FEBRUARY 2005
CONTENTS Introduction .................................................................................................... 4 Challenges for the Future ............................................................................. 4 Activities designed by children and young people ..................................... 5
Sunderland Children‟s Fund .................................................................................. 5
Children’s’ Champion .................................................................................... 6
Coventry Children‟s Fund ...................................................................................... 6 Enfield Children‟s Fund ......................................................................................... 7
Commissioning .............................................................................................. 8
Hull Children‟s Fund .............................................................................................. 8 Kent Children‟s Fund ............................................................................................. 9 Children‟s Fund Lincolnshire ............................................................................... 10
Consultation ................................................................................................. 11
Nottingham City Children‟s Fund ......................................................................... 11 Worcestershire Children‟s fund............................................................................ 12 Blackpool Children and Young People Strategic Partnership............................... 13 Lancashire Youth and Community Service .......................................................... 14 Sure Start Middlesbrough, Children Families and Learning Department, Middlesbrough Council ........................................................................................ 15 Oxfordshire Children‟s Fund ................................................................................ 16 Redcar and Cleveland Local Preventative Strategy ............................................. 17 Somerset Children‟s Fund ................................................................................... 18
Counselling .................................................................................................. 19
Sunderland Children‟s Fund ................................................................................ 19
Cultural Event............................................................................................... 20
Redcar and Cleveland Children‟s Fund and W E A, Black Minority Ethnic Inclusion Project ................................................................................................................. 20
Decision Making and Strategy .................................................................... 21
Telford Children‟s Fund ....................................................................................... 21 Blackburn with Darwen Youth Service ................................................................. 22 Brighton & Hove CF ............................................................................................ 23 Greenwich Children‟s Fund ................................................................................. 24 Lewisham Children‟s Fund .................................................................................. 25
Disable Children........................................................................................... 26
Nottinghamshire Children‟s Fund ........................................................................ 26
Evaluation ..................................................................................................... 27
Windsor and Maidenhead Children‟s Fund .......................................................... 27 Bristol Children‟s Fund ........................................................................................ 28
Information Sharing and Assessment ....................................................... 29
North Yorkshire Children‟s Fund .......................................................................... 29
Inspection ..................................................................................................... 30
Redcar and Cleveland Children‟s Fund, Redcar Youth Service and Safe in Tees Valley .................................................................................................................. 30
Peer Mentoring ............................................................................................. 31
Windsor and Maidenhead Children‟s Fund .......................................................... 31 Northamptonshire Children‟s Fund ...................................................................... 32 Safe in Tees Valley and Redcar and Cleveland Children‟s Fund ......................... 33
Plan Approval ............................................................................................... 34
Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Team ......................................................... 34
Play Schemes ............................................................................................... 35
Middlesbrough Sure Start Business Team........................................................... 35
Publicity ........................................................................................................ 36
Sunderland Children‟s Fund ................................................................................ 36
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Ealing Children‟s Fund ........................................................................................ 37
Raising Attainment ...................................................................................... 38
Sunderland Children‟s Fund ................................................................................ 38
Recruitment .................................................................................................. 39
Windsor and Maidenhead Children‟s Fund .......................................................... 39 Lincolnshire Children‟s Fund ............................................................................... 40
Shadow Board – Strategic Partnership...................................................... 41
East Riding Children‟s Fund ................................................................................ 41
Small Grants ................................................................................................. 42
Oxfordshire Children‟s Fund ................................................................................ 42
Standards ..................................................................................................... 43
Sunderland Children‟s Fund ................................................................................ 43
Training ......................................................................................................... 44
Wolverhampton Children‟s Fund ......................................................................... 44 Sunderland Children‟s Fund ................................................................................ 45
Travellers ...................................................................................................... 46
Nottingham City Children‟s Fund ......................................................................... 46
