Rights in Parenting and Caring 

All people have rights. These are found on the United Nations declaration of human rights(1948).

What rights do you think you have? What about your parents? Or carers rights?

Watch clip "Universal declaration of human rights" or Watch “2015: A better year for children” and identify and list the various rights presented in the YouTube clip. Try and relate the rights to specific needs being met.

NOTES:    Parents have rights: they have the right to make medical decisions on behalf of their child, to choose their educational background, to administer appropriate discipline and take on legal proceedings on behalf of their child. DEALM

A Carers has rights while supporting the needs of another person. They have the right to be recognized and acknowledged for the role they play in a dependants life. This may mean they cannot access employment. The government has recognized this and carers have the right to financial support. carers also have the right to respite; using their formal or informal supports to meet this right. 

In addition to legally and socially defined rights, parents and carers have a series of responsibilities, or obligations, to ensure that the rights of their dependents are upheld. Parental and care responsibilities include helping dependents to personally develop physical, emotional, intellectual and social skills, while also providing them with a safe and secure environment. As part of their duties, parents and carers are expected to ensure the physical and emotional wellbeing of dependents, encourage and engage in open communication, facilitate experiences that contribute to development and serve as positive role models. Parents are expected to demonstrate unconditional, non-judgemental love towards their children and carers have an obligation to provide emotional support to dependents. 

Carers have additional responsibilities to respect their dependents, meet their changing needs and ensure that necessary medical appointments are made, attended and then followed up with appropriate treatments. While informal carers, who are most likely related or close to their dependents, feel obligated to express love, affection and compassion, professional carers often have to find a balance between demonstrating concern or understanding and their true feelings. 

Class activity: 

 As a group, choose ONE legal right from each to brainstorm and explore (the rights to health and medical decisions. - the right to education and schooling,  - the right to financial support). Provide positive and/or negative impacts the legal right has on the wellbeing of parents. Share this with the class