Proposed Budget 2027-2030 (P.73/2026) – Children’s Rights Impact Assessment

Project

Minister

Screener

Full CRIA

Emergency Services Control Centre

Minister for Justice and Home Affairs

States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Services

Minister for Justice and Home Affairs

Building a Safer Community (Violence Against Women and Girls)

Minister for Justice and Home Affairs

Community Cost Bonus

Minister for Social Security

Family Support Payment

Minister for Social Security

Early Years Budget Nursery 2 – 3-year-olds

Minister for Education and Li felong Learning

School Meals

Minister for Education and Li felong Learning

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

Proposed decision: Investment in the Emergency Services Control Centre (ESCC) Delivery Plan and associated staffing, governance, training and service improvements.

Brief description:

The proposed decision seeks approval for continued investment in the Emergency Services Control Centre (ESCC) to strengthen the delivery of emergency call handling and dispatch services for the States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service and Ambulance Service. The proposal focuses on improving operational resilience, staff capability, governance, quality assurance, training, supervision and service performance while developing evidence to inform the future operating model for emergency service control functions.

The investment supports improvements in emergency response arrangements, management oversight, business continuity, professional standards compliance and service quality. The overall objective is to provide safer, more resilient and effective emergency service coordination for Islanders and to reduce identified operational and organisational risks within the current model.

2)  Which groups of children are likely to be affected?

Groups of children could include early years, primary or secondary education; young adults;

children with additional educational needs; disabled children; children living in poverty; children

from particular ethnic backgrounds; migrants; refugees; care experienced children and LGBTQ+

children

The proposal has the potential to affect all children and young people in Jersey, both directly and indirectly, particularly where emergency services are required in response to incidents involving children, families or communities.

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

The impact is expected to be universal but predominately positive across the Island because all children may at some point require support from emergency services, either directly or through incidents affecting their family or carers.

The proposal is intended to improve the effectiveness, resilience and quality of emergency call handling and dispatch arrangements. Children will benefit from improved emergency response coordination, strengthened governance, enhanced staff training, better quality assurance processes and improved operational resilience across ambulance and fire services. These improvements are intended to support faster, safer and more effective responses to emergencies involving children and young people.

4)  Is a full Child Rights Impact Assessment required?

If you have identified impacts on children and their rights, a full CRIA should be completed. If

no impacts or only negligible impacts are identified then a Full CRIA is not required, but please

explain your rationale and how you reached this conclusion

Conclusion: No full CRIA required.

Although the proposal has identifiable impacts on children and their rights, these impacts are indirect, broadly positive and arise from organisational improvements to emergency service infrastructure, governance, staffing and operational arrangements rather than changes to services specifically directed at children.

The proposal is not specifically directed at children and young people and does not alter children's rights, access to services, legal status, opportunities or entitlements. The anticipated impact is therefore indirect and beneficial, with no evidence of adverse consequences for any particular group of children.

However, children and young people may experience indirect positive effects through improved emergency response capability, enhanced public safety, strengthened resilience planning and a reduced risk of harm arising from fire and major incidents.

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

B26-020 SJFRS Round 2 Investment. This proposal seeks approval for a phased investment programme in the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service between 2027 and 2030. A key objective is to increase the number of firefighters available during the initial response to high-rise residential building fires, improving public safety, reducing fire spread and enhancing rescue capability.

2)  Which groups of children are likely to be affected?

Groups of children could include early years, primary or secondary education; young adults;

children with additional educational needs; disabled children; children living in poverty; children

from particular ethnic backgrounds; migrants; refugees; care experienced children and LGBTQ+

children

Children living in or visiting high-rise and multi-occupancy residential buildings; disabled children and children with additional needs; children living in social or affordable housing; children living in relative poverty and children who may be affected by fire and rescue emergencies. The impact is indirect but applies to all children who may be present in residential buildings or other buildings subject to fire.

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

The proposal is expected to have a positive indirect impact on children. The business case references the Grenfell Tower fire, in which 18 children lost their lives. Increasing the number of firefighters available in the initial weight of attack at a high-rise fire will improve firefighting, rescue and evacuation capability and assist in mitigating fire spread. This has the potential to reduce the risk of death or serious injury for residents, including children and other vulnerable persons.

The proposal supports Article 6 of the UNCRC (Right to Li fe, Survival and Development), Article 3 (Best Interests of the Child) and Article 24 (Right to Heal th). No negative impacts on children's rights have been identified, no groups of children will be treated differently.

