Carmarthenshire Children’s Rights Promise

Children across Carmarthenshire are being promised that their rights will be honoured and considered in decision making. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Senior councillors and officers have signed a pledge that will ensure the council meets minimum standards when making decisions that affect the lives of children and young people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It also means that decisions will be scrutinised by trained young people on an annual basis. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Leader Cllr Emlyn Dole, Education Executive Board Member Cllr Gareth Jones, Chief Executive Mark James, Director for Education and Children’s Services Rob Sully, and Carmarthenshire Youth Council Chair Brittany Alsop-Bingham all signed the promise in advance of Children’s Rights Day, November 20. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It was adopted by the county council last year and has been a strategic priority since, with a three-year strategy and action plan being developed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It included establishing a new Participation and Children’s Rights team, a growing Carmarthenshire Youth Council and more opportunities for young people to be involved in decision making processes both locally and nationally. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Gareth Jones said: “Most children and young people in Carmarthenshire live in a safe, clean and positive environment but all children and young people across the county should have access to, and use, their rights. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is why we created and adopted the Children’s Right Promise which sends a clear statement of Carmarthenshire’s commitment to Children’s Rights and places a responsibility upon us. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“All adults working for Carmarthenshire County Council have a duty to make sure children and young people are safe, happy and healthy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We can do this by ensuring children and young people know about their rights and how to access them; the interests of children and young people are important to our organisation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“All of our children and young people have the right, regardless of their background or circumstances to make sure that they are happy, healthy, safe and can reach their full potential by having an equal and fair opportunity to do so.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​