WLGA welcomes major report over children’s futures
09 June 2008
The WLGA has today welcomed a major report highlighting Wales’ efforts around improving the quality of life and opportunities for children and young people.
The report from the four UK Children’s Commissioners has been submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child as part of the current reporting round of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. (UNCRC)
A WLGA Spokesperson said:
”We welcome the findings of today’s report. They re-affirm what Welsh councils have been saying for a long time, that there are many good things about being a child or young person in Wales. Furthermore the report shows that as a nation we are leading the field in some areas, such as advocacy and ensuring that the needs of children and young people across our communities are listened to and taken seriously. The report also identifies that Wales has a number of good national policies which are underpinned by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).”
“However, whilst Welsh councils take their corporate parenting role very seriously they fully recognise that more work still needs to be done to improve services at a local level. The WLGA will continue to work closely with local authorities and its partners such as the Welsh Assembly Government and the Children’s Commissioner for Wales Office to consider the report’s recommendations in further detail and to take into account the concerns highlighted”.
Local authorities in Wales are committed to implementing the UNCRC at a local level through the Children and Young People’s Plans, of which there are 22 across Wales.
Notes
As part of the reporting process to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child the four Children’s Commissioners across the United Kingdom have written a joint report to the UN Committee. The report prioritises 18 issues of common concern across the four countries. The issues identified include discrimination, physical punishment, poverty, mental health and education.
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