www.11MILLION.org.uk

11MILLION reasons to takeseriously the health and wellbeingof children and young people
Professor Sir Al Aynsley-GreenChildren’s Commissioner for England“The 11 MILLION children and young people
in England have a voice”
Children’s Commissioner for England,
Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Greenwww.11MILLION.org.uk“The 11 MILLION children and young people
in England have a voice”
Children’s Commissioner for England,
Professor Sir Al Aynsley-GreenThe Children’s Commissionerfor England• Created by Act of Parliament 2004
• Independent• Promote the views and interests of allchildren and young people• Must use the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)• Wide powers including power of entry• Report to Parliament

The power of entry• Power to enter announced orunannounced any premises except achild’s home
• Power to interview any child, and in private
if the child agrees• Locations include– Prison– Immigration and deportation centres– Schools– Health facilities; secure mental health centres

Why do we need aChildren’s Commissioner?
As a nation England has been
failing its children and young people!

UNICEF Report 200740 separate indicators in
6 groups:•Material well being•Health and safety•Education•Peer and family
relationships•Behaviours and risks•Subjective well being

The evidence
The UK is bottom of the table overall
Bottom for 5 of the 6 groups of indicators• High poverty• Poor health• Poor family and peer relationships• Risky behaviour – alcohol, early sex & teen
pregnancy• Low expectations• Highest number not in employment, education
or trainings• Low self-assessed well being

The top performing countries
1. Netherlands
2. Sweden
3. Denmark
4. Finland
5. Spain
6. Switzerland
7. Norway
What do we have to do to improve?

The Children’s Commissioner:• Expose issues• Provoke discussion and debate• Influence public, parents, and politicians
through effective advocacy• Inform and scrutinises policy• Hold organisations to account• Celebrate the contributions of children andyoung people to society through theirparticipation

Awareness of the UNCRC• In England <25% children andyoung people have heard of the UNCRC• Only a minority of professionals working withchildren have read and understood the UNCRC
Article 42 UNCRC:
The Government should make the Convention
known to parents and children

What is the circumstance in Japan?

The right to participation
Article 12Children have the right to say what
they think should happen when adults
are making decisions that affect them,and to have their opinions taken intoaccount.

Participation, not consultation!

• Consultation implies that adults ask
questions and adults decide• Participation means that children andyoung people are seriously engaged in
making decisions that affect their lives

Designing our premises

Working with 5-8 yr oldsAppointing all members of staff

Reality Check:Do we REALLY respect their views?
• 11 MILLION has not recruited wherechildren feel that the candidate lacksempathy• I have been appraised by children

Getting children andyoung people's views

Listening to children
in school

Listening to young people
on their territory

Young Commissioners
Children & young people speak forthemselves locallyListening to those withphysical and learning
disability

Defining our strategy for 2008-9

Young people want:• Security and safety, end to family breakdown
and violence• School life
– End to bullying and racism– Less anxiety and stress– Better school environment – to enjoy school more
– Non-judgemental information on sex and sexuality– Knowledge and help in dealing with alcohol and drugs• Someone to turn to• To be asked, listened to, heard and respectedChildren and young people
voted on 14 key issues
The top votes were for:• Violence, abuse and bullying• Respect and discrimination
These are in our business plan for 2008-9,and children will decide how to spend half ofour project money

The culture of violence• Violence is everywhere• Marketing of violence• Violence in sport• Violence in the home
– Domestic violence– Child abuse• Bullying
In the workplace
In and outside schools

Physical punishment

Spare the rod and spoil the child!

Smacking children
All four UK Commissioners forChildren call upon Government
to ban the physical punishment ofchildren BUT coupled with investingin Positive Parenting(January 2006)

Exposing hidden harm:• 300,000 children with drug misusing parent• 850,000 children with alcohol misusing
parent - Impact of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum• Parental mental health: ~ 50% of adultmental health patients are parents• Domestic violence – 14 million episodes in
one year• 175,000 young carers in the UK – high riskof mental health problems

Think Parent – Think ChildChildren and young people tell us:• ‘Nobody understands’• ‘I’ve got nobody to talk to’• ‘I get bullied at school and the teachers
punish me for not doing my homework ontime’• ‘I really needed help when my mum died’• ‘Every school should have a drop in centre’• The Market Place has been fantastic’The burden of poor emotionaland mental health:• Children need good mental health to learn but• 1 in 10 has a diagnosable mental health disorder• Particularly vulnerable groups– Young carers– Children in care
– Bereavement– Disability– Children who have been abused– Young people with drug or alcohol issues

What does this meanfor schools?
In a 1000 pupil secondary school, at any one time:• 100 will be suffering significant mental illness• 50 pupils will be seriously depressed• 10-20 pupils will have an obsessive compulsivedisorder• 5-10 girls will be affected by eating disorders
BUT:– Only 25% of CYP with clinically significant mental
health problems will be accessing the services theyneed.

