Celebrating National Child Day

November 20 is National Child Day – a day that marks the signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.  

This convention is a commitment to providing children opportunities to have a voice, protecting children from harm and ensuring children’s basic needs are met. Celebrated annually, this date acknowledges the importance of children’s rights and our country’s commitment to upholding them.  

At Kinark we proudly state our value of “Holding children, youth and their families at the centre of all we do”. That means we take pride in making our decisions in the best interests of our clients, the children and youth we serve – the individual children and youth and our entire group of clients. We know that the individualized services we provide are critical enablers of our mission: helping children and youth with complex needs achieve better life outcomes.  
 
Every day, we put into practice our belief that children and youth have the right to express their views and preferences and to depend on adults for safety, care, and support.  

We encourage everyone to take some time today to reflect on how you can support the healthy development of all children and youth. 

Opportunities to learn about children’s rights and celebrate National Child Day include:  

• Wear blue – UNICEF Canada asks everyone to wear blue to recognize children’s sacrifices and say thank you. Kinark staff are encouraged to wear blue to show support. 

• Educate yourself on children’s rights – Take the time today to learn about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to understand who the children are, their rights, and how it’s important to their development. 

• You can also use this child-friendly version to teach the children close to you about their rights and create an open space for them to ask questions and voice their opinions.  

• Read our Youth Orientation Handbook to learn about the rights of clients at Syl Apps Youth Centre. 

• Participate in activities and involve the children close to you – Learning about children’s rights can be fun and National Child Day is a great opportunity to participate in activities that engage children while also giving you the chance to understand their rights to best support their well-being.   

• You can find an activity that is suitable for all age groups by using this activity selector tool from the Government of Canada and learn more about National Child Day by clicking here.