Reprinted as at
1 December 2020
Children’s Commissioner Act 2003
Schedule 2
mary responsibility for the upbringing and development of the child. The best
interests of the child will be their basic concern.
2.
For the purpose of guaranteeing and promoting the rights set forth in the
present Convention, States Parties shall render appropriate assistance to parents
and legal guardians in the performance of their child-rearing responsibilities
and shall ensure the development of institutions, facilities and services for the
care of children.
3.
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that children of
working parents have the right to benefit from childcare services and facilities
for which they are eligible.
Article 19
1.
States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and
educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental
violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or
exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child.
2.
Such protective measures should, as appropriate, include effective procedures
for the establishment of social programmes to provide necessary support for
the child and for those who have the care of the child, as well as for other
forms of prevention and for identification, reporting, referral, investigation,
treatment and follow-up of instances of child maltreatment described heretofore, and, as appropriate, for judicial involvement.
Article 20
1.
A child temporarily or permanently deprived of his or her family environment,
or in whose own best interests cannot be allowed to remain in that environment, shall be entitled to special protection and assistance provided by the
State.
2.
States Parties shall in accordance with their national laws ensure alternative
care for such a child.
3.
Such care could include, inter alia, foster placement, kafalah of Islamic law,
adoption or if necessary placement in suitable institutions for the care of children. When considering solutions, due regard shall be paid to the desirability of
continuity of a child’s upbringing and to the child’s ethnic, religious, cultural
and linguistic background.
Article 21
States Parties that recognise and/or permit the system of adoption shall ensure that the
best interests of the child shall be the paramount consideration and they shall:
(a)
Ensure that the adoption of a child is authorised only by competent authorities
who determine, in accordance with applicable law and procedures and on the
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