The Children’s Legal Centre Wales is about to begin an exciting new chapter as we transition into becoming an independent charity. As we take this step, it is important to us that our services truly reflect the needs and preferences of children and young people across Wales. To achieve this, we would like to hear directly from them about what a Children’s Legal Centre should look like, and how they would like to receive legal advice and education.
We would be extremely grateful if you could help us by sharing this survey with the young people that you work with.
Please note that participation is entirely voluntary. The survey is open to young people aged 11 to 17 years old. Each young person will need to give consent, children aged 13 years and older can consent for themselves. For children under 13 years old, we would ask the group organiser to complete a Gatekeeper consent form.
Article 12: I have the right to be listened to and be taken seriously
Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously. This right applies at all times, for example during immigration proceedings, housing decisions or the child’s day-to-day home life.
Offer of Free Legal Education Sessions
We are pleased to offer face-to-face outreach sessions, where we hope to hear from the young people you work with directly. The Legal Education Session available are:
Knife Crime
Sexting
Vaping
Mental Health
Cost of Living (Benefits, Free School Meals, Universal Uniform Grant)
Relationships (Family)
Identity
Environment and Pollution
Contact with the police
These sessions are limited and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. If you would like to arrange a session or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at childrenslegalcentre@swansea.ac.uk.
More information on the Importance of Legal Education can be found here;
Article 42: Everyone should know about children’s rights
Governments must actively work to make sure children and adults know about the Convention
Child Poverty in Wales
Child poverty is an issue that cuts across many children’s rights and damages many children’s lives. With 31 % of children living in poverty, Wales has the highest child poverty rate in the UK.
Price of Poverty Schools Programme
The Tackling the Impact of Poverty on Education programme, delivered by Children in Wales, provides schools and education settings across Wales with a practical toolkit and guidance designed to reduce the hidden costs that poverty places on children’s learning and rights.
How schools can make a difference:
Raise awareness of school uniform grants available to eligible families.
Keep school trip costs to a minimum, or provide plenty of notice and flexible saving options for trips that involve a fee.
Limit the use of branded school uniform items, allowing families to choose more affordable alternatives.
Create a “Library of Things” where pupils can borrow items they may only need occasionally, such as sleeping bags or walking boots.
We are delighted that the UK Government has finally lifted the 2 child limit, a discriminatory policy that breached children’s rights and exacerbated child poverty. However, still more can be done to help eradicate child poverty in Wales. Learning from a successful intervention in Scotland, we are calling for a Welsh Child Payment.
Article 26: If my family need it, they should get money to help bring me up.
Every child has the right to benefit from social security. Governments must provide social security, including financial support and other benefits, to families in need of assistance.
Taser Use on Children
Tasers, also known as Conducted Energy Devices (CEDs), are electrical discharge weapons used by the police to incapacitate individuals by delivering an electric shock. They work by sending electrical currents through barbed probes that penetrate the skin, temporarily disrupting the body’s neuromuscular system and causing intense pain. Although classified by the College of Policing as “less-lethal” weapons, organisations such as Amnesty International,Children’s Rights Alliance England (part of Just for Kids Law) and the Omega Research Foundation argue this is misleading, as Tasers can cause serious injury or death, particularly when misused or used repeatedly.
The UK Government has authorised the rollout of a new, more powerful model of Taser – Taser 10 – which police forces will be able to use on children in Wales. Taser 10 introduces serious new risks. It is heavier and launched at greater velocity than previous models, with barbs that must pierce the skin to function. This increases the risk of injury for children, who are more physically vulnerable.
Dr Rhian Croke has been calling for a ban on the use of tasers on children. Her briefing and updates can be found here;
Article 19: I have the right to be protected from being hurt or badly treated
Governments must do all they can to ensure that children are protected from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and bad treatment by their parents or anyone else who looks after them.
Merry Christmas
We would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Many thanks to the staff and pupils at Blaenymaes School for their artwork contributions.
We hope you have found this information useful, and we would welcome any information on upcoming events or resources that we can share with schools. For more information on the Law in Wales and how this affects young people please visit The Children’s Legal Centre Wales.