National CXS / Youth / CF Participation Network Contact Details ........... 47 National Government Department Participation Contacts - DfES ........... 49 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) ............................................. 49
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Introduction
This publication provides a range of examples of different models, methods and approaches to participation of children and young people used by Children‟s Fund programmes nationally. Broadly, these methods can be viewed as involving children and young people by Acting in adult roles Identifying their own contributions Using other workers as intermediaries As a snapshot of participatory approaches from Children‟s Fund, this is not intended as a comprehensive description or exhaustive list of participatory work. It is for use by all stakeholders and partners involved in planning and delivery of children‟s services when considering the involvement of children and young people in service planning, design, delivery and evaluation. The national Evaluation of the Children‟s Fund highlights through research the evidence of achievement through participation. As a guiding principle of the Children‟s Fund, it is also embedded within broader national strategies and developments in the reconfiguration of children‟s services, Joint Area Reviews and implementing the National Service Framework for children. Implementation of local strategic development demands clarity and understanding the nature and purpose of different approaches. Rather than focussing on the false belief in one correct approach, children and young people‟s participation requires a number of different strategies, methods and models. The examples here show successful contributions for all partners and stakeholders to adapt locally. Please use the contacts for more information on examples you would like more information
Challenges for the Future
There are still challenges to effective participation that have to be addressed investment of time and dedicated resources ensuring representation reflects diverse communities sharing power effectively between children and adults challenging and changing some adult perceptions of young people
The Children‟s Fund remains committed to ensuring that the involvement of children and young people is embedded in planning and delivery structures for children‟s services. This is because evaluation demonstrates that participation is a key factor in delivering change. So securing meaningful participation is a key task as the Children‟s Fund migrates into the preventative services of Children‟s Trusts. It is the aim that Children‟s Fund will continue to embed good practice locally to influence cultural change across organisations, as well as supporting children and young people and communities to ensure participation within wider strategic developments.
Jenny Sergeant Children‟s Fund Participation Working Group
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Activities designed by children and young people Sunderland Children’s Fund
Brief description Keyfund Juniors is a pilot, based on the existing Keyfund process of youth-led informal group learning involving the use of 12 key skills, with young people participating in ideas / activities they have devised themselves. Organically the idea should belong to the young people. They must then plan and present their idea to a trained Keyfund panel and negotiate with them for Keyfund to resource the idea based upon the appropriate amount of learning. The group must reflect on skills learnt during the process and evaluate their work accordingly. What is working well/what opportunities exist There are 4 stages of incremental learning. Whilst the first stage is a taster designed to encourage the young people to the Keyfund process and its ethos, it is hoped that the young people will progress through the stages and develop more skills. Contact details Norah Stevens 0191 219 3477 Email Norah.stevens@ssd.sunderland.gov.uk
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Children’s’ Champion Coventry Children’s Fund
Brief description Working at a strategic level to raise the profile and challenge services in respect of Children‟s involvement in the development, monitoring and evaluation of the services they use. The development of the Coventry version of the “Hear by Right” strategy City wide. Supporting the development towards a Children‟s Trust in Coventry.
What is working well/what opportunities exist Elected members the children and young peoples strategic partnership and Local Strategic partnership have all signed up to the “Hear by Right” strategy which we are using as a vehicle to promote Children‟s and Young People‟s involvement in the decision making process. We have a wealth of examples of good practice e.g. the practice around children‟s involvement in the recruitment process has been adopted by a number of other areas within the region. We are a pilot area for Local Area Agreements which Children and Young People feature strongly in. Coventry will be undertaking an area review between January and March of next year; this has raised the profile of my work and put it on agendas that would normally have taken longer. We have developed a multi agency group which looks at the involvement of children and young people. This is a large wide ranging group from all sectors and has a major impact. We have the children‟s international games in Coventry this year. The games are officially part of the Olympic movement; it is the first time they have been hosted in the UK. We are going to do a lot of work with a democracy theme during the period the games are on and hope to raise awareness during this period.
Contact details Sheila Bates Children‟s Champion Coventry Partnership C/o Little Park Police Station Little Park Street Coventry CV1 2JX 024 7653 9149 sheila.bates@coventrypartnership.com
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Enfield Children’s Fund
Brief description
Kids Call the Shots‟ is an advisory group of service users Employing a Children‟s Champion Requiring providers to produce participation action plans
What is working well/what opportunities exist The Children‟s Champion post has supported the programme to champion the voice of children and young people more widely across the local area. For example, Enfield X-press group was supported by Children‟s Fund to be involved in developing the Children and Young People‟s Strategic Plan. The Children‟s champion has also been influential in supporting the borough to develop a borough wide strategy for children and young people‟s engagement which will include adopting the „Hear by Right standards‟. Kids Call the Shots, has enabled service users to have say in how services are delivered and the opportunity to raise issues that are important to them. Representatives from the „Kids call the Shots‟ group meet with the programme manager and two steering group members twice a month to ensure involvement in decision-making. Through this mechanism children and young people have been involved in commissioning, evaluation, recruitment and website development. One of the mechanisms Enfield Children‟s Fund has in place to monitor how services are involving children and young people in service delivery and design is that it requires all services (as part of their Service Level Agreements) to develop an action plan with milestones for how they will support children and young people‟s participation in their service.
