OFFICE NEWS - NORTH DEVON

Kiz, Paul, Serena and Nick, from the North Devon Regional Foster Placements Office, are moving to The Barnstaple Youth House, 6 Market Street, Barnstaple, North Devon. EX311BX.

The office is amongst a group of organisations working together to help young people.

Situated in the heart of this historical market town, the facility will also provide ample space for a training venue in line with the new training programme due in mid December.

OFFICE NEWS - BRINKWORTH HOUSE BUSINESS & EVENTS CENTRE

Brinkworth House is located just six miles from Junction 16 of the M4 and is easily accessible from Swindon, Bristol, Cheltenham and Gloucester. It provides our company with conference centre facilities and the possibility of holding events throughout the year. For those that like gardening there is a small but well stocked garden centre on the grounds and for those who play golf there is a golf course 200 yards away.

This location will also enable the company to move further east and provide closer links to local authorities nearer the west side of London, Reading, Slough, Hammersmith etc.

OFFICE NEWS - THE ROYAL ARSENAL – WOOLWICH

In the early 1500s, Henry VIII established Royal Dockyards at Woolwich on the Thames downstream from London. The Dockyard naturally included naval weaponry stores. In the late 1600s, Charles II bought more land at Woolwich for use as an ordnance depot. The earliest surviving buildings of the arsenal date to 1696 when a facility for making ammunition was built. In 1717 the government completed the Royal Brass Foundry to cast artillery. The arsenal expanded greatly over time and was in operation until after World War II.

Although there were plans to demolish the arsenal, it is now subject to redevelopment and preservation projects and will include historical, residential, and commercial sections.

We now occupy an office in Gunnery House, one of the buildings that have been redeveloped for commercial use. The access in all directions is excellent, being only a few miles from the M25 the Dartford tunnel and to central London. We have the possibility of acquiring more office space in the same location should we need it in the future.

UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child 1989 is an agreement by the Governments of the world saying what rights children should have. It covers rights on just about everything and applies to everyone under the age of 18years old.

The convention is important because it acts as a guide on how children should be treated. People like social workers, carers, teachers etc like to think they are doing a good job in working with children, but inspectors and others could say they are not, if they don’t respect the rights you have!

Whose Responsibility?

Children’s rights are a special case because many of the rights laid down in the Convention on the Rights of the Child have to be provided by adults or the state.

However, the Convention also refers to the responsibilities of children, in particular to respect the rights of others, especially their parents (Article 29).

Here are some suggestions of the responsibilities that could accompany rights…

If every child, regardless of their sex, ethnic origin, social status, language, age, nationality or religion has these rights, then they also have a responsibility to respect each other in a humane way.
If children have a right to be protected from conflict, cruelty, exploitation and neglect, then they also have a responsibility not to bully or harm each other.

If children have a right to a clean environment, then they also have a responsibility to do what they can to look after their environment.

If children have a right to be educated, then they have the obligation to learn as much as their capabilities allow and, where possible, share their knowledge and experience with others.
If all children have a right to a full life, then they should also lend help so the needy, the disadvantaged, and the victims of discrimination also enjoy this right.

If children have a right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, then they also have the obligation to respect other’s thoughts or religious principles.

Check out UNICEF UK’s website for children and young people:
www.unicef.org.uk/youthvoice/

THE CHRISTMAS EVENT

Saturday 1st December 2007
At Tenpin Bowling
In Exeter
Arrive: 12.30pm
To start: 1pm.

It’s that time of year again! This year Regional Foster Placements challenge you all to a game of bowls! (NO not on the green, down the alley)……….

There will be cake and tea/coffee etc……………
If you want to have lunch, please bring a packed one or alternatively you can use the café facilities on the site.