If you would like to read previous Newsletters please click here
Mae Canolfan Gyfreithiol y Plant Cymru ar fin dechrau pennod newydd gyffrous wrth i ni drosglwyddo i fod yn elusen annibynnol. Wrth i ni gymryd y cam hwn, mae'n bwysig i ni fod ein gwasanaethau yn wir yn adlewyrchu anghenion a dewisiadau plant a phobl ifanc ledled Cymru. I gyflawni hyn, hoffem glywed yn uniongyrchol gan bobl ifanc am sut beth ddylai Canolfan Gyfreithiol y Plant fod, a sut yr hoffent gael addysg a chyngor cyfreithiol.
Byddem yn hynod ddiolchgar pe gallech helpu drwy rannu’r arolwg hwn gyda’r bobl ifanc rydych chi’n gweithio â nhw.
Mae cymryd rhan yn gwbl wirfoddol. Mae’r arolwg yn agored i bobl ifanc rhwng 11 a 17 oed. Bydd angen i bob person ifanc gydsynio, a gall plant 13 oed a hŷn gydsynio eu hunain. Ar gyfer plant dan 13 oed, gofynnwn i drefnydd y grŵp lenwi ffurflen gydsynio Ceidwad y Porth.
Erthygl 12: Mae gen i hawl i gael fy nghlywed a fy nghymryd o ddifri
Mae gan bob plentyn hawl i fynegi ei farn, ei deimladau a’i ddymuniadau ynghylch pob mater sy’n effeithio arno, ac i’w farn gael ei ystyried a’i gymryd o ddifri. Mae’r hawl yma’n berthnasol bob amser, er enghraifft, mewn prosesau mewnfudo, penderfyniadau ynghylch tai neu fywyd y plentyn yn y cartref o ddydd i ddydd.
Cynnig Sesiwn Addysg Gyfreithiol am Ddim
Rydym hefyd yn falch o allu cynnig sesiynau allgymorth wyneb yn wyneb lle rydym yn gobeithio clywed yn uniongyrchol gan y bobl ifanc rydych chi'n gweithio gyda nhw. Y Sesiynau Addysg Gyfreithiol sydd ar gael yw:
Troseddau gyda Chyllyll
Secstio
Fepio
Iechyd Meddwl
Costau Byw (Budd-daliadau, Prydau Ysgol am Ddim, Grant Gwisg Ysgol Cyffredinol)
Perthynas (Teulu)
Hunaniaeth
Yr Amgylchedd a Llygredd
Cysylltiad â’r heddlu
Mae nifer cyfyngedig o leoedd ar gael yn y sesiynau hyn, a chânt eu rhoi ar sail y cyntaf i’r felin. Os hoffech chi drefnu sesiwn neu os oes gennych chi unrhyw gwestiynau, mae croeso i chi gysylltu â ni yn childrenslegalcentre@swansea.ac.uk.
Rhaid i lywodraethau fynd ati i weithio er mwyn sicrhau bod plant ac oedolion yn gwybod am y Confensiwn
Tlodi Plant yng Nghymru
Mae tlodi plant yn fater sy’n torri ar hawliau plant ac yn niweidio bywydau llawer o blant. Mae 31% o blant yn byw mewn tlodi yng Nghymru, a Chymru yw’r wlad sydd â’r gyfradd tlodi plant uchaf yn y Deyrnas Unedig.
Rhaglen Ysgolion ar Bris Tlodi
Mae’r rhaglen Mynd i'r Afael ag Effaith Tlodi ar Addysg yn cael ei chynnal gan Plant yng Nghymru, ac yn darparu ysgolion a lleoliadau addysg ledled Cymru â phecyn cymorth ymarferol a chanllawiau sydd wedi eu dylunio i leihau'r sgil-effeithiau cuddiedig y mae tlodi yn ei chael ar addysg a hawliau plant.
Sut gallwch chi wneud gwahaniaeth:
Codi ymwybyddiaeth o’r grantiau gwisg ysgol sydd ar gael i deuluoedd cymwys.
Cadw costau tripiau ysgol mor isel â phosibl, a darparu digonedd o rybudd ac opsiynau talu hyblyg ar gyfer tripiau y mae’n rhaid talu amdanynt.
Defnyddio llai o eitemau gwisg ysgol wedi’u brandio, gan roi cyfle i deuluoedd ddewis opsiynau eraill mwy fforddiadwy.
