Shout Out Soon


A report planned and implemented by young people for young people in Northern Ireland that uncovers and highlights issues that affect them, and their suggested solutions.



Commissioned by: Children’s Law Centre


Funded by: Princes Trust and Children’s Law Centre


Carried out by: Youth@clc: Claire Bradley, Jenna Boyce, Roisin Bradley, Michael Leathem, Lauren Mc Cann, Jody Hughes, Nalina Eggert, Oonagh O Flaherty,Nick Rowen, Mary- Frances Loughran, Jo Irvine, Sophie Sweeney, Claire Mc Ambley, James Mc Erlean, Jody Laverty, Holly Mc Clean
Children’s Law Centre youth advisory group

Supported by: Ms. Ciara Clarke
Dr. Valerie Bunting



Children’s Law Centre
123-137 York Street Belfast BT15 1AB
Tel: (028) 90 245 704
Fax: (028) 90245 679
CHALKY Free phone advice line: 0808 808 5678

website: www.childrenslawcentre.org



Acknowledgements

The Children’s Law Centre wishes to thank all the organisations and people that helped with the dissemination of the survey - without their help this research would not have been possible. We would also like to express our gratitude to the children and young people who took time to complete and submit the questionnaires. We also wish to thank Save the Children, in particular Dr Valerie Bunting for technical support and help in the production of this report.

Finally, the Children’s Law Centre would like to thank youth@clc, for all their time, commitment and enthusiasm, in the creation, implementation and production of this report.



Contents

Page

Acknowledgements 2

Forward 5

1.0 Key findings 6

2.0 Introduction and background to the project 9
2.1 Aim 9

3.0 Methodology 10
3.1 Designing the survey 10
3.1.1 Picture images of the survey 10
3.1.2 Open ended questions 10
3.1.3 Postal survey methodology 11
3.2 Target group 11
3.3 Distributing the survey 11
3.4 Response rate 11
3.5 Analysing the data 12

4.0 Findings 12
4.1 Profile of the children and young people 13
4.1.1 Children and young people’s age 13
4.1.2 Gender 13
4.1.3 Geographical location of the children and
young people 14

4.2 Themes emerging from the questionnaire 14
4.2.1 Issues identified within the seven themes 15
4.3 Theme 1: Available amenities for children and
young people 15
4.3.1 Lack of leisure facilities and play areas 16
4.3.2 Lack of places to go 16
4.3.3 Nature and opening times of amenities and unsuitability 17
4.3.4 Theme 1, Solutions 18

4.4 Theme 2, Problems in surrounding areas/communities
where children and young people live 19
4.4.1 “Joyriding” 19
4.4.2 Graffiti 20
4.4.3 Lack of safety 20
4.4.4 Paramilitary and sectarian activity 21
4.4.5 Theme 2, Solutions 21
4.5 Theme 3, Problems at home or in the family 22
4.5.1 Health and caring 23
4.5.2 Relationships 24
4.5.3 Financial 24
4.5.4 Theme 3, Solutions 24

4.6 Theme 4, Problems with school 25
4.6.1 School homework 25
4.6.2 School fees 26
4.6.3 School exams 26
4.6.4 Drugs in school 27
4.6.5 General issues relating to school 27
4.6.6 Theme 4, Solutions 28

4.7 Theme 5, Bullying 30
4.7.1 Bullying in school 30
4.7.2 Bullying in the community 30
4.7.3 Bullying in the home 31
4.7.4 Theme 5, Solutions 31

4.8 Theme 6, Drugs and alcohol 31
4.8.1 Issues in relation to drug and alcohol exposure 32
4.8.2 Theme 6, Solutions 33

4.9 Theme 7, Discrimination including discrimination
in employment 34
4.9.1 Employment 35
4.9.2 Age, race, gender, sexual orientation and disability 36
4.9.3 Theme 7 Solutions 38

5.0 Discussion 39
5.1 Suitability of the research methods 39
5.2 Identified themes within the context of the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 41

6.0 Finally 44

Appendices 46
Appendix 1 Sample of the survey 47
Appendix 2 List of organisations that received the survey 48
Appendix 3 List of variables 52



FOREWARD

“You have the right to an opinion and for it to be listened to and taken seriously”
Article 12 U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child

SOS is wonderfully refreshing and honest because it was designed by young people to enable young people’s voices to be heard and it does exactly that. It had no preconceived outcome or thesis, no agendas. It imposed no restrictions on what issues young people could raise nor did it limit the scope of their solutions. It welcomed views and ideas from all children and young people and was designed to enable all children who wished to participate to be heard. What emerged is uplifting, sad, inspiring, thought provoking and above all challenging.

The insights the 1045 children and young people provide into our social and communities problems are sharp and brutally honest. When13 year old states “..the council should put down more speed ramps to stop joy riders” and a 14 year olds rejects further education because “it is too dear” we all need to revisit what is happening in our communities and society and how resources are being spent. The constructive approach of the children and young people to solutions challenges complacency. The logic of the 14 year old who suggested “Drink and cigarettes should not be sold to anyone without an ID and if this happens there should be strict punishments” is so obvious it begs the question why is this not happening? And the comments of 9 year old to “get the parents of the people who tease me, their parents should have told them that, whether black or white, it is ok we are all the same” cuts to one of the root causes of racial bullying in school and consequently the strategy needed to address it.

As always youth@clc has displayed the professionalism and innovation in conceiving, designing and executing this project which we have consistently experienced in their work. This report is undoubtedly an important reference not just for those who will finalise the 10 year children’s strategy for Northern Ireland but for all working with and for children. Youth@clc deserve all our thanks for again ensuring the voices of children and young people are heard in key decisions which will affect them.

The SOS project challenges all those who question the value of consulting and listening to children and young people. On a very small budget and a tight timescale youth@clc researched the views of 1045 children from throughout Northern Ireland, analysed the results and presented a report which challenges us all for failing children and young people. It also shows that it is possible to genuinely consult with children and young people…. if the will exists.

SOS should be compulsory reading for all who make decisions about children and young people’s lives. It is a privilege to be associated with it. Thank you youth@clc for making it happen and thanks to all the children and young people who took the time to be part of it.

Paddy Kelly, Director, Children’s Law Centre

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The key issues and related solutions that emerged from the findings are summarised below.

• The most common area of concern highlighted by children and young people in the survey was around available amenities. Fifty seven percent (595) highlighted this.

• Seventeen percent (173) of the children and young people in this survey highlighted the lack of facilities available to them. However, it was the inappropriate or run down nature of the available amenities that appeared to be the greater problem.

