Reframing child rights to effect policy change.
BACKGROUND
Much of the discourse surrounding children's advocacy in the United States relies on a rights-based approach. We argue that this approach has limitations that impede progress in advancing children's well-being.


PURPOSE
The purpose of this article is to explain alternatives to a rights-based approach in advocating for children, such as developmental, economic, capabilities, and mutualism frameworks.


METHODS
Our analysis is based on the independent work of two separate university-based groups studying children's rights; the authors were each members of one of the groups and subsequently integrated their findings for this article.


DISCUSSION
US policies for children, especially in the domains of health and education, depict an unevenness that results in many children failing to receive certain critical services and benefits. Relying on a rights-based approach to correct these disparities and inequities is contentious and has yet to sufficiently change state and federal policies or improve children's health outcomes. Other approaches are needed to advance children's well-being.


CONCLUSION
Nurses individually and collectively need to be mindful of the pitfalls of a rights-based approach and use other frameworks in advocating for children and youth.
['Cohen|Sally S|SS|', 'Fry-Bowers|Eileen|E|', 'Bishop-Josef|Sandra|S|', "O'Neill|Moira K|MK|", 'Westphaln|Kristi|K|']
D000293:Adolescent D002648:Child D002651:Child Advocacy D002662:Child Health Services D002675:Child, Preschool D005260:Female D006291:Health Policy D006806:Human Rights D006801:Humans D007223:Infant D007231:Infant, Newborn D008297:Male D014481:United States
Rights Policy Children Advocacy Developmental Economic Mutualism