Huw Irranca-Davies, Minister for Children and Social Care
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
The Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011 placed a duty on Welsh Ministers, not only to have due regard to children’s rights when making decisions about new or existing legislation and policies, but also to publish a report on how they and the First Minister have complied with the duty. These arrangements were detailed in our Children’s Rights Scheme which was approved by Assembly Members in 2014.
I am pleased to publish the third report on our compliance arrangements as set out in our Children’s Rights Scheme. The report shows how, during the last two and a half years, we have had due regard to children’s rights when developing or reviewing policy and legislation. It also covers some of our wider work related to children’s rights and promoting awareness of them outside of our own organisation.
To demonstrate the Welsh Government’s ongoing commitment to children’s rights and encourage other public bodies to make use of the framework, we have structured the Compliance Report around the five principles highlighted in the Children’s Commissioner for Wales guide The Right Way: A Children’s Rights Approach in Wales.
The current Children’s Rights Scheme reflects the arrangements which were in place in 2014 to implement the Measure. I believe it is now time to reflect on the progress we’ve made on children’s rights and bring it up to date. We will give full consideration to this over the coming months, in consultation with children and young people, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales and other stakeholder groups, before proposing any changes or seeking the National Assembly for Wales’ approval. Our aim will be to complete this work by the end of 2018.