• Three percent (31) of the children and young people suggested that transport could be more appropriate to their needs, in terms of the times it operated as well as the cost.

• Sixteen percent (205) of the children and young people in this survey felt that paramilitary and sectarian activity affected their lives.

• Children and young people of all ages, and from a variety of geographical areas, stated they did not feel safe in their communities especially in the evenings, particularly because of joyriders and gangs. Four percent (37) highlighted joyriding as an issue.

• Some children and young people stated the reason they did not feel safe was that there was no Police (PSNI) on the streets. Children and young people suggested that the PSNI needed to work with them, in their communities, in order to reduce the incidences of teenage drinking, joyriding and vandalism.

• Many children and young people suggested that, instead of the PSNI policing their community, a community watch system could be encouraged by the government, with grants being offered to community volunteers.

• A number of children and young people stated they would like to have CCTV cameras in their area. They believed that CCTV cameras would prevent negative behavior and lower the number of attacks on young people, especially young girls at the weekends.

• A small number of children and young people indicated they had problems directly related to family relationships and other family problems.

• Twenty percent (211) of respondants highlighted issues relating to school which included homework (4%), fees (1%), exams (6%) and the availability of drugs in schools.

• Ten percent (99) children and young people from the age of 5 upwards raised issues around racial and homophobic discrimination. Those who commented recognised the need for change in Northern Ireland. They stated there needed to be an end to such discrimination and that our society needed to become more diverse. Children and young people recognised that this could not be achieved without the active participation of schools, communities and the government. An interesting suggestion was that government should use television advertising to promote equality.

• A number of children and young people indicated they wanted their schools to become more actively anti-discriminatory regarding religion, sexual orientation, racial and cultural issues. It was suggested that schools were being discriminatory or failing to protect against discrimination of children and young people who have a disability, or who are not from a white Christian background. Some respondents were keen to see schools becoming more diverse.

• Some of the children and young people who responded to the survey had an issue with the teaching methods used in their school. They suggested the use of alternative teaching methods, rather than learning from text books.

• Children and young people identified transport to and from school as an issue. They highlighted the need for bus stops to be updated, and stated that some school bus stops were situated on dangerous corners. Others indicated that they would like to see speed ramps, speed cameras and safer bus shelters, to protect them from traffic and harsh weather conditions.

• A number of the children and young people highlighted the need for support mechanisms to be put in place to help them cope with everyday life. Children and young people identified the need for independent support to be placed in schools, and expressed a wish for outside agencies being brought in for counselling, sex education and complaint’s procedures. Some of the children and young people stated that they could not or would not approach teachers regarding sensitive issues, and that this lack of support left them vulnerable to bullying, teenage pregnancy and other stresses in their lives.

• Four percent (45) of children and young people identified bullying as an issue for them. This took place both in the community and in school, and across all age categories. Children and young people stated that bullying is still a topic that is not talked about openly. Children and young people suggested that communities and schools should work together, be vigilant, and intervene as soon as something is noticed. They expressed the need for increased support systems, not only for the victim but also for the bully.

• Children and young people identified problems in relation to alcohol (10 %) and drugs (11 %). Children and young people generally did not want to see drugs and alcohol made widely available to them. They suggested that the government should be doing more to prevent young people accessing these, including having harsher punishments for drug dealers and off license owners who sell alcohol to people under the age of 18. Some children and young people suggested that if the police were more visible, they could prevent much of the substance abuse which often happens in public area’s, and which can make the surrounding area in which they live, feel unsafe.

• Twenty two percent (222) of the children and young people highlighted discrimination as a concern for them. Twelve percent (124) indicated they had been discriminated against in employment. They stated that employers paid young people less for doing the same work as older workers. The current employment laws that relate to children did not appear to reflect the current work environment for children and young people. A number of children and young people, under 16 years, said that they would like to get a part time job (other than a low paid newspaper round). Some children and young people admitted to working despite the fact that it was not allowed under the current legislation, and stated they got very low pay for their employment. They indicated that they would like the government to review employment legislation regarding young people.

• Children and young people raised concerns about the fact that the government took tax from them when then were over 16 years old, yet they were denied a vote until they were 18 years old. They suggested that there should be consistency, and if the government was not prepared to give 16 year olds the right to vote, then they should not tax them.



2.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT

This report has been compiled by Youth@clc, the youth advisory group of the Children’s Law Centre. The Children's Law Centre is a charitable organisation, which was established in September 1997. It is founded upon the principles laid down in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The mission statement of the Children's Law Centre states:

“The Children’s Law Centre, using the law to promote, protect and realise
children’s rights.”

Youth@clc was established in 1999 and draws its membership from a variety of communities across Northern Ireland. The overall aim of youth@clc is:

"To enable young people to explore children's rights and to highlight issues of concern”.

All of the work carried out by youth@clc is concentrated and prioritised within a framework and ethos of children and human rights, equality and social justice. It is premised upon the provisions of the UNCRC.

The origin of this project was youth@clc’s concern about the lack of opportunities for children and young people to participate in finding solutions to issues that affect them. In an attempt to address this lack of participation, youth@clc decided to conduct a survey that would be centred on the participation and inclusion of children and young people in Northern Ireland. It was also intended that the findings of this survey would help inform the Northern Ireland Children’s Strategy, currently being coordinated by The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, due to be released for consultation in June, 2004.

Funding to the sum of £9,144 was secured from the Princes Trust to design and administer a survey to be distributed to children and young people across Northern Ireland.

The survey was called SOS, “Shout out Soon”, simply because it provided young people with a mechanism to ‘Shout Out’ on issue’s affecting them.

2.1 Aim

The stated aim of the project was:

“To design and implement a survey by young people for young people in Northern Ireland that uncovers and highlights issues that affect them, together with their expressed solutions to these issues.”

The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister is developing a 10 year overarching children’s strategy in Northern Ireland. Youth@clc are aware that the 2004 draft strategy will be released for consultation in June. Youth@clc are committed to ensuring that the issues highlighted by the children and young people in this survey feed directly into the consultation process surrounding the Children’s Strategy.


3.0 METHODOLOGY

Young people have been closely involved at each stage of the research process, from the design of the methodology to the writing of the report.