4)  Is a full Child Rights Impact Assessment required?

If you have identified impacts on children and their rights, a full CRIA should be completed. If

no impacts or only negligible impacts are identified then a Full CRIA is not required, but please

explain your rationale and how you reached this conclusion

No. The proposal does not directly change services provided to children and does not introduce any negative impacts on children's rights. The identified impacts are indirect and wholly positive, arising from enhanced fire and rescue operational capability and improved protection of life. Therefore, completion of the screening stage is considered sufficient.

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

BASC VAWG Business Case  

This business case has been designed to support the Government of Jersey to deliver its commitments in relation to work to address the issue of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Jersey. In particular, funding and resource is requested to support the delivery of the following commitments:

• Operationalisation of the package of VAWG legislation and associated demand-led funding based on service demand across the criminal justice system.

• Delivery of the recommendations made in the Laws' Review (published Feb 2026) and the Markham Review (scheduled publication Dec 2026).

• Delivery of the remaining VAWG Taskforce recommendations as per the Chief Minister's Commitment in 2024.

• Transitioning into a long-term multi-agency workstream to address VAWG through the establishment of the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Harms (DASH) Partnerships which sits under the Building a Safer Community (BASC) Framework.

2)  Which groups of children are likely to be affected?

Groups of children could include early years, primary or secondary education; young adults;

children with additional educational needs; disabled children; children living in poverty; children

from particular ethnic backgrounds; migrants; refugees; care experienced children and LGBTQ+

children

VAWG impacts children from all demographic backgrounds. It impacts their family life, their friendships, their education, the way they experience the world around them, and shapes what their adult life will look like in the future. As such, all groups of children will be impacted if the Assembly decides to release funding to support the delivery of commitments to address VAWG on the island.

Children with adverse childhood experiences, additional educational needs, disabled children, children living in poverty, children from particular ethnic backgrounds, migrants, refugees, care experienced children and LGBTQ+ children are all disproportionately impacted by the issue of VAWG and are therefore more likely to be more significantly impacted by work to address this problem.

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

VAWG Legislation

A decision to release funds to support the operationalisation of the VAWG legislation will directly impact children.

Positive impact: It will support the effective implementation of this new legislation, which should result in a safer island for children and better awareness across the community that all forms of VAWG are unacceptable. The VAWG legislation is already covered by a separate CRIA.

Negative impact: The implementation of new legislation to address VAWG behaviours may impact some young people who engage in some of these behaviours without the emotional maturity or awareness to recognise the seriousness of their actions. The VAWG legislation is already covered by a separate CRIA.

Delivery of independent review recommendations

A decision to release funds to support the delivery of the recommendations made in the Markham review will have a direct and positive impact. In particular, it will improve the way children are treated and listened to during family law proceedings that involve allegations of domestic abuse.

Delivery of remaining VAWG Taskforce recommendations

A decision to release funds to support the delivery of the remaining recommendations made by the VAWG Taskforce will have a positive impact on

young people. In particular, the delivery of recommendations relating to improving education about VAWG issues across schools will support and empower children and young people with the knowledge and awareness they need to engage in healthy relationships. The delivery of recommendations relating to improving data collection on VAWG will also support children as it will allow the development of future policy and funding allocation decisions to be based on a more robust dataset.

Establishment of the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Harms Partnership

A decision to release funds to support the establishment of the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Harms Partnership will have an indirect, positive impact on young people by ensuring that work to address VAWG issues remains an ongoing priority for Government, and improving the way work to address these issues is coordinated and delivered across the Island.

4)  Is a full Child Rights Impact Assessment required?

If you have identified impacts on children and their rights, a full CRIA should be completed. If

no impacts or only negligible impacts are identified then a Full CRIA is not required, but please

explain your rationale and how you reached this conclusion

A full Child Rights Impact Assessment is not required for the following reasons:

• The impact of the VAWG legislation has already been considered in detail in a full CRIA for the VAWG legislation.

• The majority of the VAWG Taskforce recommendations have been completed. Further work to deliver the outstanding recommendations and develop education and data collection related to VAWG will be considered in separate CRIA screeners, where deemed necessary.

• The Domestic Abuse and Sexual Harms Partnership has already been established, and work is ongoing which benefits children and the wider public. If further work undertaken by the Partnership is thought to have implications for children's rights then this will be considered in a separate CRIA screener.

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

The Government plans to take targeted action to support Islanders with the cost of living and this is a Common Strategic Policy (CSP) priority.

