ICESCR concluding observations 2025, paragraph 43
Plain English recommendation
Government should:
(a) Do more to ensure childcare is available, easy to access and affordable. It should do this by increasing government funding and providing targeted financial help aimed at those who need it most, for example through childcare allowances;
(b) Make paternity leave better by giving fathers enough time off and ensuring they are paid enough during their leave. This improved level of leave should not include leave that is taken from the mother’s existing maternity leave;
(c) Pass laws to create a complete and inclusive social care system for both children and adults. This system should encourage shared caregiving for children, disabled people and older adults, and it should take into account gender, different backgrounds and lived experiences, cultures and human rights;
(d) Do more to stop sexual exploitation and violence against children by following the recommendations from investigations like the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in England and Wales, the Gillen Review in Northern Ireland, the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry and others, as also recommended by the Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Original UN recommendation
The Committee recommends that the State Party, along with the devolved governments of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales:
(a) Adopt or strengthen measures to ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of childcare through increased public funding and targeted financial support, such as childcare allowances;
(b) Strengthen paternity leave policies by ensuring adequate paid, non transferable leave;
(c) Adopt legislative measures to establish a comprehensive, inclusive care and support system that promotes shared caregiving responsibilities for children, persons with disabilities and older persons and integrates a gender-sensitive, intersectional, intercultural and human rights-based approach;
(d) Strengthen measures aimed at tackling the sexual exploitation of and violence against children, including by implementing the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in England and Wales, the Gillen Review in Northern Ireland, the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry and other relevant inquiries and investigations conducted by independent bodies, as also recommended by the Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Date of UN examination
12/03/2025
Original UN document
Download the original ICESCR concluding observations 2025 on the UN website.
Last updated on 21/08/2025