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A manifesto for children

A manifesto for children 2

Every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential and no child should be forgotten orinvisible in our society. All children and young people should have someone to turn to for help, supportand advice, and appropriate services.

Barnardo’s, The Children’s Society, NCH, the NSPCC and Save the Children have been campaigningtogether to improve children’s lives for many years. In the run up to the general election we have cometogether again to ensure the needs and rights of the most vulnerable children and young people in oursociety are given a higher political priority. To that end we have prepared this manifesto for children.

Since 2001, the Government and devolved administrations have made many improvements: pledging toeradicate child poverty by 2020; improving joined-up delivery of children’s services through the Every ChildMatters programme; providing a range of early years provisions such as Sure Start; and reforming children’sservices in England and Wales with the Children Act 2004.

However, the UK still has an extremely high child and infant mortality rate. Children continue to suffer fromabuse, violence, disadvantage and discrimination within the family, in care and in other settings. Refugeechildren and children in trouble with the law are denied the most basic rights to protection and, despite theUK being the fourth richest economy in the world, it has one of the highest rates of child poverty.

We call on all political parties to ensure that:

• children in trouble with the law are treated as children in need of protection and support

• refugee children have the same rights to protection and support as other children in the UK

• children have the same legal protection from assault as adults

• priority is given to improving the life chances of looked after children by raising their educationalattainment and providing them with an independent advocate

• there is a minimum income for all families to ensure the health and well-being of their children.

Much has been achieved, but to reach our goal of a society where all children are respected, the next fiveyears will be crucial. To give children the society they deserve, there is always room for improvement.

Mary Marsh NSPCC

Mike Aaronson Save the Children

Roger Singleton CBE Barnardo’s

Bob Reitemeier The Children’s Society

Clare Tickell NCH

Room for improvementA manifesto for children

Children have the right to live their lives free from fear,

abuse, persecution and prejudice. They are entitled to

grow up knowing they are valued, important members

of our society.

In 1991, the United Nations Convention on the Rights

of the Child (UNCRC) was ratified, with reservations,

by the UK Government. The UNCRC applies to all

children and young people aged under 18, and

provides the fundamental principles and framework

for meeting children’s rights the world over. The UN

produced a report in 2002, which examined the UK’s

record on children’s rights and assessed its

implementation of the UNCRC.

While praising the UK Government and the devolved

administrations of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales

on their progress for children’s rights, the UN highlighted

breaches of children’s economic, social, cultural, civil and

political rights and made strong recommendations for

change. We are five of the UK’s leading children’s

charities. What follows is our analysis of the current

situation and our recommendations for change. Many of

these recommendations apply at UK Government level,

although some are the responsibility of the devolved

administrations. It is our belief that every child in the UK

is entitled to the same support and protection, no matter

where they live. Children’s policy must be consistently

strong across the nations.

We have focused on groups of children and young people

in the UK who are the most disadvantaged and

discriminated against. In particular, children living in

poverty, refugee children, children in the youth justice

system, looked after children and those in need of

safeguarding from abuse and exploitation. Many of these

children experience multiple disadvantages as a result of

their race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, disability or

membership of a minority group, such as Travellers. Their

voices are rarely heard and are often forgotten in the lead

up to a general election. In producing this manifesto, we

are seeking to focus attention on the need for change

and an agenda for children in the next parliament. We

welcome the progress that has already been made by the

present UK Government, to improve the lives of children.

In particular, the establishment of a Minister for Children,

Young People and Families; the development of new

structures for children; the Children’s Commissioners in

Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and now England.

We also welcome the Government’s commitment to

involving and consulting with children and young people.

However it is essential that we do more to embed the

framework of rights and participation in decision-making.

Significant groups of children are still routinely deprived of

their rights and not consulted about or involved in the

decisions and policy developments that will impact on

their lives. There is no legislative requirement for Local

Education Authorities or schools to take account of the

views of children. Young people in the criminal justice

system, and particularly those in custody, are especially

vulnerable to being excluded from the decision-making

process. Disabled children, including those with

communication impairments, are often excluded from

consultation and involvement. All children need access to

advice, advocacy and support in getting their voices

heard. It is yet to be seen how the new Commissioner in

England can effectively safeguard and promote children’s

rights and welfare, given the much weaker powers and

independence afforded to the role in law.

