The United Nations Convection on the rights of the child was introduced in 1989 to ensure children’s rights are as important as everyone else’s. The Convention's objective is to protect children from discrimination, neglect and abuse. It is the principal children's treaty, covering a full range of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. It grants rights for children in peacetime as well as during armed conflict, and provides for the implementation of those rights. The Convention serves as both a rallying point and a useful tool for civil society and individual people, working to protect and promote children's rights. Baby P therefore had the right to be free from violence and the abuse that his parents gave him.
Children act 1989/2004
The Green Paper, Every Child Matters, published in September 2003, outlined a programme of reform setting out a framework of services that cover children and young people from birth to the age of nineteen. The new Children Act 2004 provides the legal framework for this reform. The new legislation was made in order for Change for Children, which is intended to set the way for the major programme to give an improved child services. Baby P had the offered help from all the child services but in his case it was dismissed due to the cover up of baby p’s injuries and markings.
Human rights act 1998
The Human Rights Act is a UK law passed in 1998. It means that you can defend your rights in the UK