It is a cold day in December 1933 when twelve-year-old Stella Saxby wakes up in her bed at the family estate wrapped in head to toe in bandages. Her Aunt Alberta emerges from the dark shadows to inform her that she has been in a coma and both her parents have died in a tragic car accident. Stella is the sole heir to Sax
by Hall, however her awful auntie has other ideas and will stop at nothing to trick Stella into signing over the estate.
Apart from being a hilarious and thrilling read, this book shows us the awful behaviour a child should never have to face. Stella’s and your rights are protected by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). There are 54 articles which say children and young people should be treated so they are safe, healthy and happy.
So, let’s talk about the horrid actions of Aunt Alberta and what rights children like Stella have to protect them.
Article 3: Best Interest of the Child
Aunt Alberta lies to Stella telling her that after the car crash “each little bone was shattered into hundreds of pieces. You had to be scooped up like a piece of wibbly-wobbly jelly!” She tries to convince Stella to sign over the deeds of the house so she can look after Stella (when she really wants the estate for herself). Stella has her suspicions and after wiggling out of the bandages she realises that her aunt was lying! The bandages were used to keep Stella from escaping, she was perfectly fit and healthy. Aunt Alberta was wrong to lie to Stella, as Stella’s Guardian she must always think about what is best for Sella when making decisions according to Article 3. Stella does not need the bandages; this decision was made disregarding Stella’s well-being, and that is unacceptable.
Article 12: Respect for Children’s Views
When Stella is explaining to a detective how she believes her parents were sneakily murdered by her aunt she is disregarded and laughed at! However, under the law, this should not be the case. Stella has the right to express her views on matters that affect her, and the law provides that these views must be taken into consideration.
Article 27: Adequate Standard of Living
When Stella attempts to escape from the estate and her aunt’s wicked plans, she is caught and punished by
being taken to a “tiny, dark coal cellar in the vaults of the house.” The condition of this room should be endured by no child, every inch of the room is “black with coal dust” and there are no windows or lights.
Under article 27, every child should have a decent standard of living to enable them to grow and develop. Parents and Guardians are responsible for providing this and if they are unable to do so the Government should help.
Article 28: Right to Education
When Aunt Alberta gets a call from the school on Stella’s absence, she sneakily tells the headmistress that Stella is still in a coma and “won’t be coming back to St Agatha’s any time soon.” However, as we know Alberta is lying and Stella is fit and able to attend school. She has no right to restrict Stella from going to school. In fact, Stella’s right to go to school is 
protected under article 28 which states that every child has the right to an education.
In Wales, if you are between 5 to 16 years old then you should be in full-time education and your parents or Guardian are responsible for ensuring this. If they fail to do so, the school and local council have various legal powers they can use to help you such as a parenting order or an education supervision order. To learn more, visit this webpage.
Article 37: Inhumane Treatment
When Aunt Alberta’s attempts to manipulate Stella into signing over the estates don’t work, she resorts to
“the owl rack”. This piece of equipment was designed by Alberta herself so she could stretch her pet owl, Wagner, to win a competition for the tallest owl!
This evil contraption takes on a new role by Alberta to torture Stella into finally signing over the lease. In doing so, Alberta is breaking the law. Children should never be subject to torture or inhumane treatment. They must be treated with respect and care.
Recently in Wales, a new law has been made which means physical punishment is banned. This law applies to 
everyone in Wales including parents and anyone who is responsible for a child if the parents are absent (like Aunt Alberta). Physical punishment refers to where a child is being punished using physical force, an example is hitting, slapping or shaking but there are other ways too. Aunt Alberta and anyone else who physically punishes a child is breaking the law and could be arrested or charged with assault for doing so.
To conclude…
If you ever find yourself in a situation like Stella’s, it’s important to remember that the law is on your side. There are 54 articles specifically designed to keep you protected, healthy and safe and these rights have been agreed by almost every country in the world! If you would like to learn more about your rights at home, then check out this webpage which covers your rights against all kinds of different situations you may be facing at home. Finally, remember that knowledge is power and learning about your rights is a powerful way to help you stand up for what’s fair and right.
About the Author
My name is Najiyah and I’m a first-year law student at Swansea University. I hope you enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed writing it and I hope it helped you learn something new about your rights. It was great fun re-reading one of my old favourites, if you haven’t already, I definitely recommend giving Awful Auntie a read. It’s packed with plot twists and hidden secrets. Don’t worry, I made sure there are no spoiler alerts in this blog!
Thanks goes to Rebecca Ferris of Harding Evans Solicitors for proof reading this student blog.