janis carroll lind childrens commission presentation 14 october
DESCRIPTION
The Office of the Children’s Commissioner provides independent advocacy for the interests, rights and well being of New Zealand’s children and young people up to the age of 18 on laws, policies, practices and other matters that affect them. The Children’s Commissioner has a statutory right to investigate any matters affecting children and young people (unless the issue is before the Court).TRANSCRIPT
Start Strong: A Children’s Rights Perspective on the IHC Action Plan
Janis Carroll-LindPrincipal Advisor (Education)
StartStrong Seminar on Early and Sustained Support for Children with a Disability and their Families
14 October 2010
Office of the Children’s Commissioner
In the core functions of advocacy, monitoring or investigation matters, the Children’s Commissioner has a statutory responsibility to be an independent advocate for children and young people and to take cognisance of the diversity of children in New Zealand.
Pictured: Young People’s Reference Group
Role and Function of the Children’s Commissioner
• Established 1989 under the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act
• Part of worldwide movement
• Independent voice for children and young people
• Focus on CYP & F Act - investigating, monitoring policies and practices
The Children’s Commissioner Act 2003
• Previously in Children, Young Persons and their Families Act 1989
• Independent Crown Entity
• Statutory advocate for children and young people
• Monitor Child, Youth and Family Services
• Work with Government to give effect to UNCROC
Photograph used with permission
Consultation with Children
The Children’s Commissioner must also ensure that children and young people are able to speak out on issues that concern them.
Photo used with permission of Cardinal McKeefry School
The rights of every child and young person are recognised and each enjoys good health, education, safety and economic wellbeing
OCC Vision
Photographs Used With PermissionTaonga Education Centre
If we want every child to be the best they can be,
what do we need to do to ensure that it can happen?
Key Outcome Goals for OCC
• Every child is safe and nurtured
• Every child has adequate resources and opportunities to develop
• Society’s attitudes and behaviour change to become more child-focused
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
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• An international treaty that spells out the basic human rights of children everywhere
• Represents NZ’s commitment to promote and protect children’s interests, welfare and positive development
• Was ratified in 1993• Applied to every child and young
person up to the age of 18 years.
What does UNCROC say?• Contains 54 articles spelling out children’s
rights
• Four groups of rights– Survival– Protection: right to be kept safe from
harm– Provision: right to the necessities of life,
e.g. education, health services– Participation: right to have a say in
matters affecting them
Personal Photograph Used With Permission
UNCROC: Article 3
In all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child should be a primary consideration.
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Relevant UNCROC Articles
Article 2 No discriminationArticle 3 Best interests of the childArticle 6 Survival and developmentArticle 12 Voice and respectArticle 18 Joint responsibility for child careArticle 23 Access and integration for children with
disabilityArticle 28 Access to educationArticle 29 Purpose of educationArticle 30 Indigenous rights to language and cultureArticle 31 The right to play and recreation.
Child
Home
Parents
Family
Education Setting
Staff
Peers
Dual Socialisation Butterfly (Sommer, 2010).
The Child’s Questions (Podmore, May & Carr, 2001).
Strands of Te Whāriki
Learning and Development Questions
The “Child’s Questions”
Belonging Do you appreciate and understand my interests and abilities and those of my family?
Do you know me?
Well-being Do you meet my daily needs with care and sensitive consideration?
Can I trust you?
Exploration Do you engage my mind, offer challenges, and extend my world?
Do you let me fly?
Communication Do you invite me to communicate and respond to my own particular efforts?
Do you hear me?
Contribution Do you encourage and facilitate my endeavours to be part of the wider group?
Is this place fair for us?
Key Messages
• Children’s rights are not about having rights at the expense of others.
• They are about ensuring that children are treated with the same degree of human dignity and respect that we as adults take for granted.
Children’s Right to a Perfect World?Early Intervention?Rapid Response?
Child Abuse in New Zealand
Tom Scott Productions 24 September 2003
In NZ the Poor Are Our Children
Source: Professor Innes Asher
Young People Voiced Poverty As“
”
Education Advocacy Service• Provide positive outcomes for early childhood services,
schools and learners by maintaining children within the education system
• Reduce barriers to learning which are created by conflict between early childhood services, schools, children and parents
• Improve relationships between the early childhood/school sector and the community.
