The Domestic Compliance System and Compliance Barriers: A UK Child Rights Case Study

A qualitative case study approach comprising documents, speeches and semi-structured interviews was used. The first stage involved a thematic analysis of government and non-governmental policy reports, documents and speeches that were specific to UNCRC compliance within the UK and its four nations. Each document was carefully read by the researcher and the analysis focused upon statements that linked to compliance, compliance barriers and the compliance system. In recognition that document analysis requires reflexivity, significant amounts of cross-referencing was used to create powerful documentary realities. The documentary analysis also informed the development of non-leading, semi-structured interview questions. Documentary analysis was supplemented by semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to target organisations, departments and individuals who contribute towards compliance monitoring in the UK, and enhance representation of the four nations, the public and third sector. Snowball sampling was also used to reach additional interviewees. Recruitment of interviewees continued until data saturation, defined as the point at which no new themes emerged, was reached. All interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Although deductive analysis was used, to maintain flexibility, where necessary, themes that could not be anticipated by this framework were inductively developed to capture the complexity of compliance. Throughout the analysis, triangulation of data sources occurred; information obtained through the interviews was validated through policy documents / reports and vice versa. Where conflicting opinions emerged, these were reported within the empirical analysis. Extracts from the interviews were incorporated into the empirical discussion to support the documentary analysis and provide evidence that was specific to the research aim. Prior to conducting the research, ethical approval was obtained. All data that was used was published and collected from 2016 onwards to capture and reflect the time period for the UK’s combined sixth and seventh periodic review as part of the UNCRC reporting and monitoring process. The data set includes policy documents and public speeches that are publicly available. The data set also includes anonymised interview transcripts. The interview transcripts cannot be shared as the transcripts contain information that may allow the identification of participants and contain confidential organisational / personal information which participants did not give their consent to share.