From Anaphylaxis to Advocacy: My Journey to Strasbourg

31 July 2025

As part of our blog series, Youth@CLC member Elodie Bloomer outlines her journey to becoming a youth advocate on the international stage. To receive these blogs directly to your inbox – and to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the latest news from CLC- sign up to our newsletter ‘Child Rights Matters’.

Written by Elodie Bloomer

We all universally live with the individual health of our own bodies and our minds. In a world run by adults, it seems that children’s individual rights, particularly in relation to medical issues can sometimes seem secondary to the wishes and wisdom of parents and guardians.

Every child has the right to the best possible health under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The UNCRC also recognises that we, as children, have the right to express our views in all matters that affect us.

There is no issue that may be considered as important as our own health.

We understand that the priority in every health decision must be in protection and to preserve life, as is the ethos of every practising physicians code of ethics, the Hippocratic Oath and the Declaration of Geneva, but we also need to have our say about decisions about the health of our own bodies and minds.

As an anaphylaxis sufferer and having had interactions with both emergency departments and hospital outpatient centres, this issue is one that is very close to my heart. All children have different levels of knowledge about medical matters but one thing that unites all people, regardless of our age, is our ability to feel pain as well as fear. Both can become overwhelming when you are involved in medical situations ranging from an emergency, to going to the doctor who perhaps only speaks to your parent or guardian and not directly to you.

The Journey to Advocacy

Through my work with The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) on children’s rights, I became involved in the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC), where we focused on the right of children to participate in health decisions, taking the view that it was hugely important that we educate children on this clearly and openly.

As part of this we considered our own experiences as children – what we want to know, how we want to be educated and treated and to ensure that we, as children, have some control over our own bodies and our health.

Along with ten other young people from different member states and backgrounds, I and another NICCY member worked for a period of six months alongside Child Rights Connect through online workshops to create a universal written guide for children to be used alongside the general guide that the Council of Europe had created for the use of parents, practitioners and professionals on Children’s Participation in Decisions about their Health

We wanted to produce a guide that children could read easily, find accessible and be educated and supported through clear language and informative but fun illustrations and cartoons. We were so fortunate to work with amazing illustrators who carefully took our vision and put friendly faces and characters to it and helped normalise and explain what overwhelming visits to doctors and hospitals could be like and how our own thoughts, feelings and decisions as children are important.

We called it “Your Health, Your Say.”

In April 2025, I attended the Mid Term Review Conference of the Strategy for the Rights of the Child at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg with some of the other young people who had worked on the child friendly guide. There were a range of workshops that I was able to attend on various children’s rights, and I learned so much from being there. I gave a speech at the conference to introduce the child friendly guide and speak on what we had worked on, setting out the main terms of the guide and the importance of accessibility and education of this right to all children.

I also learned about Comprehensive Sexuality Education through my work with NICCY and whilst attending a conference workshop on this, I was asked to take my learnings and to draft and deliver a speech on this at the summary session of the Conference. This underlined further to me, the importance of education on health as well as healthy relationships.

The Child Friendly Guide to Children’s Participation in decisions about their health can be accessed at – https://rm.coe.int/your-health-your-say/1680b5069f

I can’t overstate the importance of the right for children to be involved in decisions affecting their health. I believe it sets a relationship between patient and their health for life. If ownership, understanding and education in relation to health is not given to children early in life, it may negatively affect their future perspectives on their health decisions.  

I have continued to focus on the protection and promotion of children’s right to physical health through NICCY. Laura from NICCY supported me and another NICCY member as we all travelled together to Jezercica, Croatia in July to attend the European Network of Young Advisors (ENYA) Forum to meet with other youth representatives of the fifteen regions and states to develop rights based policy recommendations to support the fundamental right of children to physical health.

This was an incredible inspiring few days that uncovered so much learning in a relaxed way. We made many friends and worked with the other youth representatives to understand the challenges to the fundamental right in their own states. We combined our individual ideas and thoughts to create an achievable basis for policy recommendations that we hope will be adopted by the ENOC General Assembly this coming September.

