Rights Guides for Children and Young People

The following publications are FREE to download and are written specifically for Children and Young People. They are produced for you by Participation Works. 

Your rights to be heard – introductory guides for children and young people in England - This document summarises the information from all four guides.

Your rights to be heard in school – a guide for children and young people in England - This guide helps you know your rights to be heard and taken seriously if:

• You want to have more of a say in your education
• You want to get involved in the way your school is run
• You have been excluded from school
• You want to make a complaint about your education.

Your rights to be heard when you are in contact with health services – a guide for children and young people in England - This guide helps you know your rights to be heard and taken seriously if:

• You are in contact with a doctor or other health professional (including a dentist)
• You are in contact with mental health services
• You are seeing a counsellor
• You are staying in hospital.

Your rights to be heard when you are in contact with the police and the courts – a guide for children and young people in England - This guide helps you know your rights to be heard and taken seriously if:

• You have been stopped by the police
• You have been arrested
• You have been charged with committing a crime
• You are in contact with a youth offending team
• You are due to appear in court
• You are spending time in custody.

Your rights to be heard when you are in contact with children’s services – a guide for children and young people in England - This guide helps you know your rights to be heard and taken seriously if:

• A family court is making decisions about you
• You have a social worker
• You think you need a social worker
• You live in a children’s home or with foster carers
• You are going to be, or have been, adopted
• You are in contact with a youth offending team
• You get help because you are disabled
• You get help because you are an asylum seeker.

Other useful reading

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has published Young people: know your rights to fair treatment. This provides advice resources for young people experiencing discrimination around knowing their rights and getting help and advice.

Organisations

Participation Works is a group of six children and young people’s national charities that works together to improve your rights tobe heard and taken seriously. We have written four guides for children and young people living in England to help you understand your rights to be heard in different situations – at school; if you are in contact with health services; if you are in contact with children’s services; and if you are in contact with the police and criminal courts.