The 2027 Budget therefore includes a targeted package of measures focused on families, lower and middle-income households, and those most affected by ongoing cost pressures. Targeted support will be provided through an additional payment of £200 to households eligible for the Community Costs Bonus.

2)  Which groups of children are likely to be affected?

Groups of children could include early years, primary or secondary education; young adults;

children with additional educational needs; disabled children; children living in poverty; children

from particular ethnic backgrounds; migrants; refugees; care experienced children and LGBTQ+

children

The Community Costs Bonus is a non-statutory scheme that is only available to adults that meet certain eligibility criteria – this will include households with children, but there is no direct impact on children or their rights as a result of these proposals. If approved, eligible households will benefit from extra financial support.

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

The Community Costs Bonus is a non-statutory scheme that is only available to adults that meet certain eligibility criteria – this will include households with children but there is no direct impact on children or their rights as a result of these

proposals. If approved, eligible households will benefit from extra financial support.

4)  Is a full Child Rights Impact Assessment required?

If you have identified impacts on children and their rights, a full CRIA should be completed. If

no impacts or only negligible impacts are identified then a Full CRIA is not required, but please

explain your rationale and how you reached this conclusion

A full CRIA is not required for these proposals. The scheme is available to eligible adult households. Households with children will/may benefit from this additional financial support but there is no direct impact on children or their rights.

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

The Government plans to take targeted action to support Islanders with the cost of living and this is a Common Strategic Policy (CSP) priority.

The 2027 Budget therefore includes a targeted package of measures focused on families, lower and middle-income households, and those most affected by ongoing cost pressures. Targeted support will be provided through a Family Support Payment (£250) for households with school age children.

2)  Which groups of children are likely to be affected?

Groups of children could include early years, primary or secondary education; young adults;

children with additional educational needs; disabled children; children living in poverty; children

from particular ethnic backgrounds; migrants; refugees; care experienced children and LGBTQ+

children

If agreed and established via a non-statutory route, the Family Support Payment scheme will see additional financial support provided to eligible lower/middle income adults/families with school age children.

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

There are no impacts on the rights of children as a result of these proposals. The Family Support Payment will be available to eligible parents with school age children.

4)  Is a full Child Rights Impact Assessment required?

If you have identified impacts on children and their rights, a full CRIA should be completed. If

no impacts or only negligible impacts are identified then a Full CRIA is not required, but please

explain your rationale and how you reached this conclusion

A full CRIA is not required for these proposals. The scheme will only be available to eligible adults with school age children. Children will benefit from this additional financial support but there is no direct impact on children's rights.

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

Further investment in early years is proposed via the Government Budget 2027- 2030 to extend nursery and childcare funding for 2- to 3-year-olds, as prioritised in the Common Strategic Policy 2026-2030.

This additional investment remains in keeping with the evidence base. The initial CRIA has been reviewed and updated where necessary: P-70-2025-Add.pdf.

International evidence shows that children who attend high-quality early childhood education and care are more likely to succeed in school, graduate and secure good jobs. They are less likely to engage in criminal activities or rely on social welfare. The return on investment is substantial. Given the importance of early years on child development, a balanced approach is required to ensure that the best interests of the child are met in addition to the needs of parents and the economy.

2)  Which groups of children are likely to be affected?

Groups of children could include early years, primary or secondary education; young adults;

children with additional educational needs; disabled children; children living in poverty; children

from particular ethnic backgrounds; migrants; refugees; care experienced children and LGBTQ+

children

Early Years - a universal offer for children aged 2 to 3 years. Year of eligibility is the academic year before Nursery Education Fund (NEF) eligibility to align policies. Different service models for children aged 2 to 3 years with additional needs were successfully piloted and tested. Funding for these programmes has continued alongside the universal offer. Since its inception the scheme has been expanded to include funding for those children in the care of accredited nannies. This means a wider cohort of children are now eligible to access the funding.

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

Providing children with the best possible start to life is a critical priority for families and is essential for the Island's future, this requires an increased investment in early childhood education and care.

Articles 2,3,6 &12 - non-discrimination, best interests of the child, right to life and views of the child. Articles 28 & 29 – access to education and aims of education.

4)  Is a full Child Rights Impact Assessment required?

If you have identified impacts on children and their rights, a full CRIA should be completed. If

no impacts or only negligible impacts are identified then a Full CRIA is not required, but please

explain your rationale and how you reached this conclusion

Yes. Full CRIA required.

