Children and Young People public policy

About the Children and Young People public policy

The first 5 years of a child's life have a lasting impact on who they become. It's crucial to give them a happy and healthy start, surrounded by positive and nurturing influences.

Good health is vital for children's well-being. It forms the foundation for a high-quality life. Healthy habits, easy access to healthcare, and broader factors like good housing, active transportation, and access to parks and natural spaces all contribute significantly to promoting a healthy childhood.

Education has a significant impact on adult life. Research shows that individuals who leave education early struggle to find employment, often ending up in low-paid and unstable jobs or experiencing long periods of unemployment. Successfully supporting the transition from education to the world of work is also key to other policy areas such as the economy and population.

Not all children in Jersey enjoy the same opportunities and life chances due to a variety of social and economic circumstances. It remains important Ministerial policy ambitions to create inclusive public services that promote, protect and safeguard children's wellbeing.

Key to informing and shaping ideas for progress in children's policy are the experiences of children and young people themselves. It's important that children are able to be heard, valued and involved in the decisions that affect their everyday lives. By engaging and listening to the diversity of children's experiences of growing up in Jersey will Government be able to understand their achievements and challenges.

The UK's ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was extended to Jersey at the Island's request in 2014. As a State Party to the UNCRC, the Island is subject to the monitoring and reporting processes of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and has an obligation to continue to pursue measures to further realise children's rights and implement the Convention.

The lead ministers for this area are Richard Vibert, for Children and Families, and Robert Ward, for Education and Lifelong Learning.

Children, Young People, Education and Skills department page

Strategies and policies

Strategy or policy	Description
Ministerial Plan (page 11)	Ministerial Plans set out a minister’s objectives and intentions for their term of government.
Children & Education: Delivery Plan	Delivery Plans set out the activities that government departments will undertake to deliver on the minister’s priorities.
Children and Young People's Plan (2019 to 2023)	Provides a set of priorities and outcomes which are endorsed by key partners and services.
Jersey's Children First	States that everyone who works with children and their families must understand their basic responsibility to ask questions when they think or believe that a child/young person is not okay, and to do something about it.
Children and Young People's Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy 2022 to 2025	Sets out actions for the next four years to promote children and young people's health and wellbeing, taking into account the impact of COVID-19.
Children's Participation Standards	Ensures that children and young people who choose to have a say are listened to, have their views included, and their contributions respected and acted upon.
Education Reform Programme	Aims to identify, evidence and action policy options that will deliver a high-quality and efficient education system, and which will provide better outcomes for students.
Independent School Funding Review (part of the Education Reform Programme)	Provides advice and guidance to improve the outcomes of the education system by recommending funding and structural changes needed to improve standards in education.
Language Policy for Jersey Education (part of the Education Reform programme)	Highlights English as an additional language (EAL) as an area for improvement and action.
Independent Review of Inclusive Education and Early Years (part of the Education Reform Programme)	Identifies opportunities for the Government of Jersey to 'put children first' and promote inclusion among children and young people.
A Post-16 Strategy for Jersey	Ensure that the Further Education is accessible, high quality and relevant to the wider workforce needs.
Children's Rights	Jersey has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and is committed to the implementation of children's human rights through legislation, policy and practice.
Domestic Abuse Strategy	Implementation through Multi-Agency Safeguarding Partnership Board sub-group
Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategy	Implementation through Multi-Agency Safeguarding Partnership Board sub-group
Multi Agency Child Neglect Strategy	Implementation through Multi-Agency Safeguarding Partnership Board sub-group