Lived Experience and Delays

Through my own experience, research and work on the main issues, I feel that the protection and promotion of children’s right to physical health in Northern Ireland is affected firstly and most crucially by delays in basic access to services. The waiting list for outpatient appointments for children is often over a year. I have experienced this myself. I suffered life threatening anaphylaxis in May 2024 and I was scheduled for an urgent outpatient appointment with allergy clinic following my attendance at the Emergency Department that saved my life. I received my urgent appointment in April 2025, some eleven months later.

The implications of the weeks of waiting for help are not just physical; they are also psychological. Their impact, at best, is stressful disruption to our lives in the withholding of key knowledge on our own health. Knowledge is power and we are extremely vulnerable without it. At worst, these delays are potentially and actually life threatening.

In less urgent medical circumstances, the wait for treatment can turn from months into years, which raises the important issue of early intervention.The earlier that many health issues are treated, the better the outcome is for the patient. This is applicable not just on a physical level but also on a psychological level. The longer the trauma, the more difficult it is to recover from the psychological scars that are inevitably imprinted by the effects of a health condition that perhaps leads to a patient being unable to attend school, participate in sport or socialising. Life becomes more limited and smaller.

The longer we are ill, the less hope that we have of recovering. We are clothed more in vulnerability than empowerment.

This leads us into another major issue uncovered that is the inevitable link of our physical health and our psychological health. Physical health issues often ultimately lead to psychological health problems, be it from medication side effects, dealing with long term pain or the more limited ability patients may have to enjoy life. It is a connection that necessitates the upholding of both elements of health, regardless of the diagnosis for us as children. The close link of both requires a dual therapeutic approach.

A Healthy Education

Another important issue is the role of the education system in Northern Ireland and how it can be utilised to help with children’s health protection and promotion. There are province wide vaccination programmes and basic services but there is a real need for more support with schools in their support of children suffering both physical health conditions as well as psychological ones. More general education and information would be helpful in the spheres of neurodiversity, puberty, asthma, diabetes and more matters that could help educate us that in turn will give us more of an understanding and ownership over our health. Food, nutrition and health education, as well as active offerings within school, would be important.

Comprehensive Sexuality Education, a sometimes-controversial topic in Northern Ireland, should be more easily accessed and delivered. Further, a more tailored and linked approach between health and education would be valuable in allowing us to manage our own understanding and would help us make choices over our own health.   

Empowering Young People

The key point of all of this is the centring of the child in the heart of the decisions that are made about their health. This a key element of the Oviedo Convention of the Council of Europe which underlines the importance of children’s opinion being considered according to their age and maturity.

So many ways to protect and promote children’s rights to physical health are available but they require the will of our government in Stormont as well as the financial backing of Westminster. The budgets are tight, but savings and efficiencies must be made to improve matters as the long-term health of our children, and therefore fundamentally our country’s future, depends on it.

I am so grateful to NICCY, Child’s Right Connect, ENOC, ENYA, the Council of Europe and CLC for giving me the opportunity to learn further about this area of children’s rights that means so much to me. I would also like to thank my allergy consultant, Dr Caoimhe Glancy for all her help and inspiration.

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Exploring School Absence in Northern Ireland: Voices of Young People

Monday 28 July 2025

Chronic school absence has been a growing concern across Northern Ireland, with rising numbers of young people disengaging from education. But too often, conversations about this issue overlook the voices of those most affected — the young people themselves.

This project set out to change that.

Through a series of honest, powerful video interviews, we asked a small group of young people to share their experiences, challenges, and hopes around school attendance. The stories that emerged are complex, deeply personal, and help us understand how the education system is, or isn’t, working for many children and young people.

The young people involved have been failed by the education system in various respects, but are now speaking out as child rights defenders to help secure changes for future generations.

Why This Project Matters

The young people we spoke to have lived through school systems which they feel have not had the capability to support them, whether due to bullying, mental health struggles, unmet health and social care needs, ill equipped physical environments, rigid expectations, or a lack of genuine connection with the adults and peers around them. Yet their insights also point the way towards more compassionate, responsive, and inclusive solutions.

