Children’s Rights are laid down in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), an international treaty adopted in 1989 that applies to all children and young people under 18 years of age. Ratified by most of the world’s countries, the Convention established that children have rights, including the right to good health, education, and safety from abuse and neglect. The UK Government signed the treaty on 16 December 1991.

The Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE), which promotes the implementation of the UNCRC in England, summarises the key principles of the Convention on its website. UNICEF answers frequently asked questions for parents.

If you would like to know more about children’s rights in the UK, visit the CRAE site or contact the Scottish Alliance of Children’s Rights in Edinburgh. The Children’s Legal Centre is a national charity concerned with child law and policy and can also answer questions by phone or e-mail.

In the UK, age and circumstance dictate when children are entitled to take part in certain activities and claim certain benefits. On its website, the Citizens Advice Bureau (England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Scotland) outlines the entitlements and responsibilities young people have at different ages. If your query is not answered by the information on this site, contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau. For information for Northern Ireland, contact the Northern Ireland Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux for details of local bureaux ).