Contact details Barbara Atkinson Enfield Children‟s Fund (Acting programme manager) Telephone: 0208 373 2690 barbara.atkinson@opp-links.org.uk
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Commissioning Hull Children’s Fund
Brief description Children and young people were central to the commissioning process of 2003. In each of the target wards a commissioning panel of children and young people was arranged with them considering individual projects and identifying gaps in services. A traffic light system was developed to assist this process and other funding streams have subsequently adopted these processes. In addition Hull Children‟s Fund has developed its own online evaluation toolkit. This will enable children and young people to review projects on a continual basis and provide ongoing evaluation of how projects are progressing. In the seven areas of Hull, Youth Forums operate enabling young people to have a voice about what is happening in their area. Together with the Youth Council, Hull Children‟s Fund has developed a Junior SOS (Speak out Squad) to look at how younger children can also have a voice. This is aimed at children up until the age of 11 years. Young people from the Youth Forum act as peer mentors to the Junior SOS, building relationships that will encourage children as they reach eleven to join the Youth Forum. What is working well/what opportunities exist The participation of children and young people has been widely recognised as a major success of Hull Children‟s Fund. Children and young people have been central to the commissioning process Development of Children‟s Fund‟s Participation Strategy, toolkit and standards Every Child Matters consultation in which children requested the development of suggestion boxes which are now appearing all over the city Ethnic minority children feeling their views and opinions are being sought and heard more Anti bullying work in Secondary Schools Race awareness and diversity work
Contact details Michele.priest@hullcc.gov.uk Barbara.gibb@hullcc.gov.uk Tel: 01482 615250
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Kent Children’s Fund
Brief description Commissioning Framework What is working well/what opportunities exist Kent Children‟s Fund have undertaken a comprehensive evaluation of children‟s participation across the programme, and have developed a framework based on this evidence for use by emerging structures i.e. „the Consortia‟ (Children‟s Trust model,) for the commissioning of children‟s services. The Framework Plan, endorsed by Kent County Council, is the main tool to move the participation agenda forward in Kent. Contact details Rob Woolley Programme Director 01233 666610 3 Cherry Court Victoria Road Ashford Kent TN23 7HE
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Children’s Fund Lincolnshire
Brief description Children and young people from our partnership board helped allocate over £300.000 to projects, devising a creative and solid assessment and awarding process that was also used, in adapted form, by adult members of the commissioning panel. What is working well/what opportunities exist This approach is being given as an example of real change-making effectiveness by children and young people to Childrens Centre lead in county and through one area LIT participation and respect subgroup in its work towards Childrens Trust arrangements. Contact details Colin Hopkirk Children‟s participation coordinator Tel: 01507 528300 colinh@childrenslinks.org.uk
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Consultation Nottingham City Children’s Fund
Brief description This project was led by the specialist Health Promotion Service at Nottingham City Primary Care Trust. The consultation with all children and young people was done by Luna. It was developed as a first step towards developing a locally sensitive service to support overweight children and their families. This was achieved through consulting with potential service users and professionals, testing out a fun activity session and referral system and developing a system for monitoring childhood obesity.