Creu “Llyfrgell y Pethau” i ddisgyblion gael benthyg eitemau sydd eu hangen arnynt o bryd i’w gilydd; pethau fel sachau cysgu ac esgidiau cerdded.
I gael rhagor o wybodaeth ac i gael gafael ar ein hadnoddau, ewch i: Mynd i'r Afael ag Effaith Tlodi: Adnoddau Pris Tlodi Disgyblion
Rydym ni’n falch iawn bod Llywodraeth y DU o’r diwedd wedi codi’r terfyn 2 blentyn, polisi gwahaniaethol oedd yn torri ar hawliau plant ac yn gwaethygu problemau tlodi plant. Ond, mae rhagor i’w wneud eto i ddileu tlodi plant yng Nghymru. Gan ddysgu o ymyriad llwyddiannus yr Alban, rydym ni’n galw am gyflwyno Taliad Plant yng Nghymru.
Erthygl 26: Dylai fy nheulu gael arian i’w helpu i fy magu os oes ei angen arnynt.
Mae gan bob plentyn hawl i gael nawdd cymdeithasol. Mae’n rhaid i lywodraethau ddarparu nawdd cymdeithasol, gan gynnwys cymorth ariannol a buddiannau eraill, i deuluoedd y mae angen cymorth arnynt.
Defnyddio gynnau Taser ar blant
Arfau allyrru trydan yw gynnau Taser, a elwir hefyd yn Ddyfeisiau Ynni Dargludol (CEDs), ac maent yn cael eu defnyddio gan yr heddlu i analluogi unigolion drwy roi sioc drydanol iddynt. Maent yn gweithio drwy anfon ceryntau trydanol drwy brobiau pigog sy’n treiddio i’r croen, gan amharu ar system niwrogyhyrol y corff dros dro ac achosi poen ddwys. Er bod y Coleg Plismona yn eu categoreiddio fel arfau “llai angheuol”, mae sefydliadau fel Amnest Rhyngwladol,Cynghrair Hawliau Plant Lloegr (sy’n rhan o Just for Kids Law) a Sefydliad Ymchwil Omega yn dadlau bod hyn yn gamarweiniol, oherwydd gall gynnau Taser achosi anaf difrifol neu farwolaeth, yn enwedig os cânt eu camddefnyddio neu eu defnyddio dro ar ôl tro.
Mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi awdurdodi Taser 10 – model newydd, mwy pwerus o Taser y bydd heddluoedd yn gallu ei ddefnyddio ar blant yng Nghymru. Mae Taser 10 yn peri risgiau newydd difrifol. Mae'n drymach na modelau blaenorol ac yn cael ei lansio'n gyflymach, gydag adfachau (barbs) sy'n gorfod tyllu'r croen er mwyn i’r ddyfais weithio. Mae hyn yn cynyddu'r risg o anaf i blant sy'n fwy agored i niwed yn gorfforol.
Mae Dr Rhian Croke wedi bod yn galw am wahardd defnyddio taserau ar blant. Gallwch ddarllen ei phapur briffio, a chael y newyddion diweddaraf yma;
Erthygl 19: Mae gen i hawl i gael fy amddiffyn rhag cael fy mrifo neu fy nhrin yn wael
Rhaid i lywodraethau wneud popeth o fewn eu gallu i sicrhau bod plant yn cael eu hamddiffyn rhag pob math o drais, camdriniaeth, esgeulustod a thriniaeth wael gan eu rhieni neu unrhyw un arall sy’n gofalu amdanynt.
Nadolig Llawen
Nadolig Llawen iawn a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i bob un ohonoch chi.
Diolch yn fawr i staff a disgyblion Ysgol Blaenymaes am y gwaith celf.
Gobeithio bod yr wybodaeth hon wedi bod yn ddefnyddiol i chi, a byddem yn croesawu unrhyw wybodaeth am ddigwyddiadau neu adnoddau sydd ar y gweill y gallwn eu rhannu ag ysgolion. Mae ein cylchlythyrau blaenorol ar gael yma: Hafan | Children's Legal Centre Wales (childrenslegalcentre.wales)
I gael rhagor o wybodaeth am y gyfraith yng Nghymru a sut mae hyn yn effeithio ar bobl ifanc, ewch i Ganolfan Gyfreithiol y Plant Cymru.
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