Everybody has rights, including children.

But what are children’s rights and how can we help support them? Rights make sure we’re all treated fairly and can reach our full potential.

Children have additional rights to adults. This is because children need extra protection and don’t have the independence adults do.

It’s up to all of us to speak up for our children and make sure their rights are being met. 

These rights are set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This is an internationally agreed document that recognises the importance of children’s rights and freedoms and always puts the best interests of the child first.

The UNCRC isn’t an additional ask or something to give you more to do. It provides us with the language to support your child whether at nursery, home or anywhere else.

Throughout your child’s learning journal, you will see these colourful symbols. Each of these symbols represent an article of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The convention has 54 articles that cover all aspects of a child’s life and set out the rights that all children everywhere are entitled to.

These are some of them:

It also explains how adults and governments must work together to make sure all children can enjoy all of their rights.

You will see images of an articles appear accross your child’s journal when they have been experiencing or learning about their rights. For more information, please visit

https://www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/un-convention-child-rights/