Swansea schools celebrate children’s rights success

Children and young people will gather at the Liberty Stadium this week to celebrate Swansea leading the way in children’s rights.

Pupils attending “Swansea Schools – Doing it the Rights Way” will be showcasing the difference a rights based approach has made to their lives from the classroom to the community.

Swansea was the first local authority in the UK to sign up to the United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child and embed those rights into its work.

More than 100 Swansea schools have been supported by the local authority to become UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools. Children’s rights have become embedded throughout school life and used to help children and young people to become involved in everything from choosing activities and uniform to resolving classroom conflict and connecting with other children worldwide.

The approach is helping to improve pupil’s attitudes, self-esteem, and motivation as well as resulting in improved attendance, attitude to school and learning outcomes too.

Christine Richards, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “There are more than 100 rights respecting schools in Swansea and we’re proud of them all.

“For children and young people, knowing that they have the right to be heard in decisions which affect them boosts not only their sense of security but also their self-confidence. This opens the way to developing and applying the skills, language and concepts that allow them to realise their rights and to advocate for the rights of children everywhere. Swansea was the first UK council to decide to have due regard for the UNCRC and it is great to see how pupils are active participants in that work.”

The Swansea Schools – Doing it the Rights Way Event takes place at Swansea Liberty Stadium on Friday, July 3, 2015, 9.00am to 3pm.

The celebration will be pupil led and give schools the opportunity to showcase the difference a rights based approach has made to school life and the lives of children and young people.

The event will also provide an opportunity for pupils, teaching staff and colleagues to share good practice through an exciting market place of displays and demonstrations provided by Swansea schools and Council services.