The Main Current Legislation, Guidelines, Policies & Procedures Within Own Uk Home Nation for Safeguarding Children & Young People

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The Main Current Legislation, Guidelines, Policies And Procedures Within Own UK Home Nation For Safeguarding Children And Young People. United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) This international agreement sets out the minimum standards for protecting children’s rights and refers to all children up to the age of 18 years old. The Convention defines the basic human rights of all children and specifies 13 basic rights. Each child has the right to: 1. Life 2. Name and nationality 3. Live with his/her parents and if this is not possible then to have contact with them 4. Say what they think 5. Meet other children and join groups 6. Be safe from harm 7. Medical care 8. A decent standard of living 9. Education 10. Practise their religion and speak their language 11. Rest and time to play 12. Protection from dangerous work 13. Protection from the use of illicit drugs. The Children Act 1989 The Children Act 1989 came into force in October 1991. It brought together legislation on caring for and protecting children and is still the framework for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. The Children Act 1989 is supported by the following principles: The child’s welfare is the paramount consideration in any decision which affects them A list of factors for the courts to assess what is in the welfare of the child, in a situation 4 Parental responsibility with the local authority for a child in care Partnership – professionals and families must work together for the welfare of children The child’s voice – a child’s wishes and feelings should be sought and taken into account in making decisions affecting them (if they are old enough to understand) Family is best – a child’s own family is the best place for a child to be brought up
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