3.1 Designing the survey

Youth@clc recognised the need for creativity, and, therefore, time and effort went into designing the survey. It was finally decided that the survey would be in the form of a freepost post-card returned to CHALKY, the free phone legal advice line at the Children’s Law Centre. The questions were written on one side of the post-card and a picture depicting an issue that young people could relate to was printed on the other side. (See Appendix 1 for a copy of the survey)

3.1.1 Picture images on the survey

Working with photographer, Ursula Burk, youth@clc created five different images, depicting the following issues: (The photographs are replicated on the cover of this report)

• UNCRC Article 17- teenage pregnancy
• UNCRC Article 2 - discrimination,
• UNCRC Article 19 -substance abuse
• UNCRC Article 31 - all children and young people have the right to play,
• UNCRC, Article 12 - all children and young people have the right to an opinion and for it to be listened to and taken seriously.

3.1.2 Open Ended Questions

Youth@clc opted to use open-ended questions in the survey. This would avoid placing restrictions upon respondents, or influencing them in any way. Two questions were asked. These were:

• What issues affect you in your daily life?
• How can these be improved or changed?

In addition, three classification questions were included:

• What is your age?
• What is your gender?
• What area do you live in?
3.1.3 Postal Survey Methodology

Youth@clc wanted to give as many young people as possible the opportunity to participate. It was decided, the most effective method of doing this, considering time and resource limitations, was by using a free post survey, which would be distributed as widely as possible.

3.2 Target Group

Youth@clc targeted children and young people throughout Northern Ireland. This was achieved through the use of youth agencies in Belfast, Greater Belfast, Lisburn, Derry, Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County Tyrone and County Fermanagh.

The age range included children and young people from 5 years up to the age of 18 years. To ensure the participation of young people representing each of the categories government is required to consult with, a range of special interest groups and agencies was also targeted, including, Northern Ireland Centre for Ethnic Minorities, The Rainbow Project, and Disability Action.

3.3 Distributing the Survey

Youth@clc also elicited the help of other professionals and interested people to help distribute the survey. A launch of the survey was organised for 16th January, 2004. Individuals from around 150 organisations representing both the statutory and voluntary sector across Northern Ireland were invited (see appendix 2 for lists of those agencies invited to the launch.) This list does not contain all of the groups who received the survey, as some received copies of the questionnaire via a third party. Nigel Williams, Commissioner for Children and Young People, launched the survey.

The aim of the launch was to facilitate the distribution of questionnaires to young people from all sectors throughout Northern Ireland. All those who attended viewed a presentation created by youth@clc, which included a powerful drama piece scripted and preformed by youth@clc, explaining the aim of the survey.

The launch was a huge success and the adults and professionals who attended took questionnaires to their agencies for distribution to other youth groups and schools.
The questionnaires were also distributed directly by the Children’s Law Centre, through face-to-face contact with groups.

3.4 Response rate

It is not possible to state definitively how many of the questionnaires were actually distributed to young people because of the use of intermediary agencies. It was however encouraging to receive back one thousand and forty-five (1,045) completed questionnaires, which we believe to be one of the largest group of young people to be similarly surveyed in Northern Ireland. Responses came from children and young people, from both males and females, from a range of geographical locations, and were representative of all age categories.

3.5 Analyzing the Data

As the survey used open-ended questions, the responses received varied widely. This created challenges in deciding how to appropriately record and analyse the data. Youth@clc recruited the help of Dr.Valerie Bunting, Researcher at Save the Children, to create an appropriate database. It became clear from the completed questionnaires that certain themes were emerging. It was decided, therefore, to create variables around these themes, as follows:

• Available amenities
• Surrounding area/communities where children and young people live
• Home and family
• School
• Bullying
• Drugs and alcohol
• Discrimination including in employment

Statistical Products and Service Solutions (SPSS) was used to create the database, and to generate descriptive statistics. Alongside this, appropriate quotations from children and young people’s responses were categorised thematically. These were used to generate some qualitative data.

It was possible to place each of the issues identified by the children and young people within one of the seven identified themes. In total 7 themes, and 79 related issues were identified by the young people who responded (see Appendix 3 for a complete list of the variables). Identification of these variables enabled general and specific issues to be highlighted and discussed within the findings. It is anticipated that the variables identified will be a useful tool for designing other similar surveys, and that they could also be used in qualitative research with and by children and young people.

Youth@clc members were recruited and trained to input the data to SPSS.


4.0 FINDINGS

The findings profile the respondents in terms of their age, gender and geographical location. This is followed by a description of the issues highlighted by the children and young people in questionnaires, relating to each of the identified themes.





4.1 Profile of Children and young people

One thousand and forty-five completed questionnaires were received. Respondents were asked to indicate their age, gender and the geographical area in which they lived.

4.1.1 Children and young people’s age

Ninety-eight percent of respondents indicated their age. Figure 1 illustrates that seven percent (72) of the young people were aged between five and eleven years. Approximately one third - 33 percent (344) of the children and young people who responded were between the ages of fourteen and sixteen.

Figure 1


4.1.2 Gender
Figure 2 illustrates the gender breakdown of young people that responded to the survey. From this figure it can be seen that 36 percent (371) of the respondents were male and 64 percent (660) were female.

Figure 2:


4.1.3 Geographical location of children and young people

Four percent (41) of the children and young people didn’t indicate their geographical location.

From Figure 3 it can be seen that sixty percent (593) of the children and young people that listed their geographical location were from the greater Belfast area, the remaining forty percent (411) lived elsewhere in Northern Ireland, including: Ballymena, Coleraine, Antrim, Lurgan, Armagh, Portadown, Bangor, Ballynahinch, Newry, Cookstown,
Dungannon and Fermanagh.

Figure 3


4.2 Themes emerging from the questionnaire

Seven themes emerged from the questionnaires:

• Available amenities for children and young people
• The surrounding area/community where children and young people lived
• Home and Family
• School
• Bullying
• Drugs and alcohol
• Discrimination

Figure 4 illustrates the identified themes in terms of the extent to which they were highlighted by the children and young people.

It is clear from Figure 4 that the most common area of concern highlighted centered upon available amenities, with 57 percent (595) of the children and young people identifying issues within this theme. Figure 4 also illustrates that around 20 percent (211) of the
children young people highlighted issues in school and issues in relation to drugs and alcohol as being significant for them.
Figure 4



4.2.1 Issues identified within each of the seven themes

There was a range of specific issues highlighted by children and young people within each of the above themes. These will be examined in more detail under each theme heading. Importantly, children and young people also suggested possible solutions to the issues they raised. In order to illustrate, in their own words, how these issues affected them, together with what they suggested as possible solutions, direct quotations from the comments made by the children and young people are included.

