Learning for everyone Residential Childcare Level 3 Unit

Learning for everyone… Residential Childcare – Level 3 Unit 15: Support the Rights, Diversity and Equality of Children and Young People in Residential Childcare

Learning for everyone… Aims and Objectives Aim: Within this area of your professional development you will gain the knowledge and understanding relating to the rights of children and young people and the implications of equalities legislation for them. Objective: ability to address discriminatory practice, through reviewing own values and behaviours in order to improve practice and work in a culturally sensitive way, supporting children and young people to understand value their own cultural practices and beliefs.

Learning for everyone… Understand the rights of children and young people Ø The rights of children and young people in care governed by legislation and codes of practice. Your setting will have an adopted “Code of Practice” which must be adhered to at all times. Ø The Government has issued the “National Care Standards”, these are the minimum standards expected to be adhered to by every children’s residential childcare setting. Ø Other legislation that govern children’s right are: Ø UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Ø Human Rights Act 1998 Ø Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001

Learning for everyone… Legislative and rights frameworks - improve lives Improve life chances - This can be done through: Encouraging choice: We all have the right to choose, as a child or young person in care, they may feel that the right of choice has been taken away from them! – not the case. encourage them to look at all the choices still open to them and to discuss these openly. Empower individuals. as part of their self-development and to help them redeem the self-esteem, your role is to allow them opportunities that they feel they may not be able to do, take part in or say what it is that they would like

Learning for everyone… Legislative and rights frameworks - improve lives Encourage independence: To re-discover a sense of independence helps children and young people thrive better, they begin to feel wanted and not isolated. encourage them to speak openly and independently without fear of reprisal. Remove barriers to access: By promoting equality at all times, your ole is to ensure that all the children within your care made aware that they have the right of access. This is access to their rights, the right to feel safe, the right to be educated etc.

Learning for everyone… Voice of the child or young person has a central place Every child has a voice and it is their right to have their voice heard Being child-centred is about elevating the status of children’s interests, rights, and views children are affected directly, and indirectly, by practically all policy decisions, and yet children can’t influence them through traditional channels. You need to embed processes that support childcentred thinking in your organisation. A core part of being child-centred is ensuring children have a say in decisions that affect them.

Learning for everyone… How policies and procedures reflect “Rights” It is an essential part of being a residential childcare setting that policies and procedures are developed to meet and suit the needs of the workplace setting. It is essential however, that these same policies and procedures reflect the “Rights” of every individual child – advocate “inclusive practice” Implement strategies that remove barriers, that promote dignity and respect at all times Develop effective lines of communication involving children and young people who should be at the centre of all planning.