Nursery World - Children must be given a voice

By Nigel Williams, Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People Children have a right to be heard. It's clearly stated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. But when I took up post as Commissioner I quickly learned that the voices of a group of children and young people were going unheard.

Children have a right to be heard. It's clearly stated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. But when I took up post as Commissioner I quickly learned that the voices of a group of children and young people were going unheard.

The reason appeared to be that a failing in health and personal social services meant these children (many under the age of five) were not receiving speech and language therapy when they needed it. Many faced an extraordinarily long wait.

Parents and children were frustrated. They knew therapists could help them find a voice, find a way to express their love, their wants, their needs and most of all how they felt. The system seemed not to be listening.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included