Proposed Budget (Government Plan) 2026-2029 (P.70/2025): eighth amendment (P.70/2025 Amd.(8)) – Children’s Rights Impact Assessment
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STATES OF JERSEY
PROPOSED BUDGET (GOVERNMENT PLAN) 2026-2029 (P.70/2025): EIGHTH AMENDMENT(P.70/2025 AMD.(8)) – CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Presented to the States on 21st November 2025
by Deputy L.K.F. Stephenson of St. Mary , St. Ouen and St. Peter
STATES GREFFE
2025 P.70 Amd.(8) Add.
CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IMPACT ASSESSMENT (CRIA)
PART 1: SCREENING
Deputy L. Stephenson of St. Mary , St Name and title of Duty Bearer:
Ouen and St. Peter
Type of Duty Bearer:
(Minister, Elected Member or States Elected Member Assembly Body)
Assessment completed by (if not
completed by duty bearer):
Date: 20. 11.2025
1) Name and brief description of the proposed decision Decision' means: • an Assembly proposition • an amendment (or further amendment) to a proposition • for Ministerial duty-bearers, policy under development |
Amendment to the Budget 2026-2029 which proposes the introduction of a new sport and PE addition to the Jersey Premium for eligible primary school children. |
2) Which groups of children and young people are likely to be affected? Groups of children could include early years, primary or secondary education; young adults; children with additional learning needs; disabled children; children living in poverty; children from particular ethnic backgrounds; migrants; refugees; care experienced children and LGBTQ+ children |
Primary school children. Those eligible for the Jersey Premium (from families that are eligible for Income Support, have been in Jersey for less than 5 years but would otherwise qualify for Income Support, and children who are or have ever been looked after) would be directly impacted. However, all children in a school could potentially benefit depending on the projects which are funded by the extra money and their reach. |
3) What is the likely impact of the proposed decision on children and on their rights? Impacts may be positive or negative, direct or indirect Include whether different groups of children will be affected differently by the decision |
Positive and direct impacts on children's health and wellbeing, their right to play and relax and educational opportunities. |
4) Is a full Children's Rights Impact Assessment required? If you have identified impacts on children and their rights, a full CRIA should be completed. If no impacts are identified then a Full CRIA is not required, but please explain your rationale and how you reached this conclusion |
As this is an amendment to the Budget a full CRIA is not required. However, given the nature of the amendment and its direct relevance to children and their rights a full CRIA has been completed. |
If screening determines that a full CRIA is needed, complete Part 2
Part 2: FULL CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IMPACT ASSESSMENT
5) What will be the impacts (positive or negative) of the proposed decision on children's rights?
For each of the UNCRC articles described below, click to identify any that may be relevant ☒
Category UNCRC Article Impact? YES NO
Non-discrimination (Art 2) ☐ ☐x Best interests of the Child (Art 3) to be a top priority ☐ ☐x
Guiding
Principles Right to Life survival and development (Art 6) ☐x ☐
Respect for the child's views (Art 12) ☐ ☐x Right to birth registration, name and nationality (Art 7) ☐ ☐x Right to an identity (Art 8) ☐ ☐x Freedom of expression (Art 13) ☐ ☐x
Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion (Art 14)
Every child has the right to think and believe what they ☐ ☐x Civil Rights choose
Freedom of association (Art 15)
& Freedoms Every child has the right to meet with other children ☐x ☐ and to join groups and organisations
Rlifieght to Privacy (Art 16) including family and home ☐ ☐x Access to information from the media (Art 17)
Right to access reliable information from a variety of ☐ ☐x sources, in a format that children can understand
Protinhuemctaneion tagareatimnsentt to orrtur pe uniorshm otherentcr(uAelrt, d 37(egra)adi) ng or ☐ ☐x Respect for the responsibilities, rights and duties of
parents (or where applicable, extended family or ☐ ☐x Family community) to guide their child as they grow up (Art 5)
Environment
and Rdeveesponslopmibenilitt ofies tofhe boir chith pld ar(entArts 18in )t he upbringing and ☐ ☐x Alternative
Care Cagahiilndstren themiusr wt noill unt beles ses ipart iats ied n tfheromir btesheti irnparterentests s (Art ☐ ☐x 9)
| Family reunification (Art 10) | ☐ | ☐x |
Abduction and non-return of children abroad (Art 11) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Right to a standard of living that is good enough to meet the child's physical and social needs and support their development (Art 27) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Special protection for children unable to live with their family (Art 20) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Best interests of the child in the context of Adoption (Art 21) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Review of treatment whilst in care (Art 25) If a child has been placed away from home for the purpose of care or protection (for example, with a foster family or in hospital), they have the right to a regular review of their treatment, the way they are cared for and their wider circumstances. | ☐ | ☐x | |
Protection from violence, abuse or neglect (Art 19) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Recovery from trauma and reintegration (Art 39) Children who have experienced neglect, abuse, exploitation, torture or who are victims of war must receive special support to help them recover their health, dignity, self-respect and social life. | ☐x | ☐ | |
Basic Health and Welfare | Rights of disabled children (Art 23) | ☐ | ☐x |
Right to health and health services (Art 24) | ☐x | ☐ | |
Right to social security (Art 26) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Right to adequate standard of living (Art 27) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities | Right to education (Art 28) | ☐x | ☐ |
Goals of education (Art 29) Education must develop every child's personality, talents and abilities to the full | ☐x | ☐ | |
Leisure, play and culture (Art 31) Every child has the right to relax, play and take part in cultural and artistic activities | ☐x | ☐ | |
Special Protection Measures | Special protection for refugee children (Art 22) | ☐ | ☐x |
Children and armed conflict (Art 38 and Optional Protocol #1) Governments must do everything they can to protect and care for children affected by war and armed conflict. | ☐ | ☐x |
| Children and juvenile justice (Art 40) Right to be treated with dignity and respect, right to legal assistance and a fair trial that takes account of age. | ☐ | ☐x |
Inhumane treatment and detention (Art 37 (b)-(d)) Children should be arrested, detained or imprisoned only as a last resort and for the shortest time possible. | ☐ | ☐x | |