Implementation Handbook Checklist
Article 23: Disabled children should enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions
which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child’s active participation in the community.
• Easy access to an independent mechanism for considering complaints?
• National and local arrangements to ensure that parents are given advice, financial assistance and practical help to bring up a child with disabilities?
• Access to achieving the fullest possible social integration and individual development without discrimination in inclusive settings?
• Involvement of organisations of children with disabilities in planning, policy development and evaluation at all levels of government?
Draft Framework for Action: Key Points • The importance of relationships with support/provider organisations
• The need for more respect, flexibility, and timely responsiveness for professionals and support organisations
• Access to high quality, integrated, and practical early support services across New Zealand
• Access to early, accessible and accurate information on entitlements, resources, supports, how to engage services and who to raise issues with.
Te Ara Tukutuku Nga Whanaungatanga o Nga Tamariki
Every child is safe, nurtured, educated, healthy and has hope for the future
An Integrated FrameworkWeaving Pathways to Wellbeing:
Photograph used with permission Kawerau South School
Young People’s Reference GroupPhotographs Used With PermissionTaonga Education Centre
THE LIFE CYCLE APPROACH
0 - 4 YEARS10 - 14 YEARS
15 - 17 YEARS
UNIVERSAL
ENTRY POINT
SOCIAL
COGNITIVE
EMOTIONAL
PHYSICAL
5 - 9 YEARS
SECONDARY ENTRY POINT
Family/Whanau:
- Death
- Separation
- Illness/Disability
- Abandonment
- Employment
- Imprisonment
- Crisis
Child:
- Abuse/serious injury
- Onset of illness
- Disability
- Specialist assessment
- Behavioural problems
- Violence
- Exclusion from school
- Transience/Moves
- Teenage parents
Sex Education
Use of Services
Access to Services
Access to Resources
Intentional Injury
Unintentional Injury
Mental health
Growth/Development
Dental
Nutrition
Height/Weight
Vision
Hearing
Immunisation
PHYSICAL EMOTIONAL
Resiliency
Self-Esteem
Strengths
Behaviours
Coping
Problem Solving
Identity
Agency
Values
Attachment
Transition
Further Education
Employment
Engagement
Assessment
Special Needs
Learning
School Readiness
Speech
Language
COGNITIVE
Relationships
- Family
- Peers
- Community
Cultural Wellbeing
Recreation
Interactions
Connections
Interests
Activities
Interdependence
Independence
Dependence
SOCIAL
CRITICAL DOMAINS
0 - 4 Years
15 - 17 Years
10 - 14 Years
5 - 9 Years
UNIVERSAL ENTRY POINTS
RESPONSIVENESS
Adapted from Making it Happen, 2006, England
Information Hub
Primary professional within Universal Services
Lead practitioner Statutory or professional role
Lead professional within cross-sectoral team
Primary professional liaises with specialist
Some additional needs
Complex needs
UNIVERSAL SERVICES
No additional needs
Primary professional within Universal Services
Lead practitioner Statutory or professional role
Lead professional within cross-sectoral team
Primary professional liaises with specialist
NIVERSAL SERVICES
Inquiry into Formal Education and Care For Under-2s: Why ?
EC sector is characterised by its concern for quality and good outcomes for young children.
BUT• There are many different interests at
play.• OCC is considering the issues from a
perspective of children’s interests - through the lens of infants and toddlers.
Why Did We Do This Inquiry?
• NZ is moving quickly towards non-parental care for under-2s
• Fastest growth is in services for this age group
• Debate in the literature on the benefits, risks, impact, and quality of formal ECS for under-2s.
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Elements of Quality Service Provision• High adult-child ratio
• Small group sizes
• Educators’ training, qualifications, and skills
• Positive responsive care relationship between educator and child
• Adequate, well-defined spaces
• Significant parental involvement
• Attention to health and safety requirements
• Socially, culturally, and developmentally appropriate curriculum
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Start Strong: Responding to Every Child
“For a government that wants to improve the lot of its people, investing in the first years of life is the best money it can spend…” (Carol Bellamy, CEO of UNICEF, 2004).
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