ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes in chronological order, a number of important laws, regulations and reports which have direct relevance to residential services for children and young people. Some built on and refined earlier legislation or were specifically linked to the implementation of the 1989 Children Act. The 1991 Act came into effect in October 1992, and is acknowledged in the Children Act Report 1992 as an important factor to be considered when assessing the implementation of the Children Act 1989. The importance of the UN Convention is highlighted by M. Lindsay who notes that the Convention not only comprehensively defines children's rights, it gives them recognition in international law. The UN Convention 1991 comprises a series of fifty four articles. According to the Children's Rights Development Unit, a UNICEF supported project which was set up in 1992 to promote the fullest possible implementation of the Convention, these articles are often defined within three categories - Participation, Provision and Protection.
