Scribd
Upload
28 views8 pages

UNCRCc

The document discusses the influence of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) on Irish legislation and social policy, highlighting its role in shaping laws that protect children's rights in education and care settings. It emphasizes the importance of frameworks like Aistear and Síolta in promoting children's rights and inclusion in early learning environments. The conclusion reiterates the critical responsibility of early childhood professionals in implementing these rights to ensure dignity and respect for all children.

Uploaded by

Sara Viera
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
28 views8 pages

UNCRCc

The document discusses the influence of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) on Irish legislation and social policy, highlighting its role in shaping laws that protect children's rights in education and care settings. It emphasizes the importance of frameworks like Aistear and Síolta in promoting children's rights and inclusion in early learning environments. The conclusion reiterates the critical responsibility of early childhood professionals in implementing these rights to ensure dignity and respect for all children.

Uploaded by

Sara Viera
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 8

UNCRC

Sara Viera
Children’s Rights, Legislation and Regulation
Siobhán Walsh
Early Learning and Childcare Level 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION....................................................................3
INFLUENCE OF THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE
CHILD ON IRISH LEGISLATION AND SOCIAL POLICY................3
PROMOTING CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN EARLY YEARS LEARNING
AND CARE SETTINGS............................................................4
THE ROLE OF THE ELC PROFESSIONAL IN PROMOTING
CHILDREN'S RIGHTS AND INCLUSION....................................4
CONCLUSION....................................................................... 5
BIBLIOGRAPHY.....................................................................6

2
INTRODUCTION
Children's rights are defined as the vital freedoms and protections to
which every child is entitled regardless of their background (UNICEF,
1989).

The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is a


system created to ensure that the needs, safety and dignity of
children are respected throughout the world, and also includes the
responsibilities of governments to comply with them. It has 54 articles
that explain issues such as food, housing, education and protection
from abuse. Article 3, which ensures that the child's best interests
come first, Article 6, which protects the child's right to life and
development, and Article 12, which allows the child to voice their
thoughts on matters that impact them, are the most significant
provisions (UNICEF, 1989).

There was no international framework in place to safeguard children


before the Convention on the Rights of the Child. One of the earliest
attempts to address this issue was the Geneva Declaration on the
Rights of the Child in 1924. The Convention on the Rights of the Child,
which was ratified by nearly every nation in the world, is now the
most widely recognized human rights agreement (UNICEF, 1989).

The Child Care Act 1991 in Ireland lays out precise guidelines to
guarantee that children's rights are upheld in educational settings
(Government of Ireland, 1991).

INFLUENCE OF THE UNCRC ON IRISH LEGISLATION


AND SOCIAL POLICY
The Convention on the Rights of the Child has profoundly influenced
Irish legislation and social policy, resulting in reforms aimed at
enhancing child safety (Kilkelly, 2017).

Several Irish laws demonstrate this influence:


1. The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Childhood Services Regulations)
2016 This Act emphasises that early childhood education
services should focus on protecting children’s safety and
promoting their wellbeing (Government of Ireland, 1991).

2. The National Childcare Strategy: This strategy seeks to improve


the standard of childcare services in Ireland, making education
high quality and affordable (Department of Children and Youth
Affairs, 2016).

3
3. The Education Act 1998: This legislation ensures that all
children have the right to education, regardless of their
circumstances (Government of Ireland, 1991).

4. The National Childcare Scheme (NCS): This scheme offers


financial assistance to families, ensuring that early childhood
education and care is accessible to all children (Department of
Children and Youth Affairs, 2016).

In addition, the Irish Constitution protects the rights of families and


children, ensuring their well-being and protection and the Children's
Ombudsman Act 2002 establishes an institution that is responsible for
advocating and investigating children's concerns (Government of
Ireland, 2002).
These policies are a result of Ireland's commitment to the Convention
on the Rights of the Child, ensuring that children's rights are
respected.

PROMOTING CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN EARLY YEARS


LEARNING AND ELC SETTINGS
Fostering children's rights requires early childhood education and
care environments. The Aistear (2009) and Síolta (2006) frameworks
are important resources for integrating children's rights into
educational procedures in Ireland. These frameworks (National
Curriculum and Assessment Council, 2009; Centre for Early Childhood
Development and Education, 2006) offer practitioners advice on how
to uphold children's rights in early learning environments.

