Achieving social justice for children: How can children ’s rights thinking make a difference?

This article draws on themes from the author's book, Children ’s Rights: Toward Social Justice, that emerge from surveying children’s rights issues in different childhood contexts; the family, education, child protection, and health services. The author has selected five examples of application of children’s rights to a policy area and identified the imp lications for policy and practice. There are four core rights that cut across all children’s rights issues that are mentioned before discussing specific areas. First, children, regardless of race, sex, language, religion, disability, or class, are entitled to rights. In other words, all children s hould enjoy their rights and should not be discriminated against. Second, “the best interests of the child” should be “a primary consideration” in actions or decisions concerning children. Third, children have the right to survival and development. And fourth, children have the right to be c onsulted and have their views heard in matters that affect them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - September 11, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Smith, Anne B. Source Type: research