These interviews highlight key themes, including:

  • The impact of mental health on attendance and engagement.
  • The importance of positive teacher student relationships.
  • Experiences of bullying and feeling unsafe in school.
  • Barriers related to special educational needs and disability.
  • A desire for more flexible, relevant, and student centred education.
  • The need for a sense of belonging and acceptance within the school community.

One thing that was clear throughout the entire project, was that young people want to be heard and taken seriously. A failure to do that will result in a failure to tackle the problem.

What You’ll Find

Below, you can watch and listen to the young people in their own words. Young people who have taken a brave decision to speak out and become child rights defenders.

Each video offers a unique perspective, some heart breaking, others hopeful, but all are united by a call for change rooted in lived experience.

Meet the Young People

  • Alex: Once enthusiastic about school, Alex’s experience of bullying and feeling unheard by staff led to significant disengagement and school avoidance. He reflects on feeling unsupported and unmotivated.
  • Chris: Speaks candidly about the impact of school on his deteriorating mental health, and the stress of feeling unseen and misunderstood, especially when trying to mask neurodivergent traits.
  • Ian: Shares the barriers he faced due to the lack of accessibility in his school, highlighting how systemic inaction limited his educational opportunities.
  • Owen: Reflects on the trauma of being dismissed and punished in primary school and how a lack of empathy led to early disengagement. A compassionate teacher made a lasting positive difference, even if, in the end, it was too late to prevent him from leaving school.
  • Kanye and Lukas: Talk about the role of friendship, inconsistency in learning experiences and feeling misunderstood, showing how school environment and relationships shape attendance and achievement.

A Call to Listen and Act

These stories are not isolated. They reflect broader patterns that need urgent attention. By truly listening to young people we can begin to design systems that work with them, not against them.

Children’s Rights and Chronic School Absence: A Rights Based Approach

Chronic school absence isn’t just an educational issue — it’s a children’s human rights issue.

Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), every child has the right to an effective education (Articles 28 and 29). More than that, they have the right to be listened to (Article 12), to mental health support (Article 24), and to access all of their rights without discrimination (Article 2).

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) also sets out clear obligations on states to ensure disabled children enjoy their rights in school on an equal basis with others. Every disabled child has the right to access education without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity (Article 24); and they must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms, with their views given due weight (Article 7). Schools, transport, communication, and learning materials must be physically and practically accessible to all pupils (Article 9); and disabled children must not be left behind due to systemic neglect, inaccessible environments, or untrained staff (article 5).

The young people we interviewed told us clearly: they often didn’t feel respected or heard in school environments. Their mental health needs were not effectively supported. Their additional needs were not being met and reasonable adjustments were absent or hard fought for. Their differences were misunderstood by those around them and their voices were missing from decisions about their own education.

Watch the Interviews

Thanks

We are grateful to the LFT Charitable Trust who, in recognising the importance of this participative research project, provided a grant to enable its completion.

We would also like to thank all the young people who took part in the project as well as Strive NI, Larne YMCA and Barnardos for their help throughout the project.

Additional Resources

Rights of the Child UK Post-Conference Report Launched

On 7 July 2025, Together joined colleagues from the Rights of the Child UK (ROCK) Steering Group to launch the Post-Conference Report from the ROCK Annual Conference 2024 – a day that brought together over 90 children’s rights advocates, decision-makers and academics from across the UK, Jersey and Iceland.

Held in Edinburgh on 17 September 2024, the conference was hosted by Together in partnership with the ROCK Steering Group, with generous funding from Elevate Great (formerly Cattanach).

The conference offered a vital opportunity to reflect on progress – and gaps – in how children’s rights are being taken forward in law, policy and practice across the UK. Speakers shared updates from each jurisdiction, drew on international experience, and explored how best to respond to the UN Committee’s 2023 Concluding Observations.

Throughout the day, there was a strong call for action: to push for full incorporation of the UNCRC across all UK jurisdictions, strengthen systems for monitoring and accountability, and ensure that babies, children and young people are meaningfully involved in shaping decisions that affect them.

The Post-Conference Report captures these priorities and outlines practical next steps. These include a commitment from ROCK to develop a coordinated UK-wide strategy for incorporation, alongside stronger cross-sector collaboration and improved tools to support implementation.