4.3 Theme 1, Available amenities for children and young people

In total 57 percent (595) of the children and young people highlighted issues in relation to available amenities. Figure 5 illustrates the specific issues identified within the above theme.


Figure 5


4.3.1 Lack of leisure facilities and play areas

From Figure 5, it can be seen that 17 percent (173) of the children and young people stated they experienced problems in relation to the lack of leisure facilities and play areas available to them. Here are some of their comments:

A 16 year old female stated:

“We need more leisure centers with exciting things to do”

A 10 year old male commented:

“There is nowhere to play when I am with my friends in the park because the swings are broken and there are bottles and glass lying about the place”
4.3.2 Lack of places to go:

Figure 5 further illustrates that 18 per cent (189) of the respondents stated that for them, the lack of places to go was a specific problem. Here are some of their comments:

A 17 year old male commented:

“The only place we can go to meet friends is the centre of Belfast, which at night is not always a safe place.”


A 16 year old female stated:

“The places to go are for young teenagers, or for over 18 year olds, … not much for teenagers (age 16-18) in my area ”


A 15 year old female stated expressed the following concern:

“At night you can’t stand in one place because you keep on getting moved on by the Police, there should be somewhere to go at night where you are allowed to go”

4.3.3 Nature and opening times of facilities not suitable:

Two hundred and twenty-nine (22 per cent) of the children and young people
indicated that the nature of the facilities available was not suitable, or that there was a problem with the opening times, as illustrated in Figure 5. Some of the young people’s comments included:

From a 15 year old female:

“There are many community halls in my area that are not in use on nights during the weekend, halls and rooms should be opened at night for different age groups at different times.”

A 13 year old female expressed concern about having nothing to do at the weekend:

“Our local Youth Club is opened Sunday-Thursday, at the week-end there is nothing to do in our spare time”

A 12 year old female commented on the cost of entertainment:

“The price of youth entertainment is rapidly rising around were I live, and I’m finding that I have to stay at home because it is too expensive”

Transport facilities was an issue that many young people had difficulty with. Children and young people stated that transport was too expensive, schedules were at inappropriate times and in rural area’s, some respondents stated that public transport barely existed.

These problems with public transport are highlighted by a 12 year old female, who stated that:

“Public transport is too expensive, and every time I get a bus I am waiting for ages……even though I am a student at school I still have to pay for buses!”

For one 17 year old female, this was a major issue:

Transport is a major issue in my daily life. I live in Kilkeel and find traveling to Belfast extremely difficult due to inappropriate times of the Bus service…6:45 in the morning is not early enough”

4.3.4 Solutions in relation to amenities for young people.

The children and young people also suggested specific solutions for improving the amenities in their area:

A 13 year old male suggested:

“There should be more youth clubs for older children that have a variety of fun and interesting things to do in them”

A 17 year old female stated:

“There needs to be more youth clubs and more street workers,
youth clubs should be more focused on girls in the area”

An 18 year old female had one suggestion for the local council:

“The council needs to spend more money on youth provisions within our local area, as this would prevent vandalism and other negative behavior”

One 13 year old male suggested that:

“…young people should be able to buy a bus pass at the start of every week at a one off payment that will last them all week”

Children and young people made other suggestions for improving the amenities :

• Have more work done to existing parks instead of building more in different areas.
• Have youth clubs that are open more and target specific age ranges at specific times.
• Youth clubs should become more integrated so that all young people can use them.
• There should be football pitches or safe places to play near to all young people in N. Ireland.
• There should be more sports events targeted towards young people.
• More outreach work is needed in rural areas.
• Have night clubs for 16-18 year olds instead of for under 18’s.
• Transport to school should be subsidized by the school no matter where the student is from.
• The times of transport should be reviewed regularly and everyone should be asked to give an opinion.

4.4 Theme 2, Problems in the surrounding areas/communities where children and young people live

Twenty percent (205) of the children and young people who responded stated they faced specific problems in the areas where they lived. Figure 6 illustrates these.

Figure 6


4.4.3 Joyriding

Almost four percent (37) of the children and young people indicated that joyriding was a particular problem in their area. The vast majority of these respondents were from the greater Belfast area. Some of the young people’s comments included:

From an 11 year old female:

“When it’s 7:30 at night I’m afraid to go to the local shop because of joy riders flying up and down the road”

A 13 year old Male stated:

“Joy riders in cars drive on the pathway and try and get me and my friends but we run and jump into a garden…stop joy riding now!”




4.4.2 Graffiti

Graffiti was listed as being a problem by 2 percent (20) of the respondents. Some of the comments made by young people regarding graffiti in their area included:

An 11 year old female stated:

“You can’t go and play in your local park because there are people drinking and putting graffiti on the swings, destroying the park”

One 12 year old male expressed his concern about graffiti:

“There are people who do graffiti on walls destroying the place, standing at corners drinking and glue sniffing’

An 11 year old stated that she was...

“…tired of people abusing the area with graffiti”

4.4.3 Lack of safety

Lack of safety was an issue for almost eight percent (79) of the children and young people. Children and young people stated they didn’t feel safe on the streets, both during the day and in the evening. It was felt there was danger on the streets because of joy riders and people taking drugs or drinking. They expressed concern about the lack of security provided in their communities and worried this left them vulnerable. Some of the comments made included:

From a 15 year old female:

“We need more security in public places”

A 14 year old male stated that he…

“….feels scared to walk the streets because of druggies”

A 13 year old female had an issue with…

“…safety on the streets and safety in her home (too many break ins)”

An 18 year old female worried about…

“…young girls getting attacked and raped at the week-end due to lack of public security”


4.4.4 Paramilitary and Sectarian activity

Almost three percent (31) of the children and young people stated that paramilitary and or sectarian activity in their surrounding area was a problem for them. The majority of young people who highlighted this as a problem came from the greater Belfast area, although it was a problem for some young people from other areas as well. For example:

A 17 year old male commented:

“I am a catholic and I wouldn’t feel safe to go out in the protestant side of Omagh”

A 16 year old stated that she feels…

“……uncomfortable when I see Union Jacks hung off lamp posts, reds white and blue painted on pavements and large sectarian wall paintings”

A 14 year old male expressed his fear:

“Sometimes in my area I am afraid to hang about street corners with my mates ‘cos people in paramilitaries can approach you and tell you to stop what you are doing”

4.4.5 Solutions in relation to problems in the surrounding area

Suggested solutions that young people gave with regard to improving their surrounding areas included those of a thirteen year old male, who suggested that…

“…the council should put down more speed ramps to stop joy riders”

A male, aged 14 highlighted the need for…

“…more CCTV cameras and neighborhood watch schemes in our area as these can be used to make society safer and prevent vandalism”

A female, aged 16 also felt that neighborhood watch schemes could benefit her area, she suggested:

“the government should encourage community watch schemes and have systems in place so that people from the community get paid for taking on this role.

