Children’s rights are what every child and young person should have to help them grow up safe, healthy and happy. They’re not rewards or special privileges – they’re basic rights that belong to you just because you’re under 18.

Your rights cover everything from having a safe home and a good education, to being listened to, and getting help when you need it. They also mean being treated fairly, being protected from harm, and having the chance to play, rest and learn about your world.

The UNCRC

These rights are written down in an important international agreement called the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). It’s like a rulebook for how countries should treat children. There are 54 articles (or promises) in the UNCRC, and together they say that every child has the right to survive, to develop, to be protected, and to have their views taken seriously in decisions that affect them.

Jersey agreed to follow the UNCRC in 2014. That means the Government of Jersey has promised to make sure the laws, services and systems here respect and protect children’s rights.

The OCCJ

To help make sure that happens, the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for Jersey (OCCJ) was set up in 2019. Our job is to promote and protect children’s rights across the island. We’re independent from government, which means we can speak up freely when something isn’t right.

We listen to what children and young people tell us, and we make sure their voices are heard by the people who make decisions. We also check that laws and services are doing what they should to respect children’s rights – and if not, we challenge them to do better.

Most of all, we’re here to make sure every child in Jersey is treated with fairness, respect and dignity – and that their rights are present in everyday life, not just words on a piece of paper.