What is working well/what opportunities exist Their voices have really been heard and children and their families have completely shaped the service that they wanted. This service has now become a mainstream link between the healthy schools service and an ongoing leisure provision in sports centres. Contact details Have got a report/ CDROM and Audio file from radio with children and young people. Carly Raby/ Sam Raby carly@lunatraining.com sam@lunatraining.com
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Worcestershire Children’s fund
Brief description The Children and Young People‟s Strategic Partnership Board asked for children and young people to be consulted on the 5 outcomes set out in Every Child Matters. The process began with a group of young people (15 – 19 yrs) unpacking the original outcomes written by and for adults. The language and themes were considered and the most important elements for each outcome were debated. New „child friendly‟ outcomes were written where possible and questions were then designed by the young people for the primary school consultation tour.1 The E- voting consists of handsets and screens with the questions and options displayed and a presenter interacting with the participants in the style of „Who wants to be a Millionaire‟. As the voting process was to take place in school assemblies, it was necessary to make the questions short and snappy. The average time for the voting was 30 minutes. The questions therefore only scratched the surface as they were, by design, simple and covered large themes. What is working well/what opportunities exist This method was a very successful way of reaching children from a variety of backgrounds in a non-threatening and entertaining way. It was well received by children and teachers alike as a new and exciting way of getting opinions and information. As a pilot run of reaching our target age groups we now have a better idea of what level and depth we can reach and the ideal length of this type of consultation. Through our partnership with the Youth Service we have been able to share resources and work together in raising the profile of involving children and young people in services. It has also enhanced the Children‟s Fund role by being able to deliver this kind of detailed statistical information about children across the County. This will hopefully mean that we are in a stronger position in terms of ensuring that the opinions and choices of the children of Worcestershire are taken into account when strategic planning is taking place. Contact details Carla Searle csearle@worcestershire.gov.uk
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St Luke's, Redditch, Blakebrook Special School, Kidderminster, Mount Carmel, Redditch, The Grove, Malvern, Westlands First, Droitwich, St Clement's, Worcester.
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Blackpool Children and Young People Strategic Partnership
Brief description 500 children and young people took part in a 3 stage consultation. Groups from primary, secondary schools and the statutory and voluntary youth sector took part. 24 groups did workshops in their own locations to discuss themes and record ideas about what helped or hindered. 70 representatives from these groups then met at „Hear we are –so listen‟ event to develop priorities. These were then presented to 60 key stakeholders by Blackpool Young Peoples Council The Children and Young People Strategic Partnership will check their plans and progress against these priorities early in 2005 What is working well/what opportunities exist Using interactive group work and arts and drama based processes with support from local specialist workers works well. Contact details Nigel Cooper, Involving Young People Co-ordinator, Connexions Lancashire, The Guide Business Centre, School Lane, Guide, Blackburn, BB1 2QH.
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Lancashire Youth and Community Service
Brief description Consultation with disabled young people using interactive methods. Sport England was partners in the event and sport was used as the medium for the consultation. The results were disseminated through a set of posters, distributed to agencies throughout the County. Key messages included; Stop seeing the barriers, stop seeing the disability, see me. Integration not segregation. Access is about more than ramps. It‟s nice to be asked what I want and to be listened to. Buses for disabled people should not look different. We do not want to be labelled. Work in this area is supported by the SENDA fund distributed to Youth Services via DfES to improve access to Youth Services by disabled young people. What is working well/what opportunities exist Project and posters used to inform and advise youth workers of disabled young peoples needs and expectations Posters available Contact details Brenda Lynton-Escreet, County Equalities Coordinator, PO Box 61, County Hall, Preston, PR1 8RJ 01772 532786
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Sure Start Middlesbrough, Children Families and Learning Department, Middlesbrough Council
Brief description Sure Start Middlesbrough consulted with children aged from 3 ½ to 14 in a wide variety of settings. A „caterpillar questionnaire‟ was used, asking children questions: Why they thought grown ups kept information about them Whether information should be kept about all children Who should keep information about them What information should be kept When information should be shared What information should not be shared Where the information should be kept Two workers chatted informally with the children and emphasised that there was not right answer – only what the children thought. Questionnaires were mailed to a special school (pupils aged 5 – 11) and groups filled in the questionnaire with the help of their teachers. A copy of the questionnaire was also mailed out to Social Services Looked After Children This information was then collated and presented to the Children and Young People‟s Strategic Partnership (CYSP). What is working well/what opportunities exist The questionnaire tried to deal with sophisticated issues in a simplistic way that children could understand. The children interpreted the questions according to their particular circumstances The CYSP was able to hear children‟s particular responses and the report highlighted the importance of taking into account children‟s views when making future policy. Contact details Gena Birchall 01642 201931 Email gena_birchall@middlesbrough.gov.uk
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Oxfordshire Children’s Fund
Brief description Oxfordshire Children‟s Fund (OCF) has acted as a catalyst, challenging cultures and fears through supporting and „doing‟. It has successfully demonstrated the possibilities, and the huge potential for involving c&yp in creative ways. It has had a significant impact at a variety of strategic and operational levels Participation to be a continuing major focus for 05-08 to ensure sustainability and a strong legacy of good practice.
