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Press release: Children tell us having rights means having responsibilities

Protection from abuse, a right to an education and to be helped to keep alive and well are just some of the most important rights that children want all young people to have. Along with having rights children have also expressed the view that this comes with responsibilities.

The report Children on rights and responsibilities by the Children’s Rights Director for England, Roger Morgan, gives a direct account of children’s views on their rights and responsibilities. 1, 888 children and young people who were living away from home including in children’s homes, boarding schools, foster care, residential special schools and further education colleges took part in this survey.

Considering existing rights, children identified two key rights absent from the UK’s Human Rights Act and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. These rights were: ‘the right not be bullied’ and ‘the right to keep in touch with parents, grandparents and siblings if both parties wanted to regardless of where the child lives’. These two rights were ranked more highly than most of the rights from the Act and Convention. Children wanted these two rights to be given force in any new UK Act or Charter. Children also identified nine overarching universal rights: to be safe from harm, to well-being, to be alive and well, to learning and education, to enjoy life, to be oneself, to be treated equally and fairly, to socialise with other people, and to have a say in one’s own life

However, children realise that having rights also means having responsibilities. As one group of children explained, 'you can’t get rights and have no responsibilities – that’s selfish'; and 'you would not value the right if it does not go with a responsibility.'

Commenting on the report, Roger Morgan, Children’s Rights Director said:

'Children and young people have given us a superb analysis of the complicated issues of rights and responsibilities in their contributions for this report. Some children have told us that rights and responsibilities should be linked so that being more responsible should earn more rights.

'There are discussions about having a new Bill, Charter or Act of Parliament setting out people’s rights and responsibilities in Britain, which will include the rights and responsibilities of children. Therefore the views of children and young people from this report are very important and should be included in writing any future legislation.

'A clear view of children's rights and responsibilities is important to DCSF as underlying good practice for the welfare of children, and to the Ministry of Justice for any future Bill, Charter or Act setting out people's rights and responsibilities.'

Welcoming the report, Justice Minister Rt Hon Michael Wills MP said:

'The Government has been asking people around the country about their views on rights and responsibilities and this report is a valuable contribution which we will consider as part of our consultation responses. It’s also encouraging to see children and young people taking such an interest in human rights, and understanding that with rights comes responsibility.' The report highlights the most important responsibilities that all children thought they should have. Of 1, 173 children who responded, the top three responsibilities were: ‘being responsible for your own behaviour and actions’, ‘have responsibility for making use of the education that is provided’ and ‘being responsible for your own safety’.

Notes For Editors

1. Children on rights and responsibilities is available on the Children’s Rights Director’s website www.rights4me.org and the Ofsted website www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/090114.

2. The Children’s Rights Director for England has independent statutory duties to ascertain and report the views of children living away from home or in care, to advise on children’s rights and welfare, and to raise matters he considers significant to the rights or welfare of the children in his remit.

3. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

4. Media can contact the Ofsted Press Office via Ofsted's enquiry line 0300 123 1231 between 8.30am - 6.30pm Monday - Friday. Out of these hours, during evenings and weekends, the duty press officer can be reached on 07919 057359.

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