Improving the lives of children and young people

must be the cornerstone of any agenda for

change. Incorporating the rights, principles and

provisions of the UNCRC into domestic law is

vital if we are to achieve a better future for all

children and young people.

Contents Introduction

Contents

Introduction

Youth justice

Refugee children

Protecting children: safeguarding from harm

sexual exploitation and trafficking

Children and young people in care

Poverty:children and families

gaining independence

List of recommendations

Other organisations supporting the manifesto


3

4

5-6

7-8

9-1011-12

13-14

15-1617-18

19-20

21

A manifesto for children 65 A manifesto for children

The age of criminal responsibilityFrom the age of eight, children in Scotland are held to

be as responsible for their actions as adults. In England

and Wales the Government has committed itself to

maintaining the age of criminal responsibility at 10.

Children as young as eight and 10 should be treated as

children first and foremost.

Children need a separate justice systemThe criminal justice system is based on an adult one, which

is difficult to understand, is intimidating for children and fails

to take children’s needs into account. Children involved in

criminal court cases may have no understanding of the

proceedings and their implications, and are unable to fully

participate in them. There are so many ways in which the

system fails to recognise children as children first, that a

fundamental review is desperately needed.

Children in custodyPrison is no place for children but more children are

locked up in England and Wales than in almost any other

European state. The number of children in custody has

almost doubled in the past 10 years. Added to this, the

law now allows children to be locked up at a younger

age, for longer periods and for lesser offences.

It will be hard to reverse the tide of increasing

incarceration of children without addressing the problems

with sentencing and the lack of confidence in community

sentences. Breaches of anti-social behaviour orders are

significantly increasing the numbers of children in

custody. Even children assessed as vulnerable are being

sentenced and placed in prison because of the lack of

local authority secure accommodation.

Conditions in prison remain completely unsuitable for

children. Young offender institutions are based on the

adult model and in some instances young people are held

with adult prisoners. The Government continues to permit

solitary confinement, strip-searching and the use of

painful restraint in these institutions. There are high levels

of bullying and violence in prison and staff ratios are

exceptionally low. Children in prison are excluded from

the statutory right to an education.

Children have a right to privacyChildren’s rights to privacy are increasingly breached.

The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 has promoted the

naming and shaming of children and young people

subject to anti-social behaviour orders. This may not only

put children at risk by identifying them as vulnerable but

may also lead to them having to live with a label they find

hard to escape.

Youth justice

UN concerns• The age of criminal responsibility should be raised considerably.

• No child should be tried as an adult, irrespective of the circumstances or gravity of his/her offence.

• The privacy of all children in conflict with the law is not fully protected.

• The use of custody, conditions of detention and the lack of the “safeguarding and welfare” principle in youth justice, legislation and policy are detrimental to children.

• The detention of children should be a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time. Children should be separated from adults in detention, and alternative measures to the deprivation of liberty should be used.

• The conditions of detention need to be urgently reviewed so that all children who are deprived of their liberty have an equal statutory right to education, health and child protection as other children.

Key facts• Since 1990, 29 children have died in custody in England and

Wales and 24 per cent report being assaulted while in custody.

• At any one time there are approximately 3,000 young people under 18 locked up in England and Wales. The majority ofthese children show signs of mental health disorders.

• In 2003-04, 3,337 children officially recognised as vulnerable entered prison service custody.

RecommendationsThe Government must:

• conduct a fundamental review of the youth justice system

• increase considerably the age of criminal responsibility

• review the use of restraint, strip-searching and solitary confinement in custody

• invest in urgent alternatives to prison to end the use of prison service custody for children

• extend the protections to 17 year-olds for the purposes of arrest and detention

• establish a statutory right to education for children in custody and ensure that such education is compatible/comparable with the national curriculum

• include the views of children and young people in all matters that affect them in the criminal justice systemand ensure their rights to privacy are protected.


All children deserveequal rights and protection Children, regardless of their nationality, deserve equal

rights and protection in the UK. However, when the UK

ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

(UNCRC) in 1991, it entered a wide-ranging reservation

on all matters relating to immigration and nationality,

including the treatment of refugee children. This means

that refugee children do not benefit from the same levels

of protection as other children in this country. A series of

legislative changes have made matters worse, not better,

for refugee children in the UK.