A 13 year old, stated:

“We need more Police on the streets”

A 17 year old suggested the following solution:

“More cross community and integrated projects and youth events are needed”

A 10 year old expressed his view on the role of the Police:

“Police need to become more involved with young people and safety on the streets”

Some solutions with regards to problems within the surrounding area highlighted the need for increased police presence within areas, using government funded neighborhood watch schemes and also using CCTV cameras.

Other solutions suggested by respondents included:

• Involve the local councils more at community level in order to solve issues.
• Increase the use of speed cameras.
• Close parks and walk ways at certain times when attacks are likely to occur e.g. Saturday night.
• Have more public bins in the community to prevent littering.
• Have projects which will work with people who joyride and prevent them from doing it again.
• More support to promote positive parenting.
• More outreach work to prevent young people drinking and taking drugs on the streets.
• Communities should be more active in complaining – more community meetings in order to achieve a better community for all.
• Young people should be able to obtain a driving license at 16 years old, this may prevent joyriding.
• Young people should be able to vote at 16 in order to choose representatives for their areas- they pay tax at 16 therefore should be able to vote on how it is spent.
• Ban drinking in all public places and increase the penalties for doing this.
• Pay people to act as official community watch especially at weekends.
• Harsher fines should be given to off licenses and shops that sell alcohol and cigarettes to underage people.
• Having more facilities e.g. football pitches, safe play areas, youth centers (which open at weekends), for young people will prevent them from negative behavior in the communities.

4.5 Theme 3, Problems at home or in the family

Ten per cent (100) of the children and young people who responded highlighted specific problems they were having at home or in the family. These included health problems within the family, and issues relating to caring for a family relative, relationship problems, and financial difficulties. These are illustrated in Figure 7.


Figure 7


4.5.1 Health and caring issues

Almost eight percent (80) of the young people had an issue with their family regarding health and family care. Some of the children and young people expressed concern about their parents/carer smoking and drinking to excess.

One young female, aged 11 described the consequences alcohol had for her:

“…my daddy drinks beer and hits my mummy…daddy should not go to the pub”

Another 12 year old girl highlighted her concern about smoking:

“My aunt is sick and in hospital….she would not be sick if she had not smoked.”

Other problems which young people had regarding family care were highlighted.

A young female aged 15 stated:

“Young people with parents who are being cared for need more help and support given to them”


A young woman, aged 14 highlighted a problem she faced, and stated what she saw as a solution to it:

“I have never seen my dad and my mum does not know where he is, I think young people should be able to find their birth parents more easily”

4.5.2 Relationship issues

One percent (8) of the children and young people indicated they had problems with
relationships in their families. The majority of relationship issues were regarding teenage and parent conflict, such as this comment from a 15 year old female:

“Me and my mum fight all the time”

A young male commented that:

“My friend suffered abuse for being gay, his father threw him out of the house when he found out….. there needs to be more awareness about homosexuality”


4.5.3 Financial issues

One percent cent (8) of the respondents stated that they had financial difficulties. Two of these were from young teenage parents and three were from young women living away from home.

An 18 year old female described what life was like for her financially:

“I have no money, I am trying to live independently and I can’t live on £43.35 a week, for food, toiletries….

4.5.4 Solutions in relation to family issues

Some of the solutions given regarding the family and health included the following:

From a 15 year old female:

“People with parents in hospital who are sick need more benefits and physical and emotional help”

An 18 year old female suggested that:

“Benefits for single people living alone or on training schemes need to be increased as they are not enough to live on”

A 15 year old thought that young people should…

“…be allowed to leave home at 15/16”

Other solutions given with regards to family problems included:

• Educate adults about the harm drink and smoking does - smoking should be banned in Northern Ireland.
• There should be support mechanisms in place through which young people can find their birth parents.
• Young people who look after sick parents need more support – Government and Councils should be more involved in setting up provisions.
• Schools should ask parents to participate more in educating their children - if parents and teachers had a closer relationship less child abuse may happen.

4.6 Theme 4, Problems with school

Twenty per cent (211) of the respondents highlighted issues relating to school. Figure 8 illustrates the specific problems identified, which included drugs in school, school exams, school fees and homework.

Figure 8


4.6.1 School homework

Four percent (41) of the children and young people highlighted excessive home-work as a problem for them. They made the following comments:

A 12 year old male stated …

“…far too much homework is given all the time”

A 13 year old female suggested that schools…

“… should stop homework…because we get enough work in school”



4.6.2 School fees

One percent (10) of the children and young people had an issue with school fees. Young people pointed out that it cost too much to attend school after the age of 16.

A 17 year old female stated he had a problem due to…

“….having no money throughout further education as it is expensive”

A 14 year old male explained his problem with further education:

“I can’t afford to go onto further education ‘cos it is too dear, my brother has a massive loan to pay off”

This was reiterated by an 18 year old male who stated:

“Student fees are too expensive there is a lack of financial help for ‘A’ Level
students and a low minimum wage for 18 year olds”

4.6.3 School Exams

Six percent (58) of the respondents had an issue with school exams. The majority of those children and young people thought exams were far too stressful or that they started from a very young age.

A 15 year old female commented:

“Exams are very stressful and making time to revise is often very hard”

A 16 year old female from Belfast felt…

“…constant pressure from teachers and sometimes parents to revise in advance, the stress from teachers regarding homework AND revision is too much”

A 15 year old female commented on the difficulty of choosing exam topics:

“ I regret my GCSE choices and wish I had been better informed and supported by my school about what to chose”

A 14 year old male suggested that there should be…

“…less pressure from schools to do well in exams in order to get somewhere, the idea that if you fail you won’t get anywhere at all etc.”



4.6.4 Drugs in school

Five of the young people (less than one per cent of the total respondents) had problems with drugs in school. For those who did have a problem with drugs it was in reference to marijuana being sold and smoked in their school.

4.6.5 General issues relating to school

Eight percent (89) of the children and young people stated they had other specific issues in school. A number of the children and young people in this survey felt they had an issue with teachers, feeling that many of them did not get appropriate training and that they taught in a manner which was not appropriate for the class.

