Annexe 1
Bath and North East Somerset
Strategy for the Participation of
Children and Young People
2013- 2015
Tell me and I will forget.
Show me and I may remember.
Involve me and I will understand.
Confucius 450 BC
Briony Waite
Strategic Planning Officer for Participation
Introduction
In 2005, the Participation Sub Group of the Children Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) developed a strategy to promote the meaningful participation of children and young people in actively shaping services across Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES). Rosie Dill, as Chair of this group produced the B&NES Strategy for the Participation of Children and Young People. This latest update, whilst retaining the vision and values of the original, scopes the development of participation by children and young people in Bath and North East Somerset since 2010.
The Strategy
Part 1
Values and visions, the principles of participation, a brief overview of ways to involve children and young people.
Part 2
Models and definitions of good participation work.
Part 3
Participation activities in B&NES
Part 4
What Young People say
Part 5
Creating a culture of participation
Part 6
2014 - 2015 Priorities
Part 1 - Vision and values
In 2000, B&NES Council adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Article 12 states that children and young people have a right to be involved in all decisions that affect their lives.
The Every Child Matters ‘Change for Children’ programme states:
“Participation is about asking children and young people what works, what
doesn’t work and what could work better, and involving them on an on-going
basis, in the design, delivery and evaluation of services”.
Eileen Munro 2011: ‘The new inspection framework should examine the child’s journey from needing to receiving help, explore how the rights, wishes, feelings and experiences of children and young people inform and shape the provision of services, and look at the effectiveness of the help provided to children, young people and their families.’
The B&NES vision and values statement was drawn up in consultation with children and young people:
We want children and young people to make a difference to how services work for them now and in the future
Following consultation with children and young people across B&NES, the value statement in the Children and Young People’s Plan 2011 – 2014 reads:
We want all Children and Young People to enjoy childhood and to be well prepared for adult life
Participation is a two-way process based on respect for an individual’s right to be involved in decisions that affect their lives. It is also a process by which children and young people can help take responsibility for making a difference to the lives of others. Participation Steering Group 2013Principles
Children and young people benefit:
· They gain control of their lives by exploring possibilities and being offered choices which they have to prioritise.
· They learn how to consider the needs of, and to take responsibility for, self and others which increases their sense of self-worth, confidence and self-esteem.
· Including young people in decision making not only helps develop vital social skills such as negotiation, debate and problem solving but also creates the conditions whereby young people are more likely to be committed to making decisions work.
Adults benefit:
· Insights gained from children and young people help adults to be more effective in meeting their needs and in shaping policy and practice.
· Children can change our perception of ourselves as adults and help us to avoid assumptions about them.
· Children and adults working together in the spirit of co-production can be profoundly rewarding.
The organisation benefits:
· Services become more responsive to the needs of children and young people, particularly those from seldom heard groups.
· Can begin to challenge presumptions about the needs of children and young people.
· Become more accessible to children and young people.
· Become more efficient as they are providing a more effective service for children and young people.
Society benefits:
· Children who participate are more likely to go on onto become capable and involved citizens as they grow up. They learn democratic procedures and responsibilities through participating.
Ways of Involving Children and Young People
Individually – over plans that affect them in relation to themselves and their family
In groups – organising and taking responsibility for aspects of the school or group that they are part of, decision making, running projects.
Representing the interests of other young people
Taking part in democratic processes
Organisational processes
Commissioning of services for children and young people
Recruitment of staff and volunteers
Training of staff and volunteers
Evaluation procedures
Monitoring of statutory and voluntary sector services
Feedback and review of services
Recommendations for change
Governance
Taking part in young people’s decision making groups
Participating in adult leadership teams
Participating in council democracy
Playing a role in governance procedures
Part 2
Definitions and Models of Participation
Participation should be perceived as children and young people, not simply taking part or being present, but rather having some influence over the decisions and actions affecting them. Meaningful participation is a process, not simply the application of isolated activities or events (Shenton 2004). Participation takes place at a personal level with children or young people able to influence decisions in matters that affect them as individuals. There may be concerns from some professionals involved that participation can lead to a blurring in understanding of who is making the final decision and which decisions are open for discussion. At the outset, it is important to have clear parameters which the adults take responsibility for establishing.
Participation can also be considered in its broader context, with children and young people as a group, having input into service planning and development, taking responsibility for aspects of the service or organisation, taking part in recruitment procedures and representing the interests of other young people. Whilst agencies and departments will develop their own service appropriate model of participation, it will be important for us all to work to the same definitions and principles to ensure consistency for children and young people across B&NES.
At any level, and in any model, the emphasis must be on active participation, where ‘children believe, and have a reason to believe, that their involvement will make a difference.’ (Kirby et al 2003 p.30).
The following model can help to identify what type of participation is appropriate at different times and in different contexts. It is non-hierarchical with no one type being better or worse than another. It is the context, the tasks, the decisions and the participants that determine the appropriate level.
Mode 1 / Mode 2 / Mode 3 /Mode 4
/ Mode 5Being Consulted / Representing / Decision Sharing / Implementing / Initiating
Whilst adults make key decisions and control the information that children & young people are given, children & young people are asked for their views and these are taken account. Adults give feedback to children & young people about decisions and outcomes. / Children & young people represent their peers and express the young people’s view on an adult initiated issue. Adults take the views into account and give feedback about decision and actions. / Children & young people share responsibility for decision making with adults. The views of children, young people and adults are given equal weight. / Children & young people are given responsibility for a project and the outcomes. Staff advise and monitor. / Children & young people generate project ideas and action all major decisions. Adults are available for consultation but do not take charge.
