On World Children’s Day, the Labour MPs Sarah Championand John McDonnell write to support the Hope instead of Handcuffs campaign
Saturday 20 November marks World Children’s Day, the anniversary of the UN general assembly’s adoption of the convention of the rights of the child (UNCRC). But despite the UK ratifying the UNCRC in 1991, many children in care are being treated in a way that violates this convention.
According to the UN committee on the rights of the child, restraint against children should only be used if the child poses an imminent danger to themselves or others, under the direct supervision of a medical professional, and only after all other measures have been exhausted. It should never be used to secure compliance or as a punishment, and all incidents should be recorded, monitored and evaluated by the state.
Shockingly, innocent children in care here in the UK are being placed in handcuffs by private providers when being transported. Ofsted has the power to record incidents of restraint in children’s homes, but there is no legal obligation on private transport providers to report any incidents of restraint. This has allowed a data gap to emerge, as there is no way to monitor the practice or hold private transport providers that violate children’s rights accountable.
The Hope instead of Handcuffs campaign is calling on the government to plug this data gap by mandating that all organisations involved in the transportation of children be legally obliged to report any incidents of restraint. Only then can we move one step closer to upholding the rights of these vulnerable children.
Sarah Champion MP
John McDonnell MP
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