Children’s Commissioner requests safeguards to protect children’s rights during coronavirus crisis
The Children's Commissioner for England Anne Longfield has written to both the Permanent Secretary for the Department for Education and the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Health and Social Care requesting additional safeguards for particular measures to ensure that children's rights and best interests are always upheld.
She states that whilst it is reasonable and necessary for the Government to seek emergency powers through the Coronavirus Act in order to protect public health, she is concerned that some of the legal protections for the most vulnerable children may be overturned in the enactment of the Act and therefore requests additional safeguards for particular measures to ensure that children's rights and best interests are always upheld.
The Children's Commissioner's letter addresses the following issues:
- Children with disabilities and additional care needs
- Young carers
- Powers to detain children under the Mental Health Act
- Investigations into deaths related to Covid-19
- Detaining children on public health grounds.
For the text of the letter, click here.
27/3/10