Detaining children and their familiesRefugee children are now detained with their families in

circumstances other than immediately prior to removal.

Unaccompanied children are also held when their age is

disputed. There is no automatic judicial supervision when

it comes to detaining refugee children; the decision is an

administrative one. It is only after 28 days that the

detention of children has to be approved by the Minister

and there is still no independent assessment of children’s

needs and welfare. Some children have been detained for

long periods, sometimes up to six months. Many refugee

families have no, or very poor, legal representation and

many experience great difficulty in accessing an

independent review of their detention by way of a bail

application. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons has

criticised the treatment and care of children in detention.

Failing to protect refugee childrenUK asylum procedures risk failing to detect a child’s need

for international protection from persecution. Children are

increasingly being subjected to accelerated immigration

procedures, which offer them insufficient protection.

Children interpret and express their experiences

differently, and immigration authorities have always had

difficulty in establishing whether the criteria for refugee

status are met in children’s cases. Children involved in

asylum determination procedures currently have no right

to access legal representation or an independent

advocate or guardian.

UN concerns• Detaining refugee children is not compatible with the principles and provisions of the UN Convention

on the Rights of the Child.

• There needs to be a review of the availability and effectiveness of legal representation and independent advocacy for refugee children.

• Placement in temporary accommodation may infringe children’s basic rights.

• Children’s particular needs and situations are not properly addressed in the asylum system.

Key facts• On 26 June 2004, 60 children were detained in

removal centres under immigration act powers.

• Refugee children experience significant problems in accessing education, health and other services. Financial support to refugee families is less than income support levels.

• There is insufficient effective legal representation and other forms of advocacy for refugee children.


• remove the reservation to the UNCRC

• put an end to the policy of detaining refugee children – alternatives must be found

• ensure that unaccompanied children are appointed an independent guardian to advise, support and protect them in legal proceedings and provide access to independent advice, assistance and advocacy for all refugee children

• provide financial support for refugee families, which is equal to that for other families in the UK and repeal the powers to deny all support to parents in refugee families

• ensure refugee children have access to mainstream education and all other mainstream services

• provide guidance on child-specific forms of persecution and ensure that accelerated asylum-determination procedures are not applied to children

• extend the pledge that all homeless families, including refugees, will not be housed in temporary accommodation, other than in a short-term emergency.

Refugee children

The system discriminatesagainst refugee childrenRefugee families are discriminated against in terms of the

financial support and accommodation they receive. They

are given less than the nationally established minimum

income, which means their standard of living is lower than

that of other families in this country. Recent legislative

changes will result in the complete withdrawal of

support to families at the end of the process – leaving

families with no support, and at risk of being separated

from their children.

Access to servicesThe care that unaccompanied children receive continues

to be a lottery and is often inadequate. Many receive only

basic services and are not provided with leaving care

support by local authorities. This contravenes the

principles of the Children Act 1989 as well as recent

government guidance. Unaccompanied children continue

to be housed in temporary accommodation. Government

commitments to ending the use of bed and breakfast

accommodation for families with children do not apply to

refugee families. The Government plans to force refugee

families to live in accommodation centres, where children

will be segregated from other children and communities,

and will be denied access to mainstream schools.

Refugee children should have equal access to health,

education and other services including pre-school and

out-of-school activities.


One to two children are killed each week in England and

Wales by their parents or carers. The Government should

ensure that the proposed child death screening teams

routinely review the deaths of all children, and draw out

the public health and child protection lessons to help

prevent further deaths. This would provide a clearer basis

for the development of child death prevention strategies.

Preventing abuseOfficial statistics do not represent the extent of child

abuse. Evidence on the prevalence of child maltreatment

suggests that as many as one in six children experience

serious abuse at some time during childhood, but there is

no reliable information about incidence and trends.

The Government is not providing adequate treatment for

children who experience abuse. Children and their

parents should have someone to turn to for help, advice,

support, counselling and specialist therapeutic services.

Such services must be a core element of local

safeguarding initiatives, including within extended schools

and in children’s centres.

While recognising the Government’s commitment to

early intervention, more needs to be done to increase

public awareness of the risks to children and what

can be done to protect them. This should be done

through government funded public education campaigns

and programmes.

