Our Impact
General Comment No. 17 and a Scottish perspective on incorporating the right to play in Scottish law in 2024
On Friday 23rd May, the UCC Futures: Children Cluster, in collaboration with the Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century and the P4Play Joint Doctoral Network Programme Horizon 2020, welcomed Theresa Casey and Marguerite Hunter Blair to discuss the background of General Comment No. 17 and a Scottish perspective on incorporating the right to play in Scottish law in 2024.
On Friday 23rd May, the UCC Futures: Children Cluster, in collaboration with the Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century and the P4Play Joint Doctoral Network Programme Horizon 2020, welcomed Theresa Casey and Marguerite Hunter Blair to discuss the background of General Comment No. 17 and a Scottish perspective on incorporating the right to play in Scottish law in 2024.
Theresa Casey is an independent play consultant since 2002 and writer, producing resources with organisations including Inspiring Scotland, International Play Association, Play Wales, Scottish Government, Children’s Parliament, Play Scotland and others. Theresa discussed how during her time as President of International Play Association in 2008 she carried the flame together with her colleagues for the ‘forgotten’ Article 31 CRC and the right to play. Through sustained advocacy and research, the Committee on the Rights of the Child confirmed that General Comment 17 would be dedicated to Article 31. Central to Theresa’s advocacy efforts is the idea that if Article 31 is not ‘taken seriously’ as a right, then it will not be used seriously. Theresa carries the mantel for the right to play in her role leading the IPA’s thematic work on Access to play in Crisis and on Children’s Rights and the Environment.
Marguerite Hunter Blair is Chief Executive of Play Scotland, the national expert and organization for parents, providers, playworkers and policy makers. She established the Scottish Play Commission (2008) and led campaigns for Scotland’s Play Strategy (2013), a Statutory Duty for Play in the Planning Act (2019) and the Right to Play in Scotland’s UNCRC Incorporation Act. Marguerite discussed the importance of having key impassioned advocates, such as the Chief Medical Officer in Scotland who in 2008 authored an article highlighting the importance of play for the health of children. Marguerite also highlighted the importance of the right to play being explicit in policy and legislation, noting that where it is implicit, it simply won’t be acted on.
Discussions also addressed the differences and similarities between Scotland and Ireland in efforts to incorporate the right to play into policy and legislation, the role of civil society continuing the momentum of policy makers and legislator. Both specifically argued that legislation and policy is an empty thing is nobody has the resources, motivation and long breath to pick it up and use. Discussions also explored the Irish context, noting that there is sufficient institutional knowledge in the domestic context to advance the importance of Article 31 in a similar way to the approach demonstrated with Article 12.
Further information on the Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century can be found here: https://www.ucc.ie/en/iss21/
Further information on P4Play can be found here: https://www.ucc.ie/en/iss21/researchprojects/researchprojects/p4play/
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This seminar is part of the UCC Futures: Children Seminar Series, which provides an opportunity for members of the cluster to share insights into their research and projects. If you are interested in presenting or hosting a seminar based on your research area, please contact us via lkoning@ucc.ie or egratyhood@ucc.ie