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1/10 The current exams fiasco is a rare moment where the public is focused on how policy affects children and young people. We @BritishAcademy_ have been asking how should we think about children and young people in policymaking more often https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/2603/British-Academy-Phase-I-synthesis-report.pdf
2/10 Our research review finds that children’s outcomes, and the measurement of what matters in children’s policy, has been defined by adults. We also note the extent to which children and young people are absent from the policymaking process. How could this be improved?
3/10 Most policy aimed at children is focused on their 'becoming' an adult, but there are risks that we do not focus enough on their 'being' a child. Could a focus on 'being' rather than 'becoming' lead to better outcomes?
4/10 There are interesting issues around children's rights. Although the UK Government has signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, it is not yet incorporated into UK law.
5/10 A more explicit focus on children’s rights might lead to greater coherence in how policy is made. However, there are questions as to what interventions are needed to guarantee these rights, and who must hold the duties to ensure a child’s rights can be exercised.
6/10 Our work uncovers an assumption that there is a shared & consistent understanding of childhood, but this is not the case! eg in England, a young person has to stay in education/training till 18 but legally leaves care of the state at 16 & age of criminal responsibility is 10
7/10 As with many other areas, our report suggests there would be value in doing comparative analysis across the UK nations but we need better comparative data to enable this to happen
8/10 Most striking is how children are affected not just by policies aimed at them, but by a range of wider policies, e.g. planning and transport policy on children’s play, and environmental policies on air pollution and children’s health
9/10 The most significant area where this impact is seen is in the area of resource or income inequalities; in particular, policies relating to tax, benefits, and incentives to work.
10/10 As well as our synthesis report https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/2603/British-Academy-Phase-I-synthesis-report.pdf we have published a number of other blogs and supporting materials which you can read here https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/programmes/childhood/