Some of the main issues children and young people identified in relation to school are highlighted in the following statements:

A 16 year old male explained:

“I often get excluded by dominant members in the class room and teachers turn a blind eye”

A 14 year old male also pointed out that:

“Teachers have too much power which means they can take advantage of children”

An 18 year old felt there was…

“… an issue with homophobia in schools”

A number of young people had an issue with school uniforms. For example, a 16 year old female stated …

“…we shouldn’t be made to wear schools uniforms; they are uncomfortable, unattractive and expensive”

Some children and young people felt there should be more integrated schools, and that there should be less emphasis on religious education classes.

A 14 year old female highlighted her problem with religious education in school. She felt young people were…

“…indoctrinated into Christianity because of its huge presence in schools”

A number of young people had issues regarding available transportation to and from school. Some of the children and young people stated this was too expensive and felt that children and young people shouldn’t have to pay.

A 13 year old male made the following point:

“There are not enough bus shelters at stops, there needs to be more street lights and speed camera’s on the country lanes”

4.6.6 Solutions in relation to school

A 16 year old male suggested the following solution:

“Prices of bus tickets could be made cheaper and buses should be made to be more punctual”

Some of the children and young people suggested that teachers tended to use more formal, didactic methods of teaching all of the time. They suggested the use of more innovative and active methods within the class room. An 18 year old female suggested:

“It should be mandatory for teachers to go on workshops to improve their skills at least every 2-3 years”

One 15 year old female spoke about exams. She suggested:

“Exams should not be set at such a young age e.g. 11+ as it is too stressful and would put you off school”

An 11 year old suggested that we should…

“….get rid of the 11+”

A 13 year old expressed his difficulty in terms of getting work typed up and handed in, as he didn’t own a computer:

“There is not enough computer facilities in schools and not everyone has a computer at home. The Government needs to spend money on this so that everyone can get to a computer”

A 16 year old male thought that schools should…

“……get rid of all school uniforms as they are too expensive”




One young woman, aged 17 made the following suggestion:

“A Level students should get a weekly pay scheme the same as vocational students”

Other solutions suggested by children and young people in relation to problems with school included:

• Instead of exams there should be more continual assessment, throughout the school year.
• All pupils should get a locker to prevent carrying excessively heavy bags which can cause a bad injury.
• Home-work should be limited to 3-4 classes per evening; teachers could work on a rota system.
• Home-work should decrease when exam time is approaching to allow for more revision.
• There should be two lunch times to prevent overcrowding in the canteens.
• There should be school counselors and therapists available to students in every school. Teachers should not take on the role of councilors as pupils may find it difficult to approach them.
• Schools should not be able to give you ‘on the spot fines’ for breaking rules e.g. wearing jewelry, having long hair.
• Girls should be able to wear trousers in schools.
• There should be an opportunity to carry out more extra-curricular activities such as playing instruments and sports activities; government funding should be made available for this.
• Sex education should be provided by outside agencies not by teachers who work in the school.
• All pupils should get a free bus pass that will cover all buses.
• Transport to schools should be made accessible and safe for all young people attending schools.
• Prices of food in school canteens should be lowered.
• Religious education classes should not be compulsory.


4.7 Theme 5, Bullying

Four percent (45) of the children and young people who responded to the survey identified bullying as a particular problem for them. This took place in various settings, as illustrated in Figure 9.

Figure 9


4.7.1 Bullying in school

Almost two percent (24) identified bullying in school as a particular issue for them.
A 13 year old male highlighted this when he said…

“…I’m sick of being bullied in school. Every time I hit back I get suspended”

An 18 year old female, explained her feelings regarding bullying:

“Schools do not always recognise bullying, if they did it could prevent suicides”

An 11 year old shared her experience. She stated:

“I get bullied by someone in my class and he calls me names like ‘fat’”

4.7.2 Bullying in the community

Two percent (24) of the young people had experienced bullying in their community.
A 13 year old female explained what it was like for her:

“Bullying is a big thing in my park, all you can do is tell someone or fight back maybe”

A 12 year old male stated it was important for people to realise……

“Bullying happens not just in school but outside of it as well”

A 12 year old pointed out …

…“at clubs in leisure centres etc there are often bullies who go to them and give other members a hard time making them leave the club”

4.7.3 Bullying in the home

Two of the young people (0.5 percent) had experienced bullying in their homes. They identified this as occurring when arguing and fighting took place between younger and older brothers and sisters.

4.7.4 Solutions in relation to Bullying

Young people felt there needed to be stricter guidelines for adults to follow when dealing with bullies both in schools and in the community.

A 16 year old male commented that bullying could be solved by…

“…introducing a tougher approach to bullying and punishing people equally”


Other solutions suggested by children and young people in relation to bullying included:

• Schools should not try and hide the problem and instead create mechanisms through which it can become open and solutions can be created.
• Schools should have advice centres where outside professionals are brought in to help you. Pupils would be more willing to approach adults from outside organisations.
• Youth leaders and youth workers should be more alert to bullying and be prepared to step in and solve it.
• More support e.g. counselling should be given to the victim and also the person who is doing the bullying.

4.8 Theme 6, Drugs and alcohol

Figure 10 illustrates the extent to which young people highlighted drugs and alcohol as being a specific issue for them. From this figure, it can be seen that almost eleven percent (115) of respondents stated that exposure to alcohol was an issue for them, whilst ten percent (107) of children and young people stated that exposure to drugs was an issue they faced.

Figure 10


4.8.1. Issues in relation to drugs and alcohol exposure

Young people expressed concern that they were exposed to alcohol in a range of settings, including the home, school and in the wider community. The main problems expressed by young people in relation to drugs centred upon exposure to, and taking drugs in their community.

A nine year old female stated that she had a problem in her area…

“……because there were lots of people drinking”

A 13 year old female agreed and explained what affected her:

“…the things that effect me is people who stand around on street corners drinking and smoking”

A 13 year old male stated :

“There is too much waste ground in my area and this is where people can go to drink and smoke”

A 16 year old male stated :

“People offer me drugs at discos”

A young person aged 16 revealed her relationship with alcohol:

“I had depression when I split up from my boyfriend but I didn’t realise I had, I thought I was going mad and found that I drank a lot to ignore the problem”

A 14 year old female felt that:

“Underage drinking is an important issue because I know many 14 year olds drink, smoke cigarettes and get high”

A 17 year old noted the dangers of drug and stated that a worry for her was...