What is working well/what opportunities exist OCF initiated and co-ordinated a Consultation of Children and Young People on the Green Paper: Every Child Matters. This was carried out using a „hub and spoke‟ model drawing on existing consultative fora and involving 260 c&yp across the county aged 5-19, achieved through a multi-agency (including VCS) Children‟s Rights Leads Group. It was very well received and has been nominated for a number of awards. Its‟ success led County Council members to gain confidence in involving children and young people, and to take the opportunity of involving c&yp directly in the Joint Best Value Review (BVR), through the Sounding Board project. This is led, managed and funded through the OCF. It involves 20 c&yp aged 8-19 (and draws on younger children‟s experiences through Early Years settings) working over a 9 month period to advise and debate with the BVR Team the findings and recommendations of the Review
Contact details Alison Partridge – Programme Manager Learning and Culture Directorate Harlow Centre Raymund Road Marston Oxford Oxon OX3 0PG Tel: 01865 256647
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Redcar and Cleveland Local Preventative Strategy
Brief description Redcar and Cleveland Social Services are the lead agency on the planning and development of the Local Preventative Strategy. The Children‟s Fund was requested to provide a mechanism for children and young people to become involved in the planning process for the LPS. The aim of the consultation was to gain the views of children and young people aged 6-19 on the issues facing them living in the area and what they wanted to be included in the LPS. The Development Worker lead on the Consultation Process, working in partnership with the Youth Service, Connexions local artists and the Children‟s Fund Peer Education Team to plan and deliver the events. The first day was aimed at children aged 6-11 and used story telling, theatre and interactive discussion groups to engage the children. The second day used art, theatre, planning for real and video methods of engaging young people. The views of children and young people were captured through various methods and then analysed and put into an information pack, which includes a report and DVD. This pack has been circulated to all of the key players in the planning and delivery of the LPS and also used to support various presentations and seminars held in the area. A further event is planned for Summer 2005, to feedback to children and young people on how their views have been included in the planning and delivery of the LPS. What is working well/what opportunities exist The information pack has been very well received by a variety of audiences and has even triggered some Departments to further develop their consultation methods with children and young people. The outcomes from the Consultation Process have been summarised and forwarded to the Planning Officer for Children‟s Services in Social Services Department to incorporate in the LPS. The feedback event will provide the opportunity to evidence to children and young people how their views have been acted upon. This event will be attended by all of the „key‟ agencies that deliver Children‟s Services. Contact details Lisa Brett 01642 777 890 Email lisa_brett@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk
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Somerset Children’s Fund
Brief description In reflection of the Programme‟s strength in this area, it is working with the National Youth Agency to consult children and young people on OFSTED inspection of joint services and what improvements could be made. The Children‟s Fund worked with OFSTED to ask children how they could make joint inspections more effective and child friendly. A total of 24 children and young people took part in the consultation in Yeovil organised by Somerset Children‟s Fund. Of this total 12 were boys and young men, and 12 were girls and young women. Nineteen (75%) of the children that took part were under 11 years and Five (21%) of the young people that took part were 12-15 years. The entire group identified themselves as living in market towns. None of the children and young people that took part identified themselves as coming from ethnic minority groups or as having a disability. Over half of the group had special educational needs. Various methods were used to gather information from the children and young people; these included creative activities and games. These were designed specifically for this group of children and young people.
What is working well/what opportunities exist
Contact details
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Counselling Sunderland Children’s Fund
Brief description YPCS offers a therapeutic counselling support service to all children and young people throughout the City of Sunderland, aged 5-16. Assessments to establish need and signpost if necessary are provided as well as individual or group support or drop-in sessions. Support, training and consultancy to families and professionals is also on offer. To enable an increase of service capacity, volunteer opportunities have expanded. In November 2003 the project relocated to purpose built, neighbourhood based youth facility offering a service that is easily accessible, inclusive and non-stigmatising. What is working well/what opportunities exist Documented policies and procedures are in place and are regularly reviewed. The service provides opportunities for service users and referrers to give feedback. Child friendly evaluation tools are used to empower users who have been involved in the process. Opportunities to give feedback are also provided for children and young people (and their families) accessing the service. These