Children s rights will be brought home in family life and education under the Human Rights Act 1998, Home Office Minister Paul Boateng said today. The Act meets the government s commitment to bring rights home . It protects every member of society against a breach of the Convention rights by public authorities. It is one of our principal aims to protect the health and welfare of children throughout the United Kingdom and the Act will support us in this.
Children have everything to gain from the proper balance of rights and responsibilities in society.
We have already introduced new measures to deal with young offenders and divert them away from a life of crime. Local child curfews have been designed to protect the under tens and ensure they are not out on the street late at night. In our new Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Bill we are getting the balance right on the identification of children during the course of proceedings before the court. It will ensure that young offenders are protected during high profile cases. The measure will also protect young victims and witnesses.