Non-discrimination (Art 2)

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Best interests of the Child (Art 3) to be a top priority

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Right to Li fe survival and development (Art 6)

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Respect for the child's views (Art 12)

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Right to birth registration, name and nationality (Art 7)

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Right to an identity (Art 8)

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Freedom of expression (Art 13)

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Freedom of thought and religion (Art 14)

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Freedom of association (Art 15)

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Right to Privacy (Art 16) including family and home life

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Right to access reliable information in a format children can understand (Art 17)

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Protection from torture or other cruel, degrading or inhumane treatment or punishment (Art 37(a))

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Responsibilities of both parents in the upbringing and development of their child (Art 18)

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No separation from parents unless it is in the child's best interests (Art 9)

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Keeping Families together (family reunification) (Art 10)

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Protection from kidnapping (Art 11)

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Right to an adequate standard of living (Art 27)

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Special protection for children unable to live with their family (Art 20)

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Best interests of adopted children (Art 21)

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Review of treatment whilst in care (Art 25)

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Protection from violence, abuse or neglect (Art 19)

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Recovery from trauma and reintegration (Art 39)

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Basic Heal th and Welfare

Rights of disabled children (Art 23)

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Right to health and health services (Art 24)

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Right to social security (Art 26)

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Right to an adequate standard of living (Art 27)

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Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities

Access to education (Art 28)

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Aims of education: to develop every child's personality, talents and abilities to the full (Art 29)

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Right to rest, play, culture and arts (Art 31)

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Special Protection Measures

Protection for refugee children (Art 22)

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Children and armed conflict (Art 38 and Optional Protocol #1)

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Children and juvenile justice (Art 40)

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Inhumane treatment and detention (Art 37 (b)-(d))

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Recovery from trauma and reintegration (Art 39)

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Child labour and right to be protected from economic exploitation (Art 32)

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Drug abuse (Art 33)

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Sexual exploitation (Art 34)

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Abduction, sale and trafficking of children (Art 35)

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Protection from all other forms of exploitation (including political/media/medical research) (Art 36)

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Children belonging to a minority or an indigenous group (Art 30)

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Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography

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Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict

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Evidence collected (include links to relevant publications)

What did the evidence tell you?

What are the data gaps, if any?

International – Greater investment in family- friendly policies and affordable childcare is linked to greater opportunities for women and better outcomes for children. Early Childhood Development

Messages for Jersey from the UK and international evidence on optimising early childhood education and childcare (ECEC):

•Participation in ECEC can have transformative, positive effects on young children.

•The benefits to children's outcomes from high-quality ECEC are significant.

Data gaps identified included robust workforce data and the views of parents and carers.

The Early Childhood Education and Care Survey has now been conducted for three years.

The Government of Jersey commissioned the ISOS Partnership to consult with parents and carers to build a clearer picture of their:

• needs

• expectations

• barriers to accessing childcare

• priorities for change

Both reports are published here: Early Years Policy work

- UNICEF Vision for

Every Child.pdf

Local – ISOS Partnership evidence base and roundtables: Early Years Policy work  

SEED (Study of Early Education & Development) is a major longitudinal study into the impact of childcare on children throughout their childhood. SEED

3)  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?

Possibly the most challenging aspect of completing a CRIA is to capture children's voices, but

their views in relation to the proposed decision must be considered. This can include references to

secondary sources such as published reports and surveys. If no information exists on a particular

topic, or if the decision will have a substantial impact, direct engagement with children may be

appropriate.

Groups consulted

How they were involved

What were the findings?

Best Start Partnership Jersey Child Care Trust Roundtables – included Parent Carer Forum representative

Development of an early years participation toolkit.

Roundtables – included Parent Carer Forum representative

Early Childhood Participation Toolkit -

Best Start Jersey

4)  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?

Guiding principles: Non- discrimination (Article 2), Best interest of the child (Article 3), Right to life survival and development (Article 6), Right to be heard (Article 12)

Positive relationships (Article 15)

Rights of disabled children (Article 23) Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities (Articles 28, 29, 31)

A rights-based approach to Early Years is important and included in the Early Years Matter

– Quality Framework for Early Years

Provision. Securing quality and standards as one

Early Years - initial extension of nursery and childcare provision was to children aged 2 to 3 years with additional needs. The universal offer for 2- to 3-year- olds is now being expanded. Before young children are able to understand the abstract concept of having rights' or talk about rights, they need direct experience of their rights being met, enacted and prioritised within their everyday interactions, spaces and experiences.

