Enhancing the use of Children's Rights Impact Assessments in ordinary and extraordinary times to understand the rights of children subject to statutory intervention in family life

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper draws on work undertaken to inform the alternative Children's Right Impact Assessment (CRIA) undertaken by the Observatory for Children's Human Rights Scotland (the observatory) in the early months of the impact of COVID-19 in the UK. With reference to children who are at risk of neglect and abuse, potentially subject to statutory intervention in family life, or living in care, the paper focuses on the purpose, process and value of children's rights impact assessments (CRIAs). It argues that wider understanding of the limitations of policy-making processes and close attention to existing limitations of CRIAs can help to enhance their effectiveness in achieving the realisation of children's rights in practice.