Raising awareness and next steps

While this document outlines our priority areas for further action, we have already taken steps to disseminate the Concluding Observations and to promote the rights of children and young people.

The Concluding Observations have been drawn to the attention of all Members of the Legislative Assembly and have been discussed at meetings of both the Ministerial Sub-Committee and the Champions for Children and Young People. Age appropriate versions of the Convention have been sent to all schools and Further Education colleges for distribution to pupils and a young people’s version of the Concluding Observations has been distributed through NGOs and consultation workshops.

We have also distributed the Articles of the Convention and awareness raising material to almost 4,000 personnel at middle management level across government departments.

As highlighted, our Children and Young People’s Strategy Action Plan 2008-11 already addresses a number of the Concluding Observations and work is underway in strengthening it. This will focus on our priority action areas but we will give careful consideration to our response to all those which apply here.

Partnership working is key to progressing children’s rights and we will continue to work with NGOs, the Commissioner for Children and Young People and children and young people themselves. We have established a Strategy Planning and Review Group which is made up of both statutory sector members and voluntary sector representatives of a range of organisations working with children of all ages, with a variety of needs.

This Group plays an important role in providing advice on and monitoring the implementation of the strategy action plans and progress against the Concluding Observations. We will also work closely with colleagues in the other jurisdictions so that we can all learn from, and contribute to, the progress each is making in meeting our commitments under the Convention.