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30 May 2007 News

NICCY rights questionnaire online

THE Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley, today invited Northern Ireland’s population to help gauge the state of children’s rights through online questionnaires.

The questionnaire is part of research into children’s rights in Northern Ireland that will help create the Commissioner’s corporate plan and priorities for 2008-2011.

“From today a questionnaire will be available on NICCY’s website asking people to help us plan our future work,” said Ms Lewsley.

“We want children, young people, parents, carers and adults who work with children to visit niccy.org, learn more about our work and complete the questionnaires.

“The responses, combined with work NICCY’s staff is carrying out with schools, youth groups and professionals, will help us create a better understanding of the state of children’s rights in Northern Ireland in 2007.”

External researchers are also reviewing policy, legislation and literature that affect children to see what changes there have been since NICCY launched in 2003.

Landmark research by Queen’s University, Belfast, and consultation with children, young people and other key audiences helped create NICCY’s first corporate plan and priorities.

“In the three years since the priorities were set some areas of children’s lives have got better. Other areas have got worse. And, there have been new issues which we hope will emerge during the course of the research,” said the Commissioner.

“I want as many as possible to take part in the research by completing the questionnaire and tell me the state of children’s rights in 2007.”

Notes for Editors

  • More information on the work of the Commissioner, together with previous research can also be found here on the website