Play is central to realising rights in the early years (article 31) – it is often described as the Article that most wholly represents the child's right to be a child. However, it is also described as one of the forgotten Articles of the convention.

5)  Weighing positive and negative impacts

 If a negative impact is identified for any particular rights or any group of children, what

options are there to modify the proposed decision to mitigate the impact?

 Could any positive impacts be enhanced?

In addition to supporting the rights of the child we must also empower parents as children's primary caregivers and first educators.

Through developing an enhanced offer, we must ensure that there remains an element of choice for both parents and children to ensure the best quality offer of early childhood education and care. In 2026, this element of choice was enhanced by the addition of accredited nannies to the scheme. Parents can now choose between care from an accredited nanny, registered childminder or registered childcare setting.

There is no consensus on the ideal' number of hours per week of ECEC required to support children's outcomes. Evidence suggests that the greatest benefit is associated with an early start (no later than age two) and low to medium use (up to 20 hours).

By increasing the childcare funding for 2- to 3-year-olds the Government seeks to strike a balance between:

• the best interests and outcomes for the child and

• improving affordability and enabling work for parents and carers.

6)  Conclusions

In summary, what are your key findings on the impact of the proposed decision on children in

Jersey?

Giving every child the best possible start in life is one of the most effective investments we can make for Jersey's future. Children's needs, and the demands placed on families, have become increasingly complex in Jersey, exacerbated by the high cost-of-living. Additional investment in the Early Years is in keeping with a number of principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and supports the best possible outcomes for the youngest children in Jersey.

5)  Name and brief description of the proposed decision

The subject of your CRIA may be a proposed law, policy or proposition and in

accordance with the Law is referred to in this template as the decision'

 What is the problem or issue the decision is trying to address?

 Do children experience this problem differently from adults?

The decision, as described in the proposed budget for 2027-2030 is to deliver a consistent free school meals scheme across all Government secondary schools and Highlands College from September 2027.

The Minister's priority is to provide equitable access to free school meals regardless of which Government secondary school a pupil attends supporting approximately 20% of secondary pupils through Jersey Premium eligibility criteria, whilst also providing flexibility for schools to support pupils facing emerging hardship.

6)  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

All eligible children in government maintained secondary schools up to the age of 18.

7)  What is the likely impact of the proposed decision on children and on their

rights?

 Identify any potential positive OR negative impacts and include indirect impacts on

children and their rights as described in the UNCRC

 Will different groups of children be affected differently by this decision?

Expected to have a positive impact on the children concerned. Funding will ensure that eligible children are able to access this service for free, depending on their financial circumstances.

8)  Is a full Child 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

Yes, given that the decision impacts the majority of primary age children in Jersey, as well as eligible children of secondary school age.

Right to Li fe survival and development (Art 6)

Right to Privacy (Art 16) including family and home life

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Access to information from the media (Art 17)

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Right to access reliable information from a variety of sources, in a format that children can understand

Protection against torture or other cruel, degrading or inhumane treatment or punishment (Art 37(a))

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Family Environment and Alternative Care

Respect for the responsibilities, rights and duties of parents (or where applicable, extended family or community) to guide their child as they grow up (Art 5)

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Responsibilities of both parents in the upbringing and development of their child (Art 18)

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Children must not be separated from their parents against their will unless it is in their best interests (Art 9)

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Family reunification (Art 10)

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Abduction and non-return of children abroad (Art 11)

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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)

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Special protection for children unable to live with their family (Art 20)

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Best interests of the child in the context of Adoption (Art 21)

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Review of treatment whilst in care (Art 25)

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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.

Protection from violence, abuse or neglect (Art 19)

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Recovery from trauma and reintegration (Art 39)

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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.

Basic Heal th and Welfare

Rights of disabled children (Art 23)

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Right to health and health services (Art 24)

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Right to social security (Art 26)

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Right to adequate standard of living (Art 27)

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Education, Leisure and

Right to education (Art 28)

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Goals of education (Art 29)

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Cultural Activities

Education must develop every child's personality, talents and abilities to the full

Leisure, play and culture (Art 31)

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Every child has the right to relax, play and take part in cultural and artistic activities

Special Protection Measures

Special protection for refugee children (Art 22)

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Children and armed conflict (Art 38 and Optional Protocol

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#1)

Governments must do everything they can to protect and care for children affected by war and armed conflict.

Children and juvenile justice (Art 40)

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Right to be treated with dignity and respect, right to legal assistance and a fair trial that takes account of age.