Recovery from trauma and reintegration (Art 39) Children who have experienced neglect, abuse, exploitation, torture or who are victims of war must receive special support to help them recover their health, dignity, self-respect and social life | ☐x | ☐ | |
Child labour and right to be protected from economic exploitation (Art 32) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Drug abuse (Art 33) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Sexual exploitation (Art 34) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Abduction, sale and trafficking of children (Art 35) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Protection from other forms of exploitation including for political activities, by the media or for medical research (Art 36) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Children belonging to a minority or an indigenous group (Art 30) | ☐ | ☐x | |
Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography | ☐ | ☐x | |
Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict | ☐ | ☐x |
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6) Information and research What evidence has been used to inform your assessment? | ||
Evidence collected (include links to relevant publications) | What did the evidence tell you? | What are the data gaps, if any? |
A Review of Sport and Physical Activity in Jersey Jersey Children and Young People's Survey report 2024 | Provided a useful definition of sport and physical education and included recommendations about improving school PE The survey showed that just one in five children in Jersey are meeting the recommended levels of |
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Value of Sport report Jersey Child Measurement Programme 2024-2025 report Inspiring an Active Jersey Inspiring an Active Jersey Update Report and Next Steps Jersey Population Health Prevention Strategy 2023-2027 Children, Young People and Families plan 2024 | physical activity per week. It also provided evidence of clear links between the amount of sport and physical activity children take part in outside of school and family finances. Evidence of the net value health benefits achieved through participation in sport and physical activity in Jersey in 2019 and the total number of disease cases prevented. The survey provided evidence of the percentages of primary school children who are overweight or obese and that child obesity levels in Jersey are stable', albeit at a level which is higher than I believe we should consider acceptable. Government targets and ambitions on sport and physical activity levels, including for children. Details the work that has been undertaken since the document above was developed and the direction of travel towards those goals now. Sets out government policy and ambition on health prevention. Sets out government policy and ambitions relating to children, young people and families, including focus on the rights of children to enjoy the best health as they grow up, have space and opportunities to play and being able to make healthy lifestyle choices. | Did not refer to children specifically. Did not ask those same children about their exercise habits. |
7) Engagement with children What groups of children and young people (or those who speak on their behalf, such as social workers, teachers or youth workers) have been directly or indirectly involved in developing the decision? | ||
Groups consulted | How they were involved | What were the findings? |
Children and young people via the Jersey Children and Young People Survey 2024 | All children in school years 4,6,8,10 and 12 were invited to take part in the survey during school time in the autumn term of 2024. Home educated students were also invited to take part. They were asked questions on a range of topics including health, food, exercise, bullying, alcohol, smoking, drugs, leisure time and attitudes to gender stereotypes. | Large amounts of data and statistics about children's views and experiences living in Jersey were collected. Those relevant to this amendment included data on how much time children spend exercising and how they do it, including taking part in extra curricular sport. It also included data about how family finances impact the amount of sport and physical activity young people take part in outside of school. The data clearly shows that those from families on lower incomes take part in less sport and physical activity outside of school. |
8) Assessing Impact on children's rights Based on the information collected and analysed above, what likely impact will the proposed decision have on the specific children's rights identified in question 5)? | ||
Relevant UNCRC Articles (rights) identified in Q5 | Describe the positive or negative impacts on these rights | Which group(s) of children are likely to be affected? |
Articles 6, 15,39, 24, 28, 29, 31, | This amendment would have largely positive impacts on these rights, helping to promote and fulfil those rights which relate to education, health and wellbeing, the right to play, join and attend groups, and to fulfil their own potential. It would do this by increasing |
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| access to sport and physical activity opportunities and strengthening the support networks within schools to provide improved physical education opportunities. Article 39 is also relevant because all children who are or who have been a child looked after will be eligible for the extra funding, via their schools. This is an important part of supporting those children, some of whom may well have suffered from abuse or neglect in the past. |
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9) Weighing positive and negative impacts • If a negative impact is identified for any area of rights or any group of children and young people, what options are there to modify the proposed decision to mitigate the impact? • Could any positive impacts be enhanced? | ||
No negative impacts have been identified. All the positive impacts could be enhanced by making the funding available to a wider group of children and young people. However, this must be balanced with the pressures on public finances. By proposing a pilot project it enables the scheme to first prove its impact before then potentially being opened up to a wider group and made permanent. Children could be involved in helping schools to make decisions about how to spend the money to ensure their voices are being heard. | ||
10) Conclusions In summary, what are your key findings on the impact of the proposed decision on the rights of Jersey children? |
The amendment as proposed would have overwhelmingly positive impacts on the rights of Jersey children, helping to enhance and improve the opportunities available to them to take part in sport and physical activity. The amendment focuses on the health and wellbeing of children and aims to develop healthy attitudes and relationships with sport and physical activity from a young age, thereby enabling children to better embrace their rights in this area. Although targeted at some of the most vulnerable children in our community, depending on how schools choose to |
spend the money then the amendment would likely have positive impacts for groups beyond those directly eligible.