All children are entitled to protectionChildren experiencing abuse are often invisible. Children

in private fostering arrangements do not receive the same

levels of monitoring and support as children who are

UN concerns• On average between one and two children are killed each week by their parents or carers.

• There is a high prevalence of violence, including sexual violence, against children within families, in schools, in institutions, in the care system and in detention.

• Levels of child neglect continue to grow.

• There is no co-ordinated strategy to reduce the rates of abuse and neglect.

• There are no consistent safeguards for children who are privately fostered.

• The Government persists in retaining the defence of “reasonable chastisement” and continues to allow physical punishment within the family.

• There is a lack of public education on the role of the child protection system.

Key facts• Over the last 30 years, child deaths from abuse and neglect have not decreased.

• 16 per cent of children have experienced serious maltreatment by parents, and three-quarters of sexually abused children did not tell anyone about the abuse at the time.

• Parents are still allowed to hit their children as long as they do not cause provable injury.


• fund an annual survey of the incidence of child abuse and neglect

• produce a national strategy, with targets, for reducing child deaths from maltreatment and ensure comprehensive funding for child death screening teams

• ensure that all children’s services partnerships create mandatory safeguarding children plans

• give children the same legal protection from assault as adults

• ensure that all children and parents have someone to turn to for help, support and advice, and appropriate therapeutic services

• support parents by funding mass public education campaigns on positive parenting and ensure parenting and family education are provided in schools as part of the national curriculum

• provide a network of safe, accessible accommodation for young runaways right across the country.

fostered through the local authority. Children in detention

centres and in prisons are not adequately safeguarded

given their vulnerability. Children who end up on the

streets are at particular risk of abuse, including

prostitution, crime and violence. Children living in

families experiencing domestic violence also require

more protection, while disabled children remain

extremely vulnerable to abuse which is underestimated

and under reported.

More lessons to learn The Children Act (2004) reforms many aspects of the

child protection system. The establishment of Local

Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) is a welcome

improvement in strengthening agencies’ accountability for

safeguarding. However, it is essential that LSCBs ensure

the development of integrated safeguarding children

plans on behalf of every local children’s services

partnership. These plans need to be based on the needs

of children in an area and demonstrate how each partner

will provide services, commit resources and facilities and

involve children, young people and families in their

delivery. The child safeguarding system needs

adequate human and financial resources to provide a

decent level of service for all children. Recruiting safe

staff in settings where adults have contact with

children must be a priority.

Children’s human rights In changing the law on corporal punishment, the

Government retained the defence of “reasonable

chastisement” for common assault of children by their

parents, removing it only for serious charges of actual

grievous bodily harm, wounding and ill treatment. We

need to create a culture in which children are respected

and treated as equal citizens with rights of their own, not

as adjuncts of their parents.

It is unacceptable that the Government has failed to

give children the same legal protection under the law on

assault as adults.

Children and young people need support and help to

grow towards maturity and responsible parenthood.

Teaching young people about parenthood needs to be

done in the context of learning about relationships, child

development and family life.

Protecting children:safeguarding from harm

11 A manifesto for children

Protecting vulnerable children Children and young people have a right to be protected

from economic and sexual exploitation and abuse,

and to be kept safe in their homes, at school and in the

wider community.

Child abuse onlineThe internet is fast becoming one of the main mediums

for the distribution and consumption of child

pornography, as evidenced by the large number of police

operations and seizures. It also provides the means for

the sexual abuse of children through the production of

pornography and online grooming in chatrooms. The new

grooming offence is a welcome development but this

form of abuse will only be tackled with adequate

resources. Internet Service Providers have a key role to

play through monitoring the content appearing on

websites and the Government must also fund information

campaigns that reach parents, carers and children.

Trafficking childrenIncreasing numbers of children are being trafficked for

prostitution, child pornography, exploitative child labour

and organised begging. Children entering the country are

particularly vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers. This

trend will continue unless the Government works more

closely with EU and other governments to share

information and track dangerous adults.

Treating children as victimsThe Government has done much to improve the response

to children who are abused through prostitution, yet

children still commit an offence in the eyes of the law.

