Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green delivers keynote lecture at the University’s Children and Young People’s Summit

On the eve of the 25th Anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the University of Northampton was pleased to welcome Professor Sir Al Aynsley Green as keynote speaker at its Children and Young People’s Summit 2014.

As the first ever Children’s Commissioner for England from 2005 to 2010, Sir Al discussed why we should and how we should build more child-friendly communities, offering examples from Finland, where children are measured against themselves, rather than against each other. He also pointed out the international inequalities in children’s wellbeing and how we need an attitude and cultural change. He ended his talk stating: “The nurture of children should be everybody’s business.”

The Keynote Lecture was part of a week-long summit, which started on Monday 17 November, and has brought together students, staff, professionals and community leaders to consider how children and young people’s voices can be heard more effectively to help shape their future.

Dr Eunice Lumsden, Head of Early Years at the University of Northampton, commented: “The 25th anniversary of the UNCRC is an important moment of reflection and challenge.  So much has been achieved in the UK and globally for children and young people but there is so much more to be done.  We need to ensure that a rights agenda underpins all our work.  As a University, we have a huge role and responsibility in developing ‘Tomorrow’s Professionals’ as they will have the challenge of ensuring that every child and young person matters.”

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