Inhumane treatment and detention (Art 37 (b)-(d))

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Children should be arrested, detained or imprisoned only as a last resort and for the shortest time possible.

Recovery from trauma and reintegration (Art 39)

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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

Child labour and right to be protected from economic exploitation (Art 32)

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Drug abuse (Art 33)

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Sexual exploitation (Art 34)

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Abduction, sale and trafficking of children (Art 35)

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Protection from other forms of exploitation including for political activities, by the media or for medical research (Art

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36)

Children belonging to a minority or an indigenous group (Art

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30)

Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution

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and child pornography

Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed

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conflict

10) 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?

Social Impact Report

This report provides information on the pilot scheme for school meals on which began in 2019.

It would be helpful to understand the reasons why those entitled to access paid-for and free

2022

Caring Cooks of Jersey

A number of KPIs were agreed between Caring Cooks, the provider and the Government of Jersey; the report quotes the following results:

we achieved an average score

of 90% of children who were delighted with their lunch ... achieved an average parent satisfaction score of 99% achieved an average uptake of paid for meals of 41% ... achieved an average uptake of free school meals of 45%'

school meals chose not to participate in the scheme.

Jersey Child Measurement Programme 2024 - 2025

In the 2022-23 academic year, one in four children in Reception (28%) was overweight or obese, whilst around three in ten children in Year 6 (33%) was overweight or obese. Levels of overweight and obesity are significantly higher among children living in urban and sub- urban catchment areas than those in country areas, which puts these children at greater risk of diet-related diseases in later life.

Jersey Children and Young People's Survey 2024

Statistics Jersey

Survey data published in 2024 shows that only 23% of children report eating recommended levels of fruit and vegetables (5-a- day').

Discretion, Dignity, and

This article states: For children in poverty, free or subsidised food in schools can be a critical source of

The article is based on UK, rather than Jersey data

Choice: Free School

Meals

Article in the Poverty Journal

sustenance, especially if they are growing up in homes in which household income is insufficient to purchase the full range of foods considered necessary for optimal health and development.' However, it also observes: there is some evidence that povertyrelated stigma deters some children from claiming free school meals.' Further, it notes: Children who rely on free food in schools can find themselves set apart from their peers'

11) 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?

Possibly the most challenging aspect of completing a CRIA is to capture the voice of

the child,' but it is vital to listen to views and experiences of children and young people

in relation to the proposed decision.

You can use the [INSERT LINK TO DATABASE HERE] which contains links to

various sources reflecting children's views on a range of issues.

If no information exists on a particular topic, or if the decision will have a significant

impact on children in Jersey, you may decide to consult with these groups directly.

Groups consulted

How they were involved

What were the findings?

Children, young people and those who speak on their behalf.

The Big Education

The Big Education Conversation report states: Providing free healthy lunches (or less expensive options) were suggested by a sizeable number of young people.'

Conversation was a discussion about education in Jersey between policy officials from the Government of Jersey and children and young people, parents, teachers, and other interested individuals and organisations. It was a considerable reference point for children's perspectives on inclusion, fairness and equity in learning and education system

12) 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?

Article 24 Right to the best possible standard of health

Article 28 Rights to Education

Article 29 Goals of Education

The decision will have a positive impact in terms of the Articles mentioned. Giving children access to healthy and nutritious food will improve their overall health and consuming healthy food during the day can contribute to improved educational and developmental outcomes.

The Poverty Journal article referenced in Q6 above states: For children in poverty, free or subsidised food in schools can be a critical source of sustenance, especially if they are growing up in homes in which household income is insufficient to purchase the full range of foods considered necessary for optimal health and development.'

Eligible children attending Government maintained Secondary schools up to age 18.

13) 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?

The decision is likely to have a positive impact for the children concerned. Those children who are financially disadvantaged will benefit from the extension of the Free School Meals programme to all Government maintained secondary schools.

Free school meal provision is an effective tool to decrease health inequalities between children from different socio-economic backgrounds and has been shown to improve school attainment most significantly among students from less affluent families.[1]

14) Conclusions

In summary, what are your key findings on the impact of the proposed decision on the

rights of Jersey children?

The decision will have a positive impact overall on the rights of children identified in the above analysis. Various groups of children, such as those from socio- economically deprived families, should particularly benefit from it.

Appropriate steps should be taken to reduce the potential stigma and social exclusion associated with free school meals and the associated negative potential impact on the rights concerned in relation to this decision.