UNICEF Child Friendly City Framework: a rights based local planning approach Dave Pugh CEO St Luke’s Anglicare

What is childhood? “a time of play and learning, in which they are loved, respected and cherished, their rights are promoted and protected, without discrimination of any kind, in which their safety and well-being are paramount and in which they can develop in health, peace and dignity.” UN Special Resolution “A World Fit for Children” 2002

The City of Greater Bendigo is Australia’s first city to be recognised by Unicef as a ‘Child Friendly City” The came about from a joint project of St Luke’s ‘Communities for Children’ and the City of Greater Bendigo In reality we have a long way to go to truly implement the Unicef nine step model of a ‘Child Friendly City”

UNICEF’s nine key building blocks for a Child Friendly City 1.Children’s participation 2.A child-friendly legal framework 3.A city wide Children’s Rights Strategy 4.A Children’s Rights unit or coordination mechanism 5.Child impact assessment and evaluation 6.A children’s budget 7.A regular City’s Children’s Report 8.Making children’s rights known 9.Independent advocacy for children

1. Children’s participation Are children meaningfully and without discrimination consulted on all matters affecting them? Are “specialist” groups of children consulted and involved in “specialist” issues? (children in care on care issues; children in trouble on juvenile justice issues and so on)

2. A child-friendly legal framework Have local authorities reviewed all legislation under their control to ensure it respects the CRC?

3. A city wide Children’s Rights Strategy Are local authorities developing a children’s rights strategy focused on creating a Child Friendly City? In developing the Strategy, has there been widespread consultation to engage children and young people, NGOs and all those working with and for children in its preparation?

4. A Children’s Rights unit or coordination mechanism Is there an identifiable department, unit or coordinating mechanism within city government responsible for: promoting the Child Friendly City? ensuring co-ordination of policy affecting children? drafting and following through the Children’s Strategy?

5. Child impact assessment and evaluation Is there regular evaluation of the actual impact on children of aspects of city government? Do these processes involve children?

6. A children’s budget Are the overall city budget and the elements within it analysed adequately to reveal the proportion spent on children?

7. A regular City’s Children’s Report Is sufficient statistical and other information about children in the city collected to assess progress towards being a child friendly city? Is the report published and disseminated in ways which make it accessible to: key policy-makers? children and those working with and for children?

8. Making children’s rights known Has the city developed a strategy to ensure knowledge of and respect for children’s human rights among children and adults? Does initial and in-service training for all those who work with and for children include teaching about and promotion of respect for the human rights of children?

9. Independent advocacy for children Has local government developed a partnership with a broad and appropriate range of nongovernmental organisations? Has the city established/lobbied for the establishment of an independent human rights institution for children?

Bendigo Child Friendly City To fully implement the nine key elements of the Child-Friendly City Framework Bendigo has established a Child Friendly City Leadership Group to resource the process. The group is made up of Local Government Councillors, Senior bureaucrats, NGO leaders and children’s advocates and is auspiced by local government.

0-18 The Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Child-Friendly City Initiative embrace all children aged 0 -18, consequently the Bendigo Child-Friendly City Initiative will address this same age group.

Vision – “Putting Children and Young People First” Outcomes 1.Every child and young person is safe 2.Every child and young person is an (equal and) active citizen 3.Every child and young person is happy and healthy 4.Every child and young person learns and develops well

Outcome One - Every child and young person is safe Objective 1.That the Safe Community Forum identifies children and young persons safety issues as a priority Objective 2.To increase community knowledge of the importance of the rights of children, young people and their families to access safe play spaces

Outcome Two - Every child and young person is an (equal and) active citizen Objective 1.For all agencies to engage and listen to children and young people prior to taking action Objective 2.To increase family and community awareness about the importance of children and young people’s voices

Outcome Three - Every child and young person is happy and healthy Objective 1.To increase the Leadership Group’s understanding of the status of health and wellbeing of young people in the City of Greater Bendigo Objective 2.To increase the use of local data when influencing policy and practice in the local, state and national government arena

Outcome Four - Every child and young person learns and develops well Objective 1.To increase community knowledge about the factors that underpin children and young person’s learning and development Objective 2.To identify ways that a “Joined Up” approach might be utilized

Act Local Communities must continue to find ways to express locally that children are our priority. Place based and local planning are critical in ensuring a “A World fit for Children”. There is no single definition of a child-friendly city or what it should be. A child-friendly city however is one that actively engages children and is continuously monitoring and responding to the changing needs of children in their community.