The B&NES participation framework is outlined in the diagram below:
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Part 3
Participation in B&NES
The Strategic Lead for Participation works with a range of different agencies to develop and co-ordinate structures to support the meaningful involvement of children and young people both in their own services and in wider strategic decision making and planning. There has been a strong emphasis on hearing the voice of ‘seldom heard’ children and young people and in promoting the participation of a diverse range of children and young people through establishing (Equalities) E-teams in schools and other children and young people settings. The model below maps the active and meaningful involvement of children and young people in the services that they take part in and how their voices are integrated into strategic decision-making.
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Annexe 1
Young People’s Equalities Group (YPEG)
This group comprises representatives from seldom heard groups (eg Black Families, YAGA, In Care Council, CAMHS, UKYP, young people at risk, UKYP, the Youth Forum) and others with a passion for Equalities issues. YPEG acts as a hub for children and young people’s equalities groups and is concerned to promote equalities issues arising from their own settings and from the outcomes of the pupil parliaments. It meets to discuss issues such as free school meals, bullying, homophobia, healthy sexual relationships, global poverty, emotional health and well-being, and to recommend courses of action. It reports to the B&NES Equalities Impact Assessment Group. Key decision-making adults also consult with this group to gain the perspective of young people. In March 2014 YPEG organised a reception to celebrate the achievement of E-teams across B&NES. This event was hosted by the Chairman of the Council. YPEG is planning an Equalities Summit for March 2015 and is putting a pack together for schools who want advice in how to set up E teams. Members of YPEG also attend the Ant-Bullying Strategy Group, the Participation Steering Group, the Equalities Impact Assessment Group and LSCB.
E-Teams
E-teams arose out of an initiative launched by the Anti-bullying Strategy Group to help schools and other settings to establish Equalities Groups. There are over 20 schools and other settings now running E-teams in B&NES. In the secondary schools, there have been campaigns to combat homophobia, sexism and racism with anti-bullying mentors being established, training programmes being set-up and the award of an Equalistar to teachers who actively promote equalities. In primary schools, play times are often the point in the day when bullying takes place and children have come up with some imaginative ideas for play, introduced buddies, created safe spaces and playground friends to help overcome loneliness. Primary schools have also focused on celebrating difference through holding assemblies and special awareness days.
YOUTH FORUM at Off the Record
The Youth Forum developed out of the UK Youth elections. Young people who stood for Youth Parliament but were not elected, decided that they would form a support group for the member and his deputy, acting as a representative body for democratic processes in B&NES, supporting schools to develop more democratic school councils. Members of this group also attend YPEG. It is managed by Off the Record.
The In Care Council
Off the Record and Bath and North East Somerset Council run a joint participation group for children and young people who are in care or who have recently left care. The role of the ICC is to achieve positive change and better outcomes for all young people who are in care or are a care leaver. The ICC aims to achieve this by forwarding the views, ideas and recommendations to the Corporate Parenting Group and other partner agencies who might make decisions or provide services to children and young people in care.
The Objectives of the In Care Council
• The In Care Council will operate as a consultation group for managers, policy makers and councillors.
• The In Care Council will operate as a lobbying group for the promotion of the rights of children in care and care leavers across B&NES.
• The In Care Council will operate as a think tank, developing young people led creative ideas and initiatives.
• The In Care Council actively promotes members who will act as positive role models to other children and young people in care.
• The In Care Council will operate as a champion for children and young people in care, as well as care leavers and make links with other sections of the council specifically to do with young people in care, such as the virtual school. (Education for Children Looked After Service).
• The In Care Council will be representative of all young children in care in Bath and North East Somerset.
Child and Adult Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
In April 2010 B&NES commissioned Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust to deliver CAMHS. From the outset the participation of children and young people has been fundamental to the design and delivery of services. The CAMHS Participation Lead coordinates this work, bringing together current and ex-service users in the ‘Participation Team’ to work alongside staff and managers. This group of young people have developed and delivered participation training to local CAMHS teams. They have also delivered a series of participation workshops, at Reading University, to more than 200 CAMHS staff and managers from across the South/South West. In the summer they met delegates from Norway’s Department of Health to outline the innovative participation work they have been involved as well as delivering presentations at an NHS England conference in Taunton and at a national CAMHS conference in London. Locally young people have shaped many aspects of the service including developing guidelines and protocol around the introduction of self-referral, designing service information and reviewing the complaints process. They share a passion for challenging the stigma which still exists in relation to mental health and to this end have worked in partnership with CAMHS staff, the B&NES School Improvement Team and Sirona to develop and launch PSHE materials which educate, inform and support children and young people, both primary and secondary in relation to Mental Health. They have also worked with young people involved in setting up www.bzine.uk to ensure young people in B&NES know more about local CAMHS services.
Disabled Children and Young People Reviews
Young people with no verbal communication and profound and complex impairments can take an active part in their reviews through use of story boarding, photos, Makaton signing and mime to make their reviews interactive and expressive of their needs, difficulties and enthusiasms. Schools can also use software with pictures/symbols on computers and young people can be assisted to compile film clips of key areas of the school where their experiences are either positive or negative. Disabled young people in transition to adulthood as well as in commissioned services with voluntary sector organisations make very effective use of the one page profile which can include lots of photos.