For every child
Health, Education, Equality, Protection
ADVANCE HUMANITY
For every child
More than a decade after the almost universal international ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, children are receiving a higher profile on the public policy agenda. The UK government is giving high priority to tackling poverty and social exclusion. It has introduced a wide range of measures to combat child poverty, and to improve children and young people’s future chances of inclusion. The national Children and Young People’s Unit (CYPU), established in 2000, has supported cross government work on child poverty and youth disadvantage and exemplified a more holistic approach to planning for children and to promoting their well-being and participation rights. The work of the CYPU is now being incorporated into a new Children and Young People’s Directorate at the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). Recent policy developments, set out in the Green Paper Every Child Matters, continue to highlight this strong public policy commitment to the implementation of children’s UN Convention rights. With respect to London, this document represents another step forward in this important journey to place children’s interests at the heart of policymaking and to ensure and protect children’s UN Convention rights. Making London Better For All Children and Young People aims to build on the ambitions set out in Every Child Matters, delivering clear improvements, with and for London’s children, in the same five priority areas identified by government. By setting out a vision for a child-friendly London, the framework also builds on developments across Europe and internationally, to place children’s needs and rights at the centre of urban policy and planning for sustainability. Work is therefore focused around three strategic objectives: 1) ensuring we listen to and provide a voice for London’s children and young people; 2) developing a better understanding of the diversity of young Londoners’ lives; 3) delivering improvements for London’s children and young people in a number of priority areas. The strategic framework has also been shaped by three core themes: a) reducing poverty and social exclusion; b) promoting inclusion and equality; c) making the case for the delivery of quality services and facilities. This document is well grounded in research – including the State of London’s Children Report (2001) – and it has been developed through a process of extensive consultation. However, there is a clear need to develop and maintain a more coherent understanding of the position, circumstances and detailed needs of children and young people in London. This strategic objective aims to ensure that the strategy implementation continues to be informed by research and consultation and that appropriate systems are developed for ongoing monitoring and evaluation. The Mayor’s Children and Young People’s Unit (CYPU) will take forward the ongoing development, implementation and monitoring of the Children and Young People’s Strategy. The full strategy document, an executive summary, a leaflet and a child-friendly version of the strategy are available for download.
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Playlink is a national charity that works with local communities to support provision of high quality opportunities for children's play that are stimulating, inclusive, and fun. Playlink supports local play service providers across the country, promoting and disseminating the values and playwork practice learnt in the free play environment of adventure playgrounds. Its work includes advice and information, services and publications and lobbying and advice to the government. Key services Playlink provides include: Consultancy to voluntary and statutory sector organizations to develop play policy and strategy; organizations reviews; responding to Government consultations. Conferences, Seminars, Workshops and Training including risk assessment as a tool for quality free-play service development. A range of play focused workshops including health and safety, organizational review, policy and strategy development that provide the opportunity to learn from a range of free-play good practice. Publications on good practice, practical guidance, conference papers, discussion papers and reports to assist play providers.
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