Small numbers are now prosecuted but any child

punished for their abuse is one child too many. Vulnerable

teenagers in particular are at risk of falling through the

child protection safety net. Local Safeguarding

Children Boards need to ensure there are mechanisms

in place for addressing the needs of vulnerable children

in their local areas.

Children who are abused through prostitution must be

effectively identified, protected and supported both as

victims, and as witnesses in bringing their abusers to

justice. The Government also needs to help these

children start rebuilding their lives by providing safe

accommodation, health and education and by ensuring

their abusers are brought to justice.

Providing help to sex offendersIf there is to be a long-term solution to the problem, the

Government needs to find ways of encouraging sex

offenders to seek help and offer treatment to all sex

abusers, not just those who are convicted. Treatment for

young people who display sexually harmful behaviour is

vital and help and advice must be available for those who

recognise that they are at risk of offending. A national

programme, which develops services for children, young

people and adults at risk of abusing children, must be set

up to ensure that action is taken early to change

behaviour and divert them from a life of abuse.

Key facts• At least 250 children are known to have been

trafficked into the UK in the last five years.

• Of the 1,738 children travelling unaccompanied between August and November 2003 into Heathrow, 12 have not since been traced bythe authorities.

• In 1988, 35 people were cautioned or charged with child pornography offences. By 2001 that number had risen to 549, a 1,500 per cent increase.


• decriminalise children’s involvement in prostitution and make resources available to identify, protect and support children who are sexually exploited, including victims of trafficking

• fund a national programme, which develops services for children, young people and adults at risk of abusing children, to ensure that action is taken early to change behaviour and help prevent abuse. All services for young people must be child-centred, holistic and involve parents and carers

• ratify the UN’s Palermo Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children (2000) and adopt a co-ordinated response to the root causes of child labour

• allocate resources to set up a 24-hour National Referral Point for parents, professionals and Internet Service Providers that helps to protect children at risk of being sexually abused on the internet

• ensure UK-based Internet Service Providers block all child pornography websites and act as a lead in encouraging similar action in EU and other countries.

Protecting children:sexual exploitation and trafficking

UN concerns• The Government criminalises children who are sexually exploited.

• The Government has not yet ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.


Delivering equal standards of educationThere is still a significant gap between the educational

attainment of children in care and that of other children.

More needs to be done to make sure that children in care

are able to access the education they deserve and that

their attainments in education improve to increase their

future life chances. The instability caused by frequent

placement moves is detrimental to the lives of children in

care. There is a wide variation in standards of placements

between different local authorities. Action needs to be

taken to reduce these disparities and to ensure that

children in care are placed with carers who are able to

provide them with a safe and secure experience for the

duration of their childhood.

Addressing mental health problemsMany children in the care system have come from

vulnerable backgrounds, having suffered from abuse,

neglect or trauma. The stigma attached to children in the

care system can also result in bullying. It is well

documented that bullying has devastating effects on a

child’s self-esteem and self-confidence. Additional support

therefore is needed to help children in care address these

difficulties. While extra funding has been committed to the

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS),

targeting this service to children in care would have a

significant impact.

Protection by lawThose in care should have the opportunity to access

independent advocacy support when they need it. Plans

made with the active involvement of the child lead to

better outcomes. This is particularly important for disabled

children and young people, especially those with

communication impairments. The Adoption and Children

Act 2002 gives children in care and care leavers making or

intending to make a complaint the right to be provided

with an advocate. Having the support of an advocate will

help avoid the need for complaints. Initial research points

to the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 as having a

positive impact. However, its implementation requires

close monitoring to ensure the needs of those leaving care

are being met. In particular, more needs to be done to

ensure there is suitable accommodation for those young

people leaving care, and to offer them a choice of home,

including places with sufficient levels of support if they are

struggling with the transition to independence. More also

needs to be done to enable young people to stay in foster

placements when they wish to do so.

Support for young people leaving careThere needs to be a minimum grant for all those leaving

care. At the moment the amount received by

young care leavers is dependent on the policy of each

local authority. Establishing a minimum grant would ensure

that all care leavers receive a minimum level of

support, but still enables flexibility within local authorities

to meet the specific needs of individuals, should more

support be required. There have been positive initiatives to

help those in the care system and leaving care. However,

while progress has been made, the achievements of those

in care still lag behind other children. If all children are to

fulfil their potential, the Government must make improving

the life chances of those in the care system a priority.

