Timeline of young people's rights in the United Kingdom

The timeline of children's rights in the United Kingdom includes a variety of events that are both political and grassroots in nature. The first child cruelty case related to Mary Ellen Wilson, brought by Henry Bergh founder of the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The court charge list in the trial described the affected child as "a small animal" because at the time there were no laws to protect children from mistreatment. The case was successful. [ [http://www.americanhumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=wh_mission_maryellen] American Humane Society. Retrieved 8/9/2008] [ [http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/RSPCARedirect&pg=about_the_rspca&marker=1&articleId=996827934749 "About the RSPCA - History"] RSPCA. Retrieved 19/7/08.]

The UK government maintains a position that UNCRC is not legally enforceable and is hence 'aspirational' only, although a 2003 ECHR ruling states that, "The human rights of children and the standards to which all governments must aspire in realising these rights for all children are set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child." [Extract from "Sahin v Germany", Grand Chamber judgment of the ECHR, 8/7/03 as quoted in [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200304/jtselect/jtrights/161/16112.htm "4. Memorandum from Allan Levy QC and Peter Newell "] , Joint Committee on Human Rights. Retrieved 18/7/08.] Eighteen years after ratification, the four Chidren's Commissioners in the UK (including those for the three devolved administrations) have united in calling for adoption of the Convention into domestic legislation, making children's rights recognised and legally binding, [(2008) " [http://www.11million.org.uk/resource/31f7xsa2gjgfc3l9t808qfsi.pdf UK Commissioners' Special Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child] ". UK Commissioners. p 34. Retrieved 29/6/08.] allowing resolution of the Conundrum: 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodes'.

Opponents of children's rights often raise the spectre of rights without responsibilities. [Travis, A. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/jun/19/youthjustice.politics "Children's jail staff given wider powers of restraint"] , "The Guardian". 19/6/07. Retrieved 25/7/08.] The children's rights movement asserts that it is rather the case that children have rights which adults, states and the government have a responsibility to uphold. [Adtunji, J. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/9/7/08/youthjustice.children "Prisons: Child secure units still use adult restraint methods, says inspector"] , "The Guardian." 9/7/08. Retrieved 25/7/08.] Overall, a 2008 report says that there has been no improvement in children's rights in the UK since 2002.(2008) " [http://www.11million.org.uk/resource/31f7xsa2gjgfc3l9t808qfsi.pdf UK Commissioners' Special Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child] ". UK Commissioners. p 4. Retrieved 29/6/08.] Warning that there is a "widely held fear of children and young people" in the UK, the report says: "The incessant portrayal of children as thugs and yobs" not only reinforces the fears of the public but also influences policy and legislation." [(2008) " [http://www.11million.org.uk/resource/31f7xsa2gjgfc3l9t808qfsi.pdf UK Commissioners' Special Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child] ". UK Commissioners. p 33. Retrieved 29/6/08.]

The UNCRC defines children, for the purposes of the Convention, as persons under the age 18, unless domestic legislation provides otherwise. In that spirit, this timeline includes as children all those below the UK age of majority, which was 21 until 1971, when it was reduced to 18. Although the Crown Dependencies Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey are not formally part of the UK, their close relationship with the UK through both the Crown and governmental and parliamentary liaison makes it relevant to include in this timeline some references to matters in those dependencies.

Pre-19th century

21st century

ee also

* List of children's rights topics
* List of Acts of Parliament
* List of youth rights topics
* Student rights
* Timeline of children's rights in the United States
* Youth rights

References

External links

* [http://www.naturalchild.org/advocacy/ Child Advocacy Documents - Worldwide]
* [http://www.workhouses.org.uk Peter Higginbotham's history of the workhouse]
* [http://www.mdx.ac.uk/WWW/STUDY/01.htm Andrew Roberts' Mental Health History Timeline]
* [http://www.hrw.org/children/child-legal.htm International Legal Standards for Children's Rights]