Early recognition and intervention are
crucially importantIt is time to celebrate their contributions as citizens

11MILLION‘National Take over day’• To celebrate contributions and value ofchildren and young people• November 23rd 2007
• Opportunity to ‘showcase’• Over 500 organisations signed up• Over 10,000 children and young people
took partEnglish government policy forchildren-where are we now?

Support from the very top‘Our objectives are….to make sure that every child of thenext generation has the opportunity to flourish, regardless of
where they are born, where they grow up, where they are
educated’
Tony Blair, 18 September 2002

Ending Child Poverty

Important successes
Politics• Secretary of State and Minister for Children, Young
People and Families• National Clinical Director, National Children’s
Taskforce
Policy• ‘The Children’s Plan’ Government policy for children
Legislation• Children Act 2004:– A Commissioner for Children– New legislation for local government

Government Policyfor Children2008
Five Outcomes:• Be Healthy• Stay Safe
• Enjoy and Achieve• Make a PositiveContribution• Achieve economic
well being

The Outcomes Framework
There are 26 PSA targets in total, with the PSA
for Looked After Children split into its 3
component parts, and 13 other key indicators

OUTC
O
M
ES

Be Healthy

Physically
healthy

SUP
PORT

Mentally &emotionallyhealthy

Sexually
healthy

Healthy
lifestyles

Children & Young PeopleChildren& Young SafePeople
Safe fromfromChoose notto take illegaldrugs

Safe fromaccidental
injury & deathParents, carers & families promote healthy choices

maltreatment,
Safe fromneglect,bullying &violence &discrimination
sexualexploitation

Make a Positive
Contribution

Enjoy & Achieve

Stay Safe

Children & Young People

ITN
A
DRI
GC
E
A
T
T
S
O
R&S

DA
T
A

Every Child Matters

OUTC
O
M
ES

A
IM
S

Version 0.4
12 October 2004
This replaces all other previous versions

ECM:CfC OUTCOMES FRAMEWORK

crime & antisocial
behaviour inand out ofschool

Have
security,stability andare cared for

Ready forschoolAttend &enjoy school

Achieveeducational
standards atprimaryschool

Achievepersonal &social
development& enjoy
recreation

Achieveeducational
standards atsecondaryschoolEngage indecisionmaking andsupport thecommunity &environment

Parents, carers & families support learning

Parents, carers & families provide safe homes & stability

Achieve Economic
Well-being

Children&Develop
YoungDevelop
PeopleselfEngage inlaw-abiding &positive
behaviour inand out ofschoolpositive
relationships
and choose
not to bully &discriminate

confidence &successfully
deal withsignificant lifechanges &challenges

Developenterprising
behaviour&CRITERIA

Children & Young People
Ready foremployment

Live in decent
homes &communities

Access totransport &materialgoods

Live inhouseholds
free from low
incomeParents, carers & families are supported to be economically active

Parents, carers & families promote positive behaviour

NATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Infantmortality rate
(DH PSA)% obese U11(DfES/DH/
DCMS PSA)

Death ratefrom suicide
andundetermined
injury (DH)Improvementin access to
CAMHS (DH)U18
conceptionrate (DfES/
DH PSA)
Diagnostic
rate of new
episodes ofSTIs among
U16 & 1619yo (DH)Averagealcoholconsumption(DH)% children
who areregularsmokers (DH)Harm caused
by illegal
drugs (HOPSA)% children
consuming 5
portions offruit & veg aday (DH)

Number of 015yo injured
or killed inroad traffic
accidents(DfT PSA)

Reregistrations
on Child
ProtectionRegister(DfES)% 11-15yo
who state
they havebeen bullied
in last 12months(DWP / DfES)

Fear of crimeand antisocial
behaviour(HO/CJS/CPS PSA)

% U16
looked afterfor >2½ yrs
living in sameplacement for>2 yrs orplaced foradoption(DfES PSA)
% care cases
completed inthe courts
within 40 wks(DCA PSA)% 7yoachievingL2+ at KS1(DfES)
Average level
development
reached at
the end of thefoundation
stage (DfESPSA)

Half days
missedthroughabsence(DfES PSA)

% 11yoachievingL4+ in Eng &Maths (DfESPSA)
Educational
achievementof 11yo LAC
comparedwith peers(DfES)

Take-up ofsporting
opportunities
by 5-16yo(DfES/DCMSPSA)
Take-up ofcultural &sportingopportunities
among >16yo(DCMS PSA)