UN concerns• The majority of children in the care system do not attain basic qualifications.

• The principle of non-discrimination is not fully implemented for all children in all parts of society and there isan unequal enjoyment of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights, in particular for children in care.


• ensure that improving the educational attainment of those in care is a main priority

• target and improve the accessibility of mental health services to those in care and leaving care

• introduce a national minimum leaving care grant of £2,000

• place a duty on local authorities to provide independent advocacy for all children in and leaving care

• increase accommodation options for care leavers, including extending the use of supported lodgings and enabling more young people to stay in foster placements

• ensure that children and young people in care are able to maintain secure and enjoyable placements.

Key facts• Of children in care, 45 per cent aged between 5-17

have mental health disorders.

• In 2003, just 9 per cent of those in the care system achieved five GCSEs grade C or above compared to 53 per cent of all children.

• Children from black and minority ethnic groups are over-represented in the care system: they account for nearly one in five of those in care, but just one in ten of the general population.

Children and youngpeople in care

13 A manifesto for children A manifesto for children 14

Poverty creates vulnerable childrenWe welcome the steps the Government has taken so far

to try and end poverty within a generation. So far

approximately 600,000 children (after housing costs) in

the UK have been lifted out of poverty. However, 3.6

million children (after housing costs) remain in poverty

and have to go without the basics that most people take

for granted, such as meals and adequate clothing.

Children from poor families are more likely to grow up

socially excluded, homeless, to have problems with drugs

or alcohol and become victims of crime. Living in a poor

family reduces children’s expectations of their own lives

and leads to a cycle where poverty is passed on from

generation to generation. This is exacerbated by the

experience of discrimination by black, minority ethnic,

Traveller and disabled families.

Benefits are insufficientThe route out of poverty is not easy. Families living in

poverty continue to struggle, despite recent changes to

the benefit system. The minimum level of benefits is not

decided on the basis of what it actually costs to meet a

family’s basic needs. A family with two adults and two

children, surviving on benefits, has to live on £178 a week:

the poverty line is £242 a week. The average household

spends around £400 a week. In order to protect children,

families need a guaranteed minimum income that meets

the demands of everyday life. This must satisfy the needs

of all families, including those with disabled children,

refugee families, and those without permanent homes.

Spiral of debtFamilies who are not working, those in low-paid work,

and particularly those experiencing persistent poverty,

often sink deeper into debt. This can include being in

debt to utility companies, private loan companies, mail

order catalogues and the Social Fund. The Social Fund in

particular, with its system of loans, results in severe

hardship for families when their repayments come from

already inadequate benefits. Although Government

policies have helped some children out of poverty, these

have stalled rather than reversed the increasing levels of

child poverty over the last 30 years.

Reaching furtherIf the Government is to achieve its target of halving child

poverty by 2010 and ending it by 2020, it needs to

investigate why existing measures have only succeeded

for 600,000 children, and target future initiatives at

tackling the poverty experienced by the remaining 3.6

million children. In particular, radical solutions are required

to achieve positive change for those children suffering the

most severe and entrenched hardship. It has been

estimated that it would take only 0.48 per cent of the

UK’s income to ensure that no child grows up in poverty.

However, the benefits to society, both social and

economic, will be immeasurable.

Key facts• One in four children in England, Wales and

Scotland lives in poverty, of which 16 per cent live in persistent poverty.

• The income gap between rich and poor has more than doubled since 1977 and continues to grow.

• More than 55 per cent of families with disabled children experience poverty at some time in their lives.

UN concerns• The UK Government is not doing enough to accelerate the eradication of child poverty

Recommendations The Government must:

• invest the maximum available resources into eradicating child poverty

• publish a co-ordinated strategy which sets out how child poverty will be eradicated in a generation

• set out how resources will be targeted to reach those least likely to be lifted out of poverty, such as large families, families with disabled children and Bangladeshi and Pakistani families

• ensure that families have a guaranteed minimum income, calculated on the basis of the real costs of nurturing children in a safe and healthy home

• radically reform the Social Fund so that alleviation from poverty doesn’t meanbecoming caught up in more debt

• ensure that every child, without exception, has access to appropriate, good quality, inclusive public services.

