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Children's Rights

Supporting Children’s Rights is a leading priority of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and our new Children’s Charter demonstrates our commitment to ensuring we take a children’s rights based approach in everything we do.

There are around 192,000 children and young people in North Wales! (Office of National Statistics,2021)

Through our Charter, we have made six promises that let children and young people know they will be respected, listened to, supported and inspired when receiving health services and we promise to support children and young people to grow up to be as healthy, happy and all they can be.

Did you know? In 1989 the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was adopted by the UN General Assembly and Welsh Government placed children’s rights into law on 17th March 2011 through the Rights of Children and Young People (Wales) Measure 2011.

We know from recent engagement that children and young people do not always feel listened to and sometimes do not feel empowered to make decisions and choices. While all of the rights are equally important, we do place a special emphasis on Article 12 of the UNCRC.

Article 12 states that ‘the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child’,

This means that you have the right to be listened to and that we will always consider your opinions in decisions that affect you.

Did you know? Wales has a Children’s Commissioner! But what does the Children’s Commissioner for Wales do?

  • Supports children and young people to find out about their rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
  • Listens to children and young people to find out what’s important to them
  • Advises children, young people and those who care for them if they think they’ve been treated unfairly
  • Influences government and other organisations who say they’re going to make a difference to children’s lives, making sure they keep their promises to children and young people
  • Speaks up for children and young people in Wales on important issues

To learn more about children’s rights and the Children’s Commissioner’s Office for Wales, please use the links below: https://www.childcomwales.org.uk/