NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) has joined a global discussion of children’s rights, by sharing the views of care-experienced young people in England and Wales with the United Nations (UN).
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child are hosting a Day of General Discussion (DGD) later this year, with the theme of “Children’s Rights and Alternative Care”. The DGD will review progress made towards relevant international standards and experiences of alternative care and family separation.
NYAS has called on the United Nations to uphold the principles and provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), building a global alternative care system that puts the views, wishes and feelings of children and young people first.
NYAS Cymru (National Youth Advocacy Service Wales) has called on the United Nations to prevent unnecessary family separation, intervening early to better protect and support at-risk children.
As part of the global consultation, NYAS Cymru has submitted evidence to Children in Wales and the Welsh UNCRC monitoring group, highlighting the experiences of the children and young people who we support. Our evidence in both England and Wales pinpoints five key themes which we believe the UNCRC must prioritise: meaningful engagement and advocacy, immigration and documentation, family support, outcomes and potential, and living and accommodation.
In listening to the distinct experiences of those we support, these themes were identified as the largest challenges, and opportunities, for improving global alternative care.
Click here to read our submission for England, and here for our submission for Wales.
