s rights legislation as a matter of urgency. In the
face of political resistance to investigating matters of historical abuse we
may not ever be able to truly understand the magnitude to which children have
suffered in the past. However for us to change the course of history currently,
rather than wait on yet another public inquiry, we must be able to see and hear
and firmly put the child in the public eye immediately.
6. Proposal
to be voted on in this Bill is that each child & young person under 25 has a pound each year, in sterling, to be ring-fenced for the
twelve million children and young people in the UK from the Treasury. This will
provide financial independence as a statutory right enshrining current law in practical terms, to meet and form associations
and to have freedom of expression. It may in turn start to inform us the public of the wishes
and feelings of the child in the UK preventing child abuse in the future.
Reference;
UN Convention on the Rights of a Child
1989, Children Act 1989, Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and 2005,
Protection of Children Act 1999, Special Educational Needs and Disability Act
2001, Adoption and Children Act 2002, Every Child Matters: Change for Children
2003, Children Act 2004, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006, updated
2010, Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, Childcare Act 2006, Education
(Nutritional Standards & Requirements for School Food) Regulations 2007,
amendments 2008, The Charter for Children’s Play 2007, updated 2009, The Play
Strategy 2008, Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) 2008, amended 2012,
Equalities Act 2010.
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