Poverty: children and families


Insufficient support for under 18sThe benefits and legislative restrictions aimed at helping

young people out of poverty are insufficient; some even

place young people in danger.

Those young people who have to live independently of their

families because of estrangement, can only claim housing

benefit for shared accommodation, such as hostels. This

type of accommodation is frequently unsuitable and can put

children and young people at risk of exploitation and abuse.

Even in employment young people face obstacles. The

minimum wage for 16-18 year-olds is £3 per hour,

regardless of their circumstances. There is a sharp

reduction in housing benefit of 60p for every pound

earned over £48.70 per week.

Young people aged 16 and 17, who opt for work-based

training, are paid a weekly training allowance of £40 per

week, regardless of their circumstances. For those young

people with little or no family support, this is simply not

enough; only if they are enduring severe hardship, for

example ill health or pregnancy, can they apply for

financial support. They may also qualify for income-based

Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA) if they are available for

training or work.

Education doesn’t payWe welcome the Government’s announcement to reform

the benefits system for young people in the Child Benefit

Bill. Presently, those young people who have chosen to

remain in education face a major disincentive. Those who

turn 19 while they are still studying, see their benefit

entitlement cease on their 19th birthday. More needs to be

done to encourage young people to remain in or return to

further education and training.

Key facts• Young people aged 16 and 17 have no automatic right to welfare

benefits, even though they may have to live independently.

• A young person who becomes 19 while in further educationcannot continue to claim benefits even though their course may not have finished.

• Young people receive a lower level of Job Seeker’s Allowance or Income Support than those 25 and over, regardless of the circumstances they may be living in.

UN concerns• The national minimum wage does not apply to children aged 16-17.

• Children aged 16-17 are at risk of being economically exploited.

• The policies currently in place discriminate against children aged 16-17 who must work.

Poverty: gaining independence


• extend the right to benefit support to those aged 19 and over until they finish their courses

• review the guidance on Job Seeker’s Allowance, severe hardship and estrangement to be rolled out with training from spring 2005

• increase training allowances to reflect the living costs of young people living independently

• review housing benefit so that it does not discriminate against young people

• increase the minimum wage for 16-17 year-olds to the same amount that is paid to those aged 18-21with a view to harmonising it with the adult rate, and guaranteeing all apprentices and those on training schemes a minimum wage.


RecommendationsIncorporating the rights, principles and provisions of the UNCRC into domestic lawis vital if we are to achieve a better future for all children and young people.

Youth justiceThe youth justice system is not working for children. Children in trouble with the law should be treated as childrenin need of protection and support. The Government must:

• conduct a fundamental review of the youth justice system

• increase considerably the age of criminal responsibility

• review the use of restraint, strip-searching and solitary confinement in custody

• invest in alternatives to prison to end the use of prison service custody for children

• extend the protections to 17 year-olds for the purposes of arrest and detention

• establish a statutory right to education for children in custody and ensure that such education is compatible/comparable with the national curriculum

• include the views of children and young people in all matters that affect them in the criminal justice system and ensure their rights to privacy are protected.

Refugee childrenAll children, regardless of their nationality, deserve equal rights and protection, therefore the Government must:

• remove the reservation to the UNCRC

• put an end to the policy of detaining refugee children – alternatives must be found

• ensure that unaccompanied children are appointed an independent guardian to advise, support and protect them in legal proceedings and provide access to independent advice, assistance and advocacy for all refugee children

• provide financial support for refugee families, which is equal to that for other families in the UK and repeal thepowers to deny all support to parents in refugee families

• ensure refugee children have access to mainstream education and all other mainstream services

• provide guidance on child-specific forms of persecution and ensure that accelerated asylum-determination procedures are not applied to children

• extend the pledge that all homeless families, including refugees, will not be housed in temporary accommodation, other than in a short-term emergency.

Protecting children: safeguarding from harmTo create a culture where children are respected and protected, the Government must:

• fund an annual survey of the incidence of child abuse and neglect

• produce a national strategy, with targets, for reducing child deaths from maltreatment and ensure comprehensive funding for child death screening teams

• ensure that all children’s services partnerships create mandatory safeguarding children plans

• give children the same legal protection from assault as adults

• ensure that all children and parents have someone to turn to for help, support and advice, and appropriate therapeutic services

• support parents by funding mass public education campaigns on positive parenting and ensure parenting and family education are provided in schools as part of the national curriculum

• provide a network of safe, accessible accommodation for young runaways right across the country.

