The Centre for the Child and Society at the University of Glasgow launched (29 March) a new teacher training resource on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Government commitment to the Convention underpins recent legislation including the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 2000.

By promoting understanding of the principles of the UN Convention, the materials aim to show how they might be applied to particular school situations and demonstrate that respect for the Convention leads to more effective learning and a good school ethos. It is hoped that schools will run the course as an in-service day and that all teacher education institutions will use the resource to teach the UN Convention.

Visiting Professor, Kathleen Marshall, former director of the Scottish Child Law Centre, and one of the authors of the resource, said: "In order to fully implement the new measures set out in the Schools Act, it will be helpful for teachers to be familiar with the UN Convention. Teachers involved in our pilot studies were very positive about it. They welcomed the opportunity to learn about the Convention and found it very enabling.

"The Convention is having an impact on all areas of children's lives, its basic philosophy is that listening to children and young people and taking account of their views leads to better decision-making and more respectful relationships."

The supporting video presents children speaking about their lives and their rights. It also features children and teachers from two schools in Stirling: Allans Primary, which has changed significantly to encourage a more participatory culture and St Modan's Secondary, whose ethos was much praised in a recent HMI report.

Further information:

• Roseann Maguire, Project Co-ordinator, Centre for the Child and Society, email: R.Maguire@socsci.gla.ac.uk, tel: 0141 339 8855 ext. 0275
• Professor Kathleen Marshall, email: childlaw@globalnet.c.uk,
  tel: 0141 616 2440
• University Press Office, tel: 0141 330 3535

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

Notes to Editors:

• Extracts from learning materials packs available on request.
• The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child teaching materials will be launched on Thursday 29th March at 6pm in the Senate Room, University Main Building, University Avenue. Pupils from pilot schools, teachers, Scottish Executive representatives and children's organisations will be amongst those attending.
• In 1989, The General Assembly of the United Nations passed the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It has become the fastest and most extensively ratified treaty in the history of international law. In the UK, ratification sets the Convention as an aspirational standard. It commits the government to taking steps to implement it through changes in law, policy and practice.
• This project is funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

  First published: 29 March 2001

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