Inverclyde Council embarked on a transformative journey to better integrate children’s rights into their services and operational ethos through the IROC Award – Inverclyde Rights of the Child.
The IROC Award is a recognition programme co-designed with children and young people to encourage and celebrate the effective implementation of children's rights within organisations, particularly focusing on services that impact children and young people in Inverclyde. This award has been developed as part of the broader efforts to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into local practice.
Approach
Inverclyde Council recognised the need to shift from traditional reactive models to a proactive approach that embedded children's rights into their everyday work. The catalyst for this change was several feedback sessions from the community, including children and young people, highlighting the absence of a structured rights-based approach. With the IROC Award’s standards as a guiding framework, they were equipped to drive change across the organisation. This is an inclusive approach to supporting teams and organisations, working together to showcase the collective progression of children’s rights and participation across Inverclyde feeding into the reporting duty under the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) 2024.
The award asks organisations to adhere to four standards set by children and young people.
- 65% of staff have undertaken Children’s Rights training and can demonstrate knowledge and understating of the UNCRC.
- Awareness is raised within the wider Team/ Organisation by developing and displaying a Children’s Rights charter presenting articles most relevant to your service.
- Children and Young People are supported by creating child-friendly procedures to ensure they are informed and understand the purpose of the service/team
- An action plan is created displaying current work and areas of improvement that connects directly with Children’s Rights
Involvement of children and young people
Children and Young people are included in all stages of the award from name, design, promotion, assessing information and evidence, sending out certification and helping select the information from each participating team/organisation to develop the local children’s rights report.
Resource implications
Required resources include commitment from senior management and the garnering of support from elected members, ensuring the changes had a strong backing and were prioritised across the board. Training materials, expertise in children’s rights, and funding for promotional activities were also essential, supported by strategic planning focused on long-term impact.
Changes and outcomes
The organisation noticed progress following the implementation of this awards-based framework. There was a notable increase in staff participation in children’s rights training sessions, ensuring over 65% of their team became well-versed in these crucial tenets. Additionally, the development and display of Children's Rights Charters tailored to their services enabled a consistent reminder and celebration of these rights.
Overcoming challenges
One major challenge was resistance to change, particularly from sectors within the organisation accustomed to traditional methods of operation. Through persistent advocacy, educational workshops, and leadership endorsement, these barriers were gradually dismantled. Another challenge was ensuring the integration of children's rights was not just superficial. This required continuous monitoring and adjustments to strategies based on feedback from children and stakeholders.
Lessons and future plans
From this experience, other organisations could learn the importance of genuine commitment to children's rights, not only as a compliance measure but as a core organisational value. Involving children and young people in the design and implementation stages of the Award contributes significantly to the success of such initiatives.
Looking forward, the Inverclyde Council plans to maintain and enhance their commitment to children's rights through continuous education, updating of practices, and re-evaluation through the IROC Award standards every three years. They intend to remain leaders in adopting a children’s rights-based approach, ensuring sustainability through ongoing learning, adaptation, and community engagement.
The most relevant UNCRC Articles covered in this case study:
Article 3: Best interests of the child
The framework prioritises children’s rights and their best interests, integrating these into everyday operations and decision-making.
Article 4: Implementation of rights
The award supports organisations in actively implementing children's rights, moving from reactive to proactive practices.
Article 12: Respect for the views of the child
The IROC Award involves children and young people in its design and implementation, ensuring their voices and perspectives are central to the process.
Article 17: Access to information
Through creating child-friendly procedures and charters, the initiative encourages children to express their views and understand their rights.
Article 42: Knowledge of rights
Training and awareness-raising activities ensure staff and organisations are knowledgeable about the UNCRC, promoting wider understanding and application.
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