% 14yoachievingL5+ in Eng,Maths, Sci &ICT (DfESPSA)% 16yoachieving theequivalent of
5 A*-C GCSE
(DfES PSA)
Educationalachievementof 16yo LAC
comparedwith peers(DfES)% children insecondaryschools
participatingin(a) election ofschool /collegecouncilmembers(b) mockgeneralelections(DfES)% 10-19yo
Reduce crime admitting to% 18-24yo(HO/CJS)(a) bullying
who are selfanother pupil
Measure to
employed,Crimes
in last 12
be identified
manage own
brought tomonths
frombusiness orjustice (CJS) (b) attacking,Children’s
have thought
threatening orPerception
seriously
Permanent & being rude
Surveyabout starting
fixed period due to skin
(Inspectorates)
their own
exclusions
colour, racebusiness(DfES)or religion(DTI)
Voluntary and(HO)communityengagement(HO)

NATIONAL INSPECTION & ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORKSTA
NDA
R
DS

Engage infurthereducation,
employmentor training on
leavingschoolSchools andother settings
help toensure thatchildren andyoung people
are wellnourishedand activeAgencies
work together
to secure theprotection ofchildren fromabuse orneglect

Parents have access to advice and support to help them keep their children healthy
The health of children and young people is assessed and specific needs are identified
at an early stage.
Appropriate services are available to meet the health needs of children and young
people.
Healthcare services are child-friendly and access is timely and easy.
Schools and other settings enable children and young people to learn about healthyliving and build their self-esteem.

TBD

For copies please contact Kevin Yong, PPD, DfES (0207 925 6492)

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Schools andother settings
take steps tosafeguard thewelfare ofchildren,includingprotecting
them frombullying andharassment

Children andyoung people
at risk of poor
school
Early years
attendance orprovision helps
exclusion arechildren meet
supported toearly learning
stay ingoals andeducation or
prepares themtraining
well to start

Action on
youth
offendingprotects the
public andrestores
positive
attitudes andbehaviour

schoolPreventative action helps families protect children from neglect and harmNeighbourhoods are kept safe for children and young people.
People who work with children and young people are vetted and have relevant
experience, skills and training.
Appropriate information is held and shared about children so that their needs are
identified and services are provided so that they do not fall through the net.

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

A range ofadditional
activities(including play,informal
leisureopportunities,
the arts, sports
and outdoor
activities) isavailable, andparticipation ishigh andbrings benefits

The provisionof day-care,education andtraining meets
needs

TBD

Schools andother providers
help children/
young people
understandrights/responsibility.

Parents/carers are helped to be productively involved in their children's
education
Schools enable all learners to make good progress in their learning andpersonal development.
Children and young people who are out of school have access to alternative
provision which helps them meet their potential and return to school.

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Children/youngpeople aresupported in
making theirvoices heard
on decisions
which affectthemLocal action
helps tosecure
opportunities
for
employment
for youngpeople

Services help
children andyoung people
to join in, try
hard and fulfil
their potential
Children/young people
have
opportunities
to contribute,take decisions
and to run
activities forthemselves

Young people
areencouraged
and supported
to remain in
education ortraining after
16 and they
achieve wellServiceswork together
to promoteresponsible
behaviour inneighbourhoods andreduceoffendingChildren and young people know how to find information and help when theyneed to.
Support helps children and young people to deal with significant changes intheir lives

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

% 16-18yo
not ineducation,
employmentand training(DfES PSA)

TBD

TBD

% 19yoachievingL2+ in NVQ 2or equivalent(DfES PSA)
% 18-30yo
participatingin higher
education(DfES PSA)

Services help
young people
gain theknowledge,
skills andattitudes
needed forenterpriseandemployment% social
housing &vulnerable
households inthe private
sector in adecentcondition(ODPM PSA)
Cleaner, safer& greener
public spaces,and quality ofthe builtenvironment indeprived areas(ODPM PSA)

Level ofmaterial
deprivation &low income(DWP / HMT)

% children
living in
relative lowincome
households(DWP/HMTPSA)
Stock andtake-up ofchildcare(DfES/DWP
PSA)

Support forfamilies andyoung people
who need it
gives themaccess todecent
homesHigh-quality day-care is available to meet the needs of parents in work or
seeking work
Effective action enables disadvantaged neighbourhoods to define and meettheir needs

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Author: Leigh Sandals, PPD, DfESThe Children’s
National Service Framework
Published in September 2004
• Sets standards of quality for healthservices that must be implemented• Defines the how to modernise
services in ten years

How is all this relevant
in your country?
• How does your society value
children and childhood?
• Do children get a good deal?
• Who listens to them?
• Who speaks for their needs?
• Is all well with the services to support them?
• Where do children fit in government policy?
• What is the responsibility of children’s
professional staff to lead this debate?

www.11MILLION.org.uk“The 11 MILLION children and young people
in England have a voice”
Children’s Commissioner for England,
Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green