How do frontline practitioners enact the principles of the CRC through the subsidiary duties of the Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure (2011) in their Practice

Katie, Spendiff 2025. How do frontline practitioners enact the principles of the CRC through the subsidiary duties of the Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure (2011) in their Practice. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Despite a wealth of research relating to children’s rights existing, contextualised understandings of enactment of international children’s rights treaties in practice remain limited (Quennerstedt, 2013). This thesis explores how frontline practitioners in Wales, in the fields of social work and education, enact the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) through the subsidiary duties of the Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011 (NAfW,2001). It addresses the gap between the rhetoric of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its practical realisation within Welsh public services. The study is philosophically underpinned by critical realism (CR) allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay between policy and practice. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis in a four-phase research design of documentary analysis, elite interviews, surveys and focus groups. Documentary analysis provides a historical and contextual background, while elite interviews offer insight from key stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of children's rights policy in Wales. Surveys and focus groups gather data from frontline practitioners, providing a comprehensive understanding of their experiences, perspectives and enactment of the CRC in practice. The research is structured around the four contextual domains of Enactment theory (Ball, Maguire and Braun, 2012), utilised as a framework to explore how different actors, including policymakers, service providers and practitioners, interpret and contextualise the CRC. By focusing on the interactions and interpretations of various actors, enactment theory helps identify barriers and facilitators to effective policy implementation, emphasising the significance of local contexts, stakeholder perspectives and the dynamic nature of policy enactment. Recommendations are provided that speak to the practical realisation of children's rights within Welsh public services, focusing on the need for robust legislative frameworks, effective advocacy, supportive professional cultures and well-resourced environments

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	2 March 2026
Last Modified:	02 Mar 2026 10:39
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185257

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