Four examples of how children's rights are promoted concerning


Aistear and Síolta, include:

1. Right to play and development: Aistear notes that play is a vital


component of learning in the early years, ensuring that
children's development is supported in the emotional, cognitive,
and social domains (Nacional Council for Curriculum and
Assessment, 2009).
2.
3. Right to participate: Children have the right to participate in
decisions that affect their lives. Aistear promotes children's
participation in decision-making within the learning
environment (Nacional Council for Curriculum and Assessment,
2009).

4
4. The right to equality and inclusion: Síolta highlights the
significance of inclusion in ELC settings in order to provide
equal access to high-quality education for children of all
backgrounds, thereby fostering an atmosphere in which each
child is treated with respect and worth (Nacional Council for
Curriculum and Assessment, 2009).

5
4. Right to protection from harm: According to the National Council for
Curriculum and Assessment (2009), Síolta highlights the significance
of creating secure and wholesome connections between children and
caregivers, as they guarantee that children are shielded from harm,
abuse, and neglect.

THE ELC PROFESSIONAL ROLE AND HOW THEY


PROMOTE CHILDREN'S RIGHTS AND INCLUSION

Protecting children's rights is a critical responsibility of early


childhood care professionals. They have to abide by governmental
frameworks that guarantee children's educational rights, like the
governmental Child Care Plan and the Child Care Act 1991
(Government of Ireland, 1991; Department of Children and Youth
Affairs, 2019).

Resources like the 2016 Early Childhood Education Guidelines, the


Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Charter, and the Principles of an
Inclusive Culture in Early Childhood Education all place a strong
emphasis on establishing settings in which every child is treated fairly
and has an equal chance to learn (Department of Education and
Skills, 2016).

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the Convention on the Rights of the Child is a
fundamental framework that shapes Irish legislation, social policy and
practice about children’s rights. The Convention has influenced the
creation of various policies, which ensure that children’s rights are a
priority in Ireland. Early learning and care settings play a crucial role
in promoting these rights through frameworks such as Aistear and
Síolta, which guide practitioners in development, participation,
inclusion and protection. ELC practitioners have a vital responsibility
to implement these rights in practice, ensuring that all children are
treated with dignity, respect and fairness.

6
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bunreacht na hÉireann. (1937). Constitution of Ireland. Government


Publications. Available at: [https://www.gov.ie] (https://www.gov.ie)

Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education. (2006).


Síolta: The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education.
CECDE. Retrieved from [http://www.cecde.ie] (http://www.cecde.ie)

Department of Children and Youth Affairs. (2016). Diversity, Equality


and Inclusion Charter and Guidelines for Early Childhood Care and
Education. Government Publications. Available at:
[https://www.dcya.gov.ie] (https://www.dcya.gov.ie)

Department of Children and Youth Affairs. (2019). National Childcare


Scheme: Policy Paper. Government Publications. Retrieved from
[https://www.ncs.gov.ie] (https://www.ncs.gov.ie)

Department of Education and Skills. (2016). Early Childhood


Education Guidelines. Government Publications. Available at:
[https://www.education.ie] (https://www.education.ie)

Government of Ireland. (1991). Child Care Act 1991. Government


Publications. Available at: [http://www.irishstatutebook.ie]
(http://www.irishstatutebook.ie)

Government of Ireland. (1998). Education Act 1998. Government


Publications. Retrieved from [http://www.irishstatutebook.ie]
(http://www.irishstatutebook.ie)

Government of Ireland. (2002). Children’s Ombudsman Act 2002.


Government Publications. Available at:
[http://www.irishstatutebook.ie] (http://www.irishstatutebook.ie)

Kilkelly, U. (2017). Children's Rights in Ireland: Law, Policy and


Practice. Bloomsbury Professional.

National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. (2009). Aistear: The


Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. NCCA. Available at:
[https://www.ncca.ie] (https://www.ncca.ie)

7
UNICEF. (1989). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the
Child. United Nations. Retrieved from [https://www.unicef.org/child-
rights-convention] (https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention)

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy