The official version of this document can be found via the PDF button.
The below content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments.
STATES OF JERSEY
SOCIAL RENTS PLAN TO REDUCE RENTAL STRESS FOR TENANTS (P.29/2025) – CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Presented to the States on 3rd April 2025 by Deputy R.S. Kovacs of St. Saviour
STATES GREFFE
2025 P.29 Add.
CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IMPACT ASSESSMENT (CRIA)
PART 1: SCREENING
Name and title of Duty Bearer: Deputy R.S. Kovacs of St. Saviour Type of Duty Bearer:
(Minister, Elected Member or States Elected Member
Assembly Body)
Assessment completed by (if not
Members' Resources
completed by duty bearer):
Date: 01.04.2025
1) 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 is trying to address the issue of rental price stress for people in social housing rentals. Children experience this issue differently from adults. |
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 |
Children living in social housing would be affected by this decision – and this is likely to include children living in poverty. |
3) 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? |
Ensuring of social housing rent is kept at an affordable rate will be in the best interests of children living in this type of housing as it will reduce rental stress on parents and caregivers and see more disposable income is in the hands of families so an adequate standard of living can be achieved for children. Therefore, the decision will have a positive impact on children's rights in terms of: - Best interests of the Child (Art 3) to be a top priority - 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) - Right to adequate standard of living (Art 27) |
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 |
Yes |
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) ☐ ☐ Best interests of the Child (Art 3) to be a top priority ☒ ☐
Guiding
Principles Right to Life survival and development (Art 6) ☐ ☐ Respect for the child's views (Art 12) ☐ ☐
Right to birth registration, name and nationality (Art 7) ☐ ☐ Right to an identity (Art 8) ☐ ☐ Freedom of expression (Art 13) ☐ ☐
Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion (Art 14)
Every child has the right to think and believe what they ☐ ☐ choose
C&i Frvilee Rdoighmts s Freedom of association (Art 15)
Every child has the right to meet with other children and ☐ ☐ to join groups and organisations
Right to Privacy (Art 16) including family and home life ☐ ☐ Access to information from the media (Art 17)
Right to access reliable information from a variety of ☐ ☐ sources, in a format that children can understand
Protinhuemctaneion tagareatimnsentt to orrtur pe uniorshm otherentcr(uAelrt, d 37(egra)adi) ng or ☐ ☐ Respect for the responsibilities, rights and duties of
parents (or where applicable, extended family or ☐ ☐ 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 ☐ ☐ Alternative
Care Cagahiilndstren themiusr wt noill unt beles ses ipart iats ied n tfheromir btesheti irnparterentests s (Art ☐ ☐ 9)
| Family reunification (Art 10) | ☐ | ☐ |
Abduction and non-return of children abroad (Art 11) | ☐ | ☐ | |
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) | ☒ | ☐ | |
Special protection for children unable to live with their family (Art 20) | ☐ | ☐ | |
Best interests of the child in the context of Adoption (Art 21) | ☐ | ☐ | |
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. | ☐ | ☐ | |
Protection from violence, abuse or neglect (Art 19) | ☐ | ☐ | |
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. | ☐ | ☐ | |
Basic Health and Welfare | Rights of disabled children (Art 23) | ☐ | ☐ |
Right to health and health services (Art 24) | ☐ | ☐ | |
Right to social security (Art 26) | ☐ | ☐ | |
Right to adequate standard of living (Art 27) | ☒ | ☐ | |
Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities | Right to education (Art 28) | ☐ | ☐ |
Goals of education (Art 29) Education must develop every child's personality, talents and abilities to the full | ☐ | ☐ | |
Leisure, play and culture (Art 31) 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) | ☐ | ☐ |
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. | ☐ | ☐ |
| 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. | ☐ | ☐ |
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. | ☐ | ☐ | |
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 | ☐ | ☐ | |
Child labour and right to be protected from economic exploitation (Art 32) | ☐ | ☐ | |
Drug abuse (Art 33) | ☐ | ☐ | |
Sexual exploitation (Art 34) | ☐ | ☐ | |
Abduction, sale and trafficking of children (Art 35) | ☐ | ☐ | |
Protection from other forms of exploitation including for political activities, by the media or for medical research (Art 36) | ☐ | ☐ | |
Children belonging to a minority or an indigenous group (Art 30) | ☐ | ☐ | |
Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography | ☐ | ☐ | |
Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict | ☐ | ☐ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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? |
Life on the Rock (2021) | "Housing was one of the top five issues that would make Jersey better for over a quarter of children, with concerns increasing as children get older." (p. 7) |
|
| ||
Life on the Rock (2021) | "The group agreed that houses and flats are very expensive in Jersey'. They spoke of the knock-on effect high housing costs may cause families who struggle to pay high rent such as homelessness or |
|
| ||
| children being made to social services when it's not their (the parents) fault'." (p. 90) |
|
Life on the Rock (2021) | "While Jersey offers many of its children a seemingly idyllic backdrop in which to grow and develop and learn, many children do not enjoy this to the same extent as others since much of what is available comes at a cost. These costs may relate to conflicts between housing, transport, leisure, school, or even medical assistance, and in this regard, not all costs fell equally." (p. 4) |
|
| ||
30% children chose "More money for families" as top 2 things that would "make life better for children in Jersey." |
| |
2018 – | ||
|
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? |
Young people to the age of 9-18 | Life on the Rock (2021) | Affordable housing is an important issue for young people. |
| ||
3-7 year old children | More money for families is considered an important way to make life better for children in Jersey. | |
2018 – | ||
| ||
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? |
Best interests of the Child (Art 3) to be a top priority | Positive impact – it is in the best interests of children to live in stable, affordable accommodation with rents that do not place financial stress on families with all of the negative outcomes of such stress. | All children living in social housing in Jersey |
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) | Positive impact – if social housing rent is more affordable families will have more disposable income which contributes to a standard of living that is good enough to meet a child's physical, social and developmental needs. | All children living in social housing in Jersey |
Right to adequate standard of living (Art 27) | Positive impact – if social housing rent is more affordable families will have more disposable income which contributes to an adequate standard of living. | All children living in social housing in Jersey |
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? | ||
The proposed policy would have a positive impact on children and young people - ways in which these positive outcomes could be enhanced would depend on the final terms of the policy that is presented to the Assembly. | ||
10) Conclusions In summary, what are your key findings on the impact of the proposed decision on the rights of Jersey children? |
Housing is a basic right for children in Jersey and this proposed decision aims to ensure rent for some of Jersey's most vulnerable children is lowered in order to increase affordability of social housing and reduce rental stress. Housing affordability has a range of positive impacts on families in terms of alleviating rental stress and delivering increased disposable income which in turn contributes to an adequate standard of living that is good enough to meet a child's physical, social and developmental needs. By lowering social housing rent more disposable income will be available to families. |