Cornwall Council formally adopts UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Cornwall Council has formally adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), reinforcing its commitment to putting children and young people at the heart of decision-making across the county.
The UNCRC provides a global framework that recognises children as individuals with their own rights, helping to protect them and ensure they are supported to learn, grow and reach their full potential.
The Convention was officially adopted at a special event on Thursday, 29 January, where Cllr Leigh Frost, Leader of Cornwall Council, signed the paperwork alongside members of Cornwall Youth Council.
By adopting the UNCRC, Cornwall Council has committed to ensuring that:
children’s best interests are considered in all policies and actions (Article 3)
children’s voices are heard and taken seriously in decisions that affect them (Article 12)
services promote children’s health, education, safety and equality (Articles 6, 24, 27 and 28)
The move has been strongly welcomed by members of Cornwall Youth Council, who say it reflects the importance of listening to young people’s voices.
Peter Yates, a member of Cornwall Youth Council, said young people play a vital role in shaping Cornwall’s future.
“Young people’s voices are the future of Cornwall. We’re still young, but we have a lot to give — to help make Cornwall a better place and help it prosper in the future.”
Peter explained that he first became involved after learning about the Youth Council through his school.
“I found out about it through my school when Cornwall Youth Council came in and held a meeting. From there, I got involved and it’s been a really positive experience.”
He also shared how youth voices are already influencing real change, highlighting his work on a volunteering campaign.
“I’ve been running a youth volunteering campaign alongside Volunteer Cornwall, and recently it’s been included in their five-year strategy. Cormac has also added family-friendly volunteering to their strategy, which means families can now volunteer together.”
Peter said seeing young people’s ideas taken seriously has been hugely encouraging.
“I’ve been working on this for over ten months, putting in a lot of time and effort, so seeing it recognised like that made me really happy.”
He added that adopting the UNCRC sends an important message to adults across Cornwall.
“Sometimes adults don’t quite realise how important young people are. We’re intelligent, we have strong views, and we deserve to be taken seriously.”
Members of Cornwall Youth Council also said:
“Children only have one chance at childhood; we need to ensure this is as good as we can make it. We aren’t just the future — we are the present.”
Cllr Leigh Frost said formally adopting the UNCRC builds on work already taking place across Cornwall.
“I am incredibly proud of all the work that has been going on to protect children’s rights and ensure young people’s voices are heard in decisions that affect them.
Formally adopting the UNCRC really cements this and shows our commitment to creating a better future for our children.”
Peter encouraged other young people to get involved in youth councils and groups.
“I’d really encourage young people to give it a go — whether that’s joining the Youth Council or a school council. It’s important, and it helps make people understand how important young people’s voices really are.”
More information about children’s rights in Cornwall is available on the council’s website. Schools interested in becoming rights-respecting can find out more through UNICEF UK’s Rights Respecting Schools Award.