Protecting children: sexual exploitation and traffickingIf children are to be offered complete protection from sexual exploitation and trafficking, the Government must:

• decriminalise children’s involvement in prostitution and make resources available to identify, protect and support children who are sexually exploited, including victims of trafficking

• fund a national programme, which develops services for children, young people and adults at risk of abusing children, to ensure that action is taken early to change behaviour and help prevent abuse. All services for young people must be child-centred, holistic and involve parents and carers

• ratify the UN’s Palermo Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children (2000) and adopt a co-ordinated response to the root causes of child labour

• allocate resources to set up a 24-hour National Referral Point for parents, professionals and Internet Service Providers that helps to protect children at risk of being sexually abused on the internet

• ensure UK-based Internet Service Providers block all child pornography websites and act as a lead in encouraging similar action in EU and other countries.

Children and young people in careTo overcome the discrimination and disadvantages faced by children in care the Government must:

• ensure that improving the educational attainment of those in care is a main priority

• target and improve the accessibility of mental health services to those in care and leaving care

• introduce a national minimum leaving care grant of £2,000

• place a duty on local authorities to provide independent advocacy for all children in and leaving care

• increase accommodation options for care leavers, including extending the use of supported lodgings and enabling more young people to stay in foster placements

• ensure that children and young people in care are able to maintain secure and enjoyable placements.

Poverty: children and familiesTo deliver on its promise to eradicate child poverty by 2020, the Government must:

• invest the maximum available resources into eradicating child poverty

• publish a co-ordinated strategy which sets out how child poverty will be eradicated in a generation

• set out how resources will be targeted to reach those least likely to be lifted out of poverty, such as large families,families with disabled children and Bangladeshi and Pakistani families

• ensure that families have a guaranteed minimum income, calculated on the basis of the real costs of nurturing children in a safe and healthy home

• radically reform the Social Fund, so that alleviation from poverty doesn’t mean becoming caught up in more debt

• ensure that every child, without exception, has access to appropriate, good quality, inclusive public services.

Poverty: gaining independenceTo enable young people to make the transition to independence, free from poverty, the Government must:

• extend the right to benefit support to those aged 19 and over until they finish their courses

• review the guidance on Job Seeker’s Allowance, severe hardship and estrangement to be rolled out withtraining from spring 2005

• increase training allowances to reflect the living costs of young people living independently

• review housing benefit so that it does not discriminate against young people

• increase the minimum wage for 16-17 year-olds to the same amount that is paid to those aged 18-21with a view to harmonising it with the adult rate, and guaranteeing all apprentices and those on trainingschemes a minimum wage.



4Children

A National Voice

Addaction

Advice and Services for Kids, Wiltshire

Article 12

Association for Spina Bifida

and Hydrocephalus

BREAK

British Association for Adoption

and Fostering

British Youth Council

Caritas-social action

ChildLine

Children Are Unbeatable!

CHILDREN 1ST

Children North East

Children's Links

Children's Rights Alliance for England

Church Action on Poverty

Contact a Family

Disability Alliance

DrugScope

End Child Poverty

Family Policy Alliance

Family Rights Group

Family Welfare Association

Fathers Direct

Frank Buttle Trust

Friends United Network

FSU

Home-Start

Howard League

Joint Educational Trust

KIDS

National Children's Bureau

National Children's Centre

National Housing Federation

National Youth Advocacy Service

National Association for Youth Justice

National Council of Voluntary

Child Care Organisations

One Parent Families

Parentline Plus

Professional Association of Nursery Nurses

RADAR

Rainer

Refugee Arrivals Project

Royal College of Nursing

Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights

Spurgeon's Child Care

The Grandparents' Association

The Medical Foundation for the Care

of Victims of Torture

UK Coalition Against Poverty

UNICEF UK

YoungMinds

YWCA

YWCA England and Wales

Other organisations supporting the manifesto:

Documents

A manifesto for children - The Guardianimage.guardian.co.uk/.../Society/documents/2005/02/01/Childmanife… · A manifesto for children 2 Every child deserves the chance to reach