Homepage - Children Welfare Relief

Nov 13 2023

How healthy behaviour supports children’s wellbeing?

The wellbeing and health of children in England is of paramount importance now
and into the future, but compared to other Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries we could
be doing better. A recent report from the Children’s Society1 says that child wellbeing has dipped since 2008 after a period of improvement from 1994. It found that while four- fths of children are ‘ ourishing’, meaning they are satis ed as a whole and nd their lives worthwhile, 10%, or half a million, are ‘languishing’ and score poorly on measures of wellbeing.

Read document here

Admin 0 Comments

Nov 13 2023

Children’s rights

The full list of rights for children and young people under the age of 18 is set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most accepted standard on children’s rights in the world. Ireland committed to promote children’s rights when it signed up to the Convention in 1992.

Children’s rights include the right to health, education, family life, play and recreation, an adequate standard of living and to be protected from abuse and harm. Children’s rights cover their developmental and age-appropriate needs that change over time as a child grows up.

There are four general principles that underpin all children’s rights:

Non-discrimination means that all children have the same right to develop their potential in all situations and at all times. For example, every child should have equal access to education regardless of the child’s gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, parentage, sexual orientation or other status
The best interests of the child must be “a primary consideration” in all actions and decisions concerning a child, and must be used to resolve conflicts between different rights. For example, when making national budgetary decisions affecting children, Government must consider how cuts will impact on the best interests of the child
The right to survival and development underscores the vital importance of ensuring access to basic services and to equality of opportunity for children to achieve their full development. For example, a child with a disability should have effective access to education and health care to achieve their full potential
The views of the child mean that the voice of the child must be heard and respected in all matters concerning his or her rights. For example, those in power should consult with children before making decisions that will affect them.

Admin 0 Comments

Nov 13 2023

Internet safety for children

The Internet has brought the world into our homes and is a veritable treasure trove of information for all the family to explore. From homework help, to online gaming, messaging and researching, our children can gain a lot from the web.

But at the same time it’s essential we ensure our children’s safety online. They must use it responsibly and parents should take measures to protect them from potentially harmful content.

Internet safety and computer security for children

A good start is to learn a bit about the kind of things our children are interested in, help them locate suitable sites (which you can bookmark as favourites) before looking at additional software and browser functions to stop them stumbling across unsuitable sites. Another good tip is to encourage them to share information with us and talk about the sites they’ve visited from the very first time they use the web, this helps to create a sense of security, respect and openness that they can continue to apply as their use of the web increases.

Fortunately as the Internet grows, so do the governing bodies and protective powers that keep unsolicited, explicit and un-moderated sites in check – however, there is still a risk that your child might stumble upon something inappropriate so it’s essential to help them, talk to them and encourage them to be responsible at all times.

Below we have outlined some of the potential problems that threaten internet safety for children.

Top ten threats against internet safety for children

1- Explicit websites

Even the most innocent word when entered into a search engine can throw up links to websites full of inappropriate images. Without parental controls, many of these websites can be accessed freely by your children.

2- Inappropriate instructional websites

A simple homework task could accidentally give your child access to one of many ‘how-to’ websites. While most of these are genuine, some are more sinister with details on how to construct bombs, conceal anorexia or how to make and take illegal drugs.

3- Chat room safety

The dangers of paedophiles posing as children in Internet chat rooms is well known – but children still put themselves at risk by giving out their personal details in online chat rooms for teenagers.

4- Cyber bullying

Online bullying is a relatively new issue. Through the use of email, chat-rooms and forums, bullies can attack their victims with vicious messages.

5- Phishing

This is when you receive an email that looks as if it’s been sent by a genuine source, such as your bank or a well known website, but really they are ‘phishing’ for your password and account details, leaving you open to identity theft.

Admin 0 Comments