ROCK is a coalition of voluntary organisations and individuals working together to embed children’s human rights into law, policy and practice.

ROCK’s work is guided by its Steering Group, which comprises representatives from leading child rights alliances across the UK, including: Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights); Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE); Children in Wales; Wales UNCRC Monitoring Group; Children’s Law Centre; and UNICEF UK.

Children’s Law Centre Appoints John O’Doherty as New CEO

28 May 2025

The Children’s Law Centre (CLC) is pleased to announce the appointment of John O’Doherty as its new Chief Executive Officer. John will take up the role in August 2025. The appointment follows the news that Paddy Kelly, the Centre’s founding Director of over 27 years, will step down this summer.

John O’Doherty, who comes with years of extensive experience in leading an NGO and working as a leading human rights defender, will lead CLC in the next phase of its work and development.

Commenting on the announcement, outgoing Director, Paddy Kelly, said: “It has been a huge privilege to lead the Children’s Law Centre for over 27 years. In that time, we have secured major protections in children’s rights and changed the lives of tens of thousands of children and young people directly through advice, legal representation and advocacy.

“I am delighted to be handing over the reins of CLC to John. I have no doubt that he will successfully lead the organisation in the next stage of its work to vindicate the rights of children. He brings years of experience of working in the voluntary sector, including advocating for the realisation of rights. He will bring drive and energy to the work of advancing children’s rights and I’m confident he will make a significant impact in the growth and development of the organisation.”

John O’Doherty will be joining the Children’s Law Centre having worked for the past two years as the Director of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the Community Foundation Northern Ireland. Previous to that, he worked for 14 years as Director of The Rainbow Project. His appointment comes after a competitive open recruitment exercise, undertaken by the Centre’s Board of Trustees, supported by CO3’s Engage Executive Talent.

The Board and staff at CLC would like to congratulate John on his appointment and look forward to working with him to secure and vindicate the rights of all children and young people in Northern Ireland.

CLC Gives Evidence on Restrictive Practices in Education Settings

22 May 2025

The Children’s Law Centre (CLC) presented evidence to the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Education Committee, calling for urgent legislative reform to end the harmful use of restrictive practices – including restraint and seclusion – in education settings.

The evidence session, supported by a detailed written briefing, highlights how current practices in some education settings are breaching children’s human rights and disproportionately harming disabled children, particularly those with autism, intellectual disability and communication difficulties.

The evidence, presented by Rachel Hogan, SEND Specialist Legal Adviser at CLC, strongly asserted that no child should be restrained in an education setting without strict legal safeguards and that no child should be subjected to seclusion in an education setting.

Yet, in Northern Ireland, outdated legislation remains in force and the statutory guidance which had been promised for the protection of children from harm has not been finalised. This creates a dangerous vacuum and places the most vulnerable pupils at serious risk of avoidable harm as well as leaving staff who support them without essential knowledge and skills to enable child rights compliant practice.

The CLC written briefing outlines a number of key concerns:

  • Article 4 of the Education (NI) Order 1998, which empowers staff to use “reasonable force” on children in a range of circumstances, including for the maintenance of order and discipline, is outdated and incompatible with equality and human rights standards.
  • There is a lack of clarity around the banning of seclusion in all education settings.
  • There is no mandatory training for school staff on how to minimise and eliminate restrictive practices.
  • NI remains behind other jurisdictions, despite repeated calls for action from parents, professionals and international rights bodies such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Convention on Persons with Disabilities.

The Children’s Law Centre is urging the Department of Education to:

  • Immediately repeal Article 4 of the 1998 Order and introduce children’s human rights-based legislation and guidance.
  • Ban seclusion outright in all education settings.
  • Ensure mandatory, standardised training for all school staff.
  • Implement clear recording, monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
  • Work with the Department of Health to ensure joined-up, cross-departmental policy and guidance.

Every child has the right to feel safe, supported and respected in education regardless of their disabilities or other protected equality characteristics. Legislative reform is long overdue. Without it, children’s rights will continue to be violated and staff left unsupported.