Children’s rights dictionary

The final agreed Bill that has been approved by the Queen and has become a law.

To support or suggest an idea or way of doing things, or to help someone get their voice heard.

This is the age when the law says a person must take full responsibility for the crime they have committed. At the moment the age of criminal responsibility in England is 10 years old.

Anti-social behaviour is when a person acts in a way that harasses, scares or upsets people that don’t live with them. The Government gives examples of anti-social behaviour as nuisance neighbours, intimidating groups in public spaces, graffiti, and dealing and buying drugs on the streets.

Someone who leaves their home country for their own safety, for political reasons or because of war, and travels to another country hoping that the Government there will protect them and allow them to stay.

Best interests mean that people should always think about the effect any decisions they are making about a child or young person will have on them, and whether that decision is really the best thing for that child or young person.

Before an Act becomes a law, it is first written out as a Bill and introduced to Parliament.

Around 20 of the most senior ministers sit in the Cabinet. The Cabinet decides Government policy and makes sure different Government departments work together.

Every local council must have a Children and Young People’s Plan to make sure children and young people get the best help and opportunities, and that different parts of the council are working together to improve children’s lives. Children and young people must be involved in developing the plan.

A children’s trust is a group of organisations in a local area that work together to make sure children and young people get the best possible services. A children’s trust usually includes organisations like hospitals, social services, schools, youth services and local charities.

A person who works for the Government but is not voted into their job. They carry out work for Government Ministers.

Recommendations made by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child to governments.

Asking people their views on something, for example on a particular issue, or for comments on a service they have used.

This is an international human rights treaty which protects the rights of all children and young people aged 17 and under.

The criminal justice system is the way people who are accused of committing a crime are dealt with. It is made up of the police, the courts, youth offending teams, prisons and the probation service.

Discrimination is treating a person or a group unfairly because of something about them, like their race, gender, age, sexuality or disability.

Discrimination law stops people being treated unfairly because of their race, gender, religion, belief, disability, sexual orientation, age, health, political opinion and family.

People becoming more informed and involved. People who are empowered usually feel good about themselves and enjoy being part of making change happen – in their own lives, and in the wider community and society. Being respected is a big part of being empowered.

Making sure everyone has the same chances and is treated fairly by society, no matter what their age, race, wealth, gender, beliefs, religion, sexuality or disability.

Every Child Matters is a Government programme that is trying to improve the lives of all children and young people. There are five results (outcomes) that the Government wants for all children: to be healthy, to stay safe, to enjoy life and to achieve, to make a positive contribution, and to have a good standard of living (also known as economic well-being).

As children grow, they usually become more able to understand the results of decisions, and become better at making their own decisions. This means that as soon as children are able to make informed decisions about their lives, they have the right to do this.

Having the freedom to meet with people who have views, interests or other things in common with you.

A day when most citizens over 18 can vote for the politicians they want to run the country. A general election is usually held every four or five years, and the Government is allowed to decide when it will be. The last general election was held in May 2005.

Gillick competent means that a child or young person understands a decision and the possible results of making it. There is no age for being Gillick competent – it depends on each individual child or young person.

This is sometimes the next stage after a consultation. It is a discussion paper that can still be changed.

The place in London where elected Members of Parliament go to debate important matters, make decisions and check up on the Government.

The second chamber in the UK’s Parliamentary system – also known as the upper house. The Lords make laws, check up on Government and provide independent expert advice. The law Lords have the final say on legal cases in our country.

Human rights are a set of basic things every human being should have, like the right to be free, the right to say what you think, and the right to be treated with respect.

This is a Committee within Parliament made up of MPs and Peers that considers human rights issues in the UK.

Laws are rules that everyone in a country has to abide by.

To try to persuade someone else that your opinion is the right one.

The public vote for the politicians they want to run the country. The winning politician in each region (or constituency) then becomes a Member of Parliament.

An MP chosen by the Prime Minister to form the government. There are three main types of Minister: Departmental Ministers, Ministers of State and Junior Ministers. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government departments. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department.

To watch the progress of something and see how successful it is, or to check that something is being done properly. The United Nations monitors the UK to see how well it is putting the Convention on the Rights of the Child into practice.

An NGO is a non-government organisation – a charity or other group that is not part of a government.

An Optional Protocol is a new rule that has been added to a Convention, which governments can decide if they want to agree to.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has 2 Optional Protocols – one on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and one on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

The House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Queen all make up Parliament.

A set of ideas or a plan of what to do about a particular issue.

Where a country agrees to follow international law, like the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

A refugee is a person who has escaped from their own country for political, religious or economic reasons or because of a war.

A reservation is where a government wants to sign up to an international treaty but does not agree with a particular article. It then puts a reservation in place so that it does not have to follow that article. A reservation cannot go against the spirit of the treaty it is linked to.

Physically holding someone to stop them doing something, for example to stop them hitting someone else, or hurting themselves.

A group of MPs or Peers that investigate how Government policy works in practice. They can question Ministers and civil servants, and they report back to Parliament.

Something the law requires people or organisations to do, for example, making local authorities provide lots of good things for young people to do in the local area.

Government guidelines that organisations must follow.

The United Nations, or UN, was set up in 1945 to keep international peace and security, to develop friendships between nations, to help to solve international problems, to promote respect for human rights, and to encourage different countries to work together. Today, 192 countries are members of the UN.

This is what the public does to choose the politician they want to run their area or country. At the moment, only people over 18 can vote in the UK.

This is a plan of what is intended for a Bill. The Government can still make changes after this stage.