World Childrens Day 2024

Children's rights are at the heart of everything we do. We have a long history of supporting and upholding children’s rights in Wales. One hundred years on from the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, we are continuing to put children and young people at the front and centre of the decisions we make.

We want a Wales for all children, a wonderful place to grow up, live and to work, now and in the future.

Rights make sure we’re all treated fairly; can reach our full potential and can communicate our voice. That’s why we involve children and young people in decisions that affect their lives - listening to, hearing and acting on their views and empowering them to take advantage of and exercise their rights.

In MTCBC we are developing our participation strategy within our revamped Corporate Parenting Board. This work will enable children and young people, carers and parents to exercise their right to be heard in decisions that affect them. Advocacy and the active offer is promoted for our children looked after to ensure that they are able take full advantage of their rights. To ensure that young people have meaningful opportunities to influence decisions in their lives we have started to pilot young people chairing their children looked after reviews.  Those that have taken place have been positive and MTCBC hopes that this work can be extended across both Merthyr Tydfil and Wales.

We know there is still much more to do to ensure that children and young people can experience their rights, and that’s why we will continue to do everything within our powers to improve the experiences and opportunities for all children and young people in Wales.

As the independent champion for children in Wales, the Commissioner has defined her vision as: "A Wales where every child and young person understands their rights, knows the commissioner is there to stand up for those rights, and is able to access support for those rights to be realised.

"A child’s rights-based approach means that organisations will prioritise children’s rights in their work with children and families to improve children’s lives; all children are given the opportunities to make the most of their talents and potential; all children are given access to information and resources to enable them to take full advantage of their rights; children are provided meaningful opportunities to influence decisions about their lives; and authorities and individuals are accountable to children for decisions, and for outcomes that affect children’s lives."

Head of Children’s Services Jo Llewellyn advised that: “The work being undertaken in MTCBC children’s services to promote the voice of the child and develop our participation strategy highlights the value that MTCBC holds the child’s voice in their care”.