Edit Title –
see notesHolly Walker and Kathleen Logan
below
Strategy, Rights & Advice
Office of the Children’s Commissioner
What about the kids?
Considering impacts on children during legislative review
Law Commission
August 2016
You should leave today with
• A clear definition of
child-centred thinking
• A grounding in
children’s rights
• A tool to apply childcentred thinking to
your work
• Where to go for more
information
Young People’s Advisory Panel:
advice to Minister of Social Development
Defining child-centred
Some people might have the preconception that being
child-centred means doing whatever children say, and looks
something like this video:
Jono and Ben: Kids Review - The New Zealand Anthem
Being child-centred is
Basing decisions and actions
on what’s best for children
• Recognising that children
have rights
• Understanding what
children need
• Asking what children think
and listening
• Making decisions
accordingly
When done well, being child centred, and consulting
children can look more like this excerpt from a video about
how parents and whānau can guide their children's
behaviour in a positive way (SKIP resources) :
How should we talk to you – what 4-9y olds say
“The children of the State have a voice and
know the system better than anybody.
Please ask us.”
Introduction to children’s rights
and needs
Four Principles:
Rights of the Child
Non-discrimination
Best interests
Life, survival and
development
Voice of the child
Tell them what to expect
CYF reform
Raising the age
Violence
prevention
Bullying
prevention
Online safety
UN Convention on
the Rights of the Child
Protection
Special
education
Information
Tenancy
regulation Housing
From
Decile
Social
cruelty,
funding
Security
abuse,
Welfare Healthcare
neglect
policy
Education
Obesity
prevention
A child-centred tool for
decision-making processes
Steps in the policy process
Problem
definition
Policy
objectives
Monitoring and
evaluation
4. Ensure
children are
considered
before final
decision
Policy
options
Policy option
decision
Impacts (economic,
social, environmental)
Analyse and
compare options
Consult
2. Include kids
in impact
assessment
Four questions to ask:
1. How will the decision affect children?
2. What are the differential impacts?
3. What do children say?
4. What will you do about it?
Question 1:
How will the decision affect children?
• Impact of Auckland’s CBD urban
planning on children
• First considered what children need
and what facilities were available –
child care, recreation etc.
• Then asked children
• Expected and unexpected findings –
e.g. 60 percent concerned about
noise
Question 1:
How will the
decision
affect
children?
Sense of
identity and
belonging
Stable,
nurturing
family
Safe, healthy
environment
Supportive
community
and play
Safe, healthy
homes
Adequate
income to
meet needs
Access to
health services
Education that
develops the
child
Question 2:
What are the differential impacts?
Question 2:
What are the differential impacts?
Younger/older children
Ethnicity
Disability
Gender-identity-diverse
Groups with different characteristics, e.g. with
parents in prison, parents with disabilities
• How can these impacts be mitigated (or amplified,
if one group is targeted to benefit)?
•
•
•
•
•
Question 3:
What do children say?
The Ministry of Education spoke to children about their take on
‘inclusion’ in Aotearoa New Zealand
www.occ.org.nz
Methods of Engagement
www.occ.org.nz/listening2kids/how-you-engage/
engagement-methods/
Question 4: What will you do?
Base your decisions on the information:
• Understood effects on children /differential
impacts
Make conscious decisions in best interests of children:
• Amplify positives / Mitigate negatives
• Justify negative impacts
• Anticipate consequences
Demonstrate that you have considered children
You should leave today with
• A clear definition of child-centred thinking
• A grounding in children’s rights
• A tool to apply child-centred thinking to your work
• Where to go for more information
More information:
www.occ.org.nz / listening2kids
Being child-centred, OCC, 2015
www.thehub.superu.govt.nz
UN Convention
UNICEF NZ
[email protected]
[email protected]