Dorset to become ‘Rights Respecting Authority’ for young people

Dorset Council has announced it is to be the first unitary authority to become a 'Rights Respecting Authority' for young people – making a public commitment to “child centred decision making”.

During a meeting of full council on 15 May, councillors unanimously backed the motion to formally embed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into its policies and practices.

The UNCRC is a legally-binding international agreement setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion or abilities.

The council noted: “It recognises that children, by virtue of their age and vulnerability, require specific protections and the freedom to grow, learn, and thrive in safe, supportive environments.”

In passing the motion, Dorset will become the first unitary authority to be a rights respecting council.

Cllr Duncan Sowry-House, who proposed the motion, said: “This motion makes a clear, public commitment to becoming a Rights Respecting Authority — an authority that does more than care for its children and young people, it actively empowers them.

“This is not about symbolic gestures. It is about embedding a culture of respect, inclusion, and child-centred decision-making into the very fabric of our policies and services. We already have a strong foundation with Dorset Council’s 10-year plan for children, young people, and families. Now is the time to strengthen that foundation by explicitly aligning it with the UNCRC.”

Cllr Clare Sutton, Cabinet member for Children’s Services, seconded the motion and added: “Ever since I was first elected I’ve had a nagging concern that children and young people are not as much at the forefront of our collective mind as they should be: they don’t email us about parking or planning issues, and they don’t get to vote.

“By passing this motion, we take a significant step towards putting them at the heart of all we do.”

Lottie Winson