“…being at discos with the date rape drug being available”

A 13 year old female illustrated her feelings about drugs:

“When people drink and take drugs in the streets they become aggressive and violent and attack other people”

An 11 year old highlighted the consequences for her of other people taking drugs:

“There is nowhere to play when I am with my friends because my garden has always got drunks and glue sniffer’s hanging about outside it”

Across a variety of ages, genders and geographical areas there was a similar problem with drink and drugs within the communities they lived.


4.8.2 Solutions in relation to drug and alcohol exposure.

A 17 year old female suggested:

“There should be better punishments and more opportunities for
rehabilitation for young people who drink and take drugs”

A 17 year old female suggested:

“There needs to be more police on the streets to catch underage drinkers and stricter rules to make it harder for young people to get alcohol”

Some children and young people felt it was the fault of off licences for selling drink to underage young people.




This prompted one 14 year old to suggest:

“Drink and cigarettes should not be sold to anyone without ID and if this happens there should be strict punishments.”

It was also suggested by some children and young people that the age of legal drinking should be lowered to 16 as this may decrease the novelty value and the binge drinking on street corners.

One 18 year old male stated:

“I believe the current rise in binge and underage drinking is attributed to the legal drinking age, if a more diverse approach was adopted we may decrease the number of underage drink and drug abusers”

A 17 year old female suggested that we need to realise there is probably an underlying reason for this behaviour. She suggested that:

“There needs to be better drug education for people who are affected by taking drugs”


Other solutions in relation to drug and alcohol exposure included:

• More information about the effects of drugs and alcohol in schools and communities.
• More available amenities and places to go would prevent boredom and could prevent young people drinking at a younger age.
• CCTV cameras could allow police to catch those young people taking drugs and alcohol.
• Stricter sentencing for drug dealers.

4.9 Theme 7, Discrimination including discrimination in employment

Twenty-one percent (222) of the children and young people expressed concern about issues relating to discrimination. Figure 11 illustrate those who raised the issue of discrimination relating to the employment of young people and also other forms of discrimination related to age, race, gender, sexual orientation and disability.


Figure 11


4.9.1 Employment

Almost twelve percent (124) of young people had issues regarding discrimination in employment. The majority of these issues related to the age of legal employment and unequal payment due to age.

A 16 year old highlighted his frustrations:

“I am not treated fairly in employment as there are people older than me earning more for doing the same job”

One 15 year old female stated:

“There should be more jobs made available for younger teenagers”

Many respondents agreed that jobs should be available at a younger age and there should be a minimum wage to cover this employment.

This was highlighted by a 12 year old male, who stated:

“I can’t get a job because people think I am too young, people under the age of 15 should be able to get a job”



A 13 year old female commented:

“I feel there are not enough job opportunities for young teens (e.g. 13/14/15) apart from paper rounds, let us work in local newsagents or small shops…… government could be more open minded about letting young teens work”

4.9.2 Age, race, gender, sexual orientation and disability

Ten percent (99) of children and young people indicated they had experienced discrimination due to their age, race, gender, sexual orientation or disability. It is noteworthy that a percentage of the young people who responded spontaneously identified specific issues relating to five of the nine categories contained within Section 75. (Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998) imposes an equality duty on public bodies to consider the impact of their policies on nine grounds including age, race, gender, disability and sexual orientation).

In terms of age discrimination, a 17 year old male expressed his opinion:

“Young drivers insurance is far too high and many young drivers are immediately labeled as bad drivers”

A 16 year old felt he was discriminated against because of the way he dressed. He stated:

“…the thing that effects my everyday life is pre-judgment- the people who take me at first view without taking time out to talk to me and get to know the real me”

Other respondents also stated they were discriminated against due to their age. They expressed concerns about how this discrimination resulted in negative consequences for them. A 17 year old female pointed out:

“Just because I am young, shopkeepers follow me around the shop and immediately think that I am going to shop lift even though I have the money to pay for things”

Young people also highlighted discrimination in relation to their sexual orientation.

An 18 year old female stated that for her a major issue was:

“Homophobia in schools”

A 17 year old female shared her concern when she stated:

“People just don’t understand gay people here in Northern Ireland”

Some children and young people expressed how they were discriminated against in Northern Ireland due to their culture and race.

An 8 year old shared his experience of racial discrimination in Northern Ireland:

“People think that we can’t speak English because we are Indian”

A 13 year old also explained:

“Whenever some-one sees you they automatically stare at you. They sometimes assume that you can’t speak English and are stupid…..

A 9 year old male highlighted his experience of racial discrimination:

“I used to have problems in school during primary 3 and 4; most of the people in my class didn’t like me because of the color of my skin, mostly the girls”

Some of the respondents highlighted, in Northern Ireland there are still differences in the way young males and females are treated in society.

A young female felt there is gender discrimination in relation to the age of sexual consent:

“the government is being sexist in relation to the age of consent, the age for girls is 17 and it should be lowered to 16”

Gender equality was also highlighted in relation to activities in the community. An 18 year old female stated that:

“There is always stuff for boys to do (sports etc) ….there should be more for girls”

A number of children and young people stated they had personal experience of discrimination in relation to disability.

A 17 year old described her account of discriminatory practice:

“My friend was expelled from schools because he does not fit the mould of a student; they failed to do anything about his ADHD (attention deficit disorder)”

A 17 year old stated:

“I’m slightly disabled and some people give me a hard time because of it”


4.9.3 Solutions in relation to Discrimination

Children and young people had a variety of recommended solutions with regards to discriminatory practices in Northern Ireland.

A 14 year old male made the following suggestion in relation to employment:

“The government should make it easier for us to get part time jobs with a legal fair wage as this will stop us from working illegally and for very little money”

A 17 year old stated that discrimination due to sexual orientation could be avoided . He suggested:

“Homophobia needs to be targeted more within schools at an early stage”

An 18 year old believed discrimination and hate crimes could be lessened by the police having stricter laws and punishments. He stated:

“There should be a harsher punishment (by police) towards people who abuse others”

A 9 year old male who had experienced racial bullying felt a solution could be to…

“…get the parents of the people who teased me, their parents should have told them that, whether black or white, it is ok we are all the same”

An 18 year old felt a solution regarding racial discrimination was…

“….to make people aware of different types of people at a younger age so that they are not narrow minded”

A 15 year old female believed that the age of sexual consent should be lowered, and made the following suggestion to government:

“If the government lower the age of sexual consent maybe the schools and parents will become more open about talking about it and we will get the proper information and less people will get pregnant”

In terms of being discriminated against because of a disability, a 17 year old female stated:

“Special needs help should be compulsory and regulated in schools”


A 13 year old from Belfast made the following comment:

“People who are disabled should have equal job opportunities ‘cos a lot of the time they really don’t”


Other solutions in relation to discrimination:

• The government should introduce laws which make it easier for younger teenagers to get a good part time job with a minimum wage set appropriately.
• Young people under the age of 18 should not have to pay taxes.
• Young people should be able to exercise their rights more easily, e.g. against discriminatory practice due to pre-judgment in shops etc.
• Young people should be taught more in primary schools curriculum about different cultures, and lifestyles as this could prevent homophobic and racial discrimination in the future.
• Schools need to be encouraged to be more open minded and acceptant of different cultures and lifestyles. An independent agency should be created to actively monitor practices within school.
• There should be heavier sentences/punishments for those who carry out racial hate crimes.
• More advertising should be created for television/posters which will give anti-discrimination messages, a campaign similar to the slower driving campaign.
• There should be more facilities created specifically to suit the needs for certain target groups such as young woman and disabled young people.


5.0 DISCUSSION

This section critiques the methods used. It goes on to place each of the key themes identified by the children and young people within the context of the relevant articles in the UNCRC.

5.1 Suitability of the research methods

The use of open ended questions ensured children and young people were not prompted or influenced in their responses. This resulted in issues being highlighted by respondents, as opposed to respondents being offered the opportunity to make a choice from a range of pre-determined variables. It also allowed children and young peoples voices to be genuinely heard.

The themes and issues uncovered and highlighted in this report by a large number of children and young people would be of value to researchers in the design of further similar research. Moreover, these themes could be further explored in a more qualitative way in future research especially research conceived, designed and conducted by and for children and young people.

There were also considerable positive gains for youth@clc. The fact that the young people within youth@clc were involved at each stage of the research process provided significant opportunities for networking, and also to train and learn new skills, such as survey design and data inputting.

Youth@clc adopted a partnership approach throughout this project. There was only three months to conduct the entire research and very limited recourses were available therefore, the successful completion of the report rested largely on the goodwill of other agencies and young people

Working with other organisations proved very successful, and enabled youth@clc to contact young people from a variety of geographical, social, racial, religious and cultural backgrounds. It was vital that the report would be inclusive of all children and young people, including those that were marginalised. This was essential to ensure the implementation of article 12 of the UNCRC, namely that all children and young people across Northern Ireland have ‘a right for an opinion, for it to be listened to and taken seriously.’

A postal survey allowed us to contact a large number of young people in a short period of time, and as it was free-post it allowed children and young people to return postcards to the Children’s Law Centre at no cost. This survey has largely used quantitative research techniques in its analysis. Some of the issues may need more detailed qualitative analyses, but time and limited recourses made this impossible. While youth@clc did not have direct contact with respondents in the majority of cases, they did get to meet with some of the participants, which was very beneficial.

Youth@clc were pleased with the response, in terms of both the quantity and quality of the information gathered. By way of comparison, other surveys conducted with young people in Northern Ireland include the Young Life and Times Survey (2003) which was supported by EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation. The Young Life and Times report distributed surveys to one thousand, nine hundred and seventy-one (1,971) young people aged 16. Nine hundred and two young (902) people responded to this survey (46% per cent response rate). Therefore while, it is not possible to calculate an exact response rate in terms of the overall number of questionnaires that were distributed, it is, nevertheless, commendable, that in such a short space of time and with such limited resources, the views of one thousand and forty-five (1,045) children and young people from a range of geographical areas and communities, and from between the ages of 5 and 18 years, have been accessed and recorded by young people. We believe this is a significant achievement.


5.2 Identified themes within the context of UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child

A range of issues were identified by children and young people, and from these seven themes emerged. These correlate to Articles in the UNCRC. Below is an examination of the themes against the main relevant UNCRC articles. Three underlying principles enshrined in the UNCRC are applicable across all the themes:

Article 2 The right of children and young people not to be discriminated against
Article 3: The best interests of the child should be the primary consideration
Article 12: The voice of children and young people should be heard and listened to in all matters affecting them

Theme 1, Available amenities for children and young people

Fifty-seven percent (595) of children and young people in this survey expressed concern about the amenities they had access to. They identified a lack of leisure facilities and play areas, and a lack of places to go. In particular, they stated that the facilities on offer were either inappropriate or run down. Children and young people suggested that transport could be more appropriate to them in terms of the times it operated as well as the cost. The issues identified relate to Articles 15 and 31 of the UNCRC

Article 15: Children and young people have a right to make friends with others, and to join clubs or organizations.

Article 31 : Children and young people have a right to play and have fun.


Theme 2, Surrounding area

Nineteen percent (205) of children and young people identified issues of concern about areas in which they lived. There were particular concerns about joyriding, graffiti, vandalism, lack of safety and paramilitary activity. The solutions suggested by children and young people included, more police in their area, CCTV cameras, government resourced community watch, and more facilities for young people in the community. The issues identified highlight concerns under Articles 6 and 19 of the UNCRC.

Article 6: Children and young people have the right to life, survival and development

Article 19: Children and young people have a right to be protected from all harm including physical and mental abuse.




Theme 3, Home and Family

Ten percent (100) of children and young people identified issues of concern about their home and family. The concerns fall within Articles 18 and 24 of the UNCRC.

Article 18: Parents have the main responsibility to look after and care for children and young people, and the government must help them to do this.

Article 24: Children and young people have the right to the highest standard of health and medical care.

Article 26: Children and young people have the right to benefit from social security benefits

Article 27: Children and young people are entitled to an adequate standard of living, which includes a warm place to live, food and clothes. The government must support parents to provide this for children and young people.


Theme 4, School

Twenty percent (211) of children and young people identified issues relating to school. These focused upon exams, homework, fees, and drugs. Some general issues were also identified including issues around sexual health education. The solutions they offered included changes in the methods of teaching, changes to homework and assessment, involvement of outside agencies in counseling and sex education, and more accessible transport to and from school. Articles 17, 28 and 29 of the UNCRC are relevant here.

Article 17: Children and young people have the right to get information from lots of different places, and this information should be given in a way that they can understand.

Article 28: Children and young people have the right to Education

Article 29: Schools must give children and young people chances to develop all of their personality, skills and talents. It should not just be about exams and tests.



Theme 5, Bullying

Four percent (45) of children and young people highlighted specific issues in relation to bullying. For these individuals, bullying took place in school, in the community, and in the home. Bullying can affect a child’s life dramati