Safeguarding children: A child rights impact assessment tool
Use this 18-question assessment tool to evaluate how new laws and policies affect the wellbeing of Australian children and families, and guide better
Summary
The Child Rights Impact Assessment tool aims to help governments and services assess how new laws and policies may affect children's rights and wellbeing.
The tool can be used in all circumstances affecting children and young people, including emergency situations.
The accompanying report includes a case study on the closure of early childhood education and care centres and schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Safeguarding Children: Using a child rights impact assessment to improve our laws and policies
A report that includes the assessment tool and a case study
Assessment tool
Standalone 18 question tool
Measuring impact
The tool is an 18-question checklist which can be used to measure the impact of any new laws or policies on the wellbeing of children and families.
It looks at whether the proposed laws and policies:
- support their best interests
- uphold human rights.
This tool is Australia's first and can be used in all circumstances affecting children and young people, including in emergency situations.
The Commission is urging government and service providers to implement the tool.
The United Nations recommends the use of child rights impact assessment tools.
Case study
During the COVID-19 pandemic childcare centres and schools were closed intermittently between 2020 and 2022. The Commission applied the tool to this situation to assess its usefulness.
Read the case study on page 42 to see how the tool can be applied.
