Children and young people’s rights reading list
The following is a selection of key books and journal articles on children and young people’s rights. The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Library & Information Service regrets it is unable to supply copies of the items listed. Please contact your academic/public library should you wish to read any of these items.
We would be very pleased to receive suggestions of additional key books and journal articles that we could to add to this Reading List. Please e-mail if you have any to make.
Bukowski, G., Roberts, H., Fraser, J. and Johnson, F. (2011) The equality duties and schools.EHRC Research Report no. 70. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Children’s Rights Alliance for England (2014) State of children’s rights in England: review of government action on United Nations’ recommendations for strengthening children’s rights in the UK. London: Children’s Rights Alliance for England.
Children’s Rights Alliance for England (2012) Children’s human rights: what they are and why they matter? London: Children’s Rights Alliance for England.
Child Rights Connect for Ratify OP3 CRC (2014) Speak up for your rights: OP3 CRC: A short guide for children, teens and child-led organisations about a new United Nations treaty that lets you speak up about child rights violations.Geneva: Child Rights Connect.
De Beco, G. (2013) ‘The optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on communications procedure: good news?’ Human Rights Law Review, 13, 2: 367-87.
Davis, L (2012) Children and equality: equality evidence relating to children and young people in England. London: Office of the Children’s Commissioner.
Doek, Japp. E (2009) ‘The CRC 20 years: an overview of some of the major achievements and remaining challenges’, Child Abuse and Neglect, 33, 11: 771-82.
Dowty T. (2008)‘Pixie-dust and privacy: what’s happening to children's rights in England?’Children & Society, 22, 5: 393-99.
Equality and Human Rights Commission (2014) Young people's rights and the CRC. Available at:
Ferguson, L. (2013) ‘Not merely rights for children but children’s rights: the theory gap and the assumption of the importance of children’s rights’,The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 21, 2: 177-208.
Fortin, J.(2009) Children’s rights and the developing law. 3rd edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Fortin, J (2011) ‘A decade of the HRA and its impact on children's rights’, Family Law, 41:176-83.
Franklin, B. ed. (2001) The new handbook of children’s rights: comparative policy and practice. London: Routledge.
Freeman, M. (2010) ‘The human rights of children’, Current Legal Problems, 63, 1: 1-44.
Gran B. (2010)'Comparing children’s rights: introducing the Children's Rights Index',The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 18, 1: 1-17.
Hamilton, C. (2010) 'Children's rights and the role of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child: underlying structures for states in implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child', International Family Law, March: 31-50.
Harris, N. (2009) 'Playing catch-up in the schoolyard? Children and young people's "voice" and education rights in the UK', International Journal of Law, Family and Policy, 23, 3: 331-66.
Haywood, N., Walker, S., O'Toole, G., Hewitson, C., Pugh, E. and Sundaram, P. (2009) Engaging all young people in meaningful learning after 16: areview.EHRC Research Report no. 25. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
HM Government (2014) The fifth periodic report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. London: HM Government.
Hodder, H., Tsang, T. and Vizard, P. (2011) Developing the Children’s Measurement Framework: selecting the indicators, EHRC Research Report no. 76. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Hutchinson, J., Rolfe, H., Moore, N., Bysshe, S. and Bentley, K. (2011) All things being equal? Equality and diversity in careers education, information, advice and guidance, EHRC Research Report no. 71. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
House of Lords and House of Commons Joint Committee on Human Rights (2015) The UK's compliance with the UNConvention on the Rights of the Child: eighth report of session 2014-15: report, together with formal minutes, London: The Stationery Office Ltd.
Invernizzi, A. (ed.) The human rights of children: from visions to implementation. Farnham: Ashgate.
Jackson, G. and Hudson, A. (2009) Engaging all young people in meaningful learning after 16: asurvey. EHRC Research Report no. 24. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Johnson, P. and Kossykh, Y. (2008) Early years, life chances and equality: a literature review.EHRC Research Report no. 7. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Jones, P. and Welch, S. (2010) Rethinking children’s rights: attitudes in contemporary society. London: Continuum.
Jones, P. and Walker, G. (eds.) (2011) Children’s rights in practice. London: Sage.
JUSTRIGHTS (2014) Make our rights reality: a manifesto created by hundreds of young people across England. London: Youth Access.
Kilkelly, U. (2013) ‘The best of both worlds for children’s rights? Interpreting the European Convention on Human Rights in the light of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child’,Human Rights Quarterly, 23: 308-26.
Lough Dennell, B.L and Logan, C (2015) Prejudice-based bullying in Scottish schools: a research report, Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Lundy,L. and McEvoy, L. (2012) ‘Children’s rights and research processes: assisting children to (in)formed views’,Childhood, 19:129-44.
Lyon, C. (2007) ‘Children's participation and the promotion of their rights’, Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 29, 2: 99-115.
May, T, Gyateng, T and Hough, M. (2010) Differential treatment in the youth justice system.EHRC Research Report no.50. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
McLarty, L, Moran, R (2009) Engaging all young people in meaningful learning after 16: a qualitative study.EHRC Research Report no. 26. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
National Children’s Bureau (2008) Human rights are children’s rights: a guide to ensuring children and young people’s rights are respected. London: National Children’s Bureau.
Office of the Children’s Commissioner (2014) 'They still need to listen more': a report about disabled children and young people’s rights in England. London: Office of the Children’s Commissioner.
Office of the Children’s Commissioner (2014) Why rights matter: the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the work of the Children’s Commissioner for England. London: Office of the Children’s Commissioner.
O’Neill, O (1998) ‘Children’s rights and children’s lives’, Ethics 98: 445-63.
Purdy L.M. (1992) In their best interest?: the case against equal rights for children. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Thomas, N. (2011) Children's rights: policy into practice.Centre for Children and Young People: Background Briefing Series, no. 4. Centre for Children and Young People, Southern Cross University.http://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1030&context=ccyp_pubs
Thomas N. (2011)'The role and impact of independent children’s rights institutions in the UK and Europe',Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 33, 3: 279-88.
Tippett, N., Houlston, C.and Smith, P.K. (2010) Prevention and response to identity-based bullying among local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales. EHRC Research Report no. 64. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Tisdall, E. and Kay, M. (2013) 'The potential for children's rights in Scotland: learning from the UNICEF report on legal implementation of the UNCRC in 12 countries', Scottish Human Rights Journal, 60 (February): 2-6.
Wall, J. (2008) 'Human rights in light of childhood', The International Journal of Children’s Rights, 16, 4: 523-43.
Williams, J. (2007) 'Incorporating children’s rights: the divergence in law and policy',Legal Studies, 27, 2: 261-87.
David Sparrow
Library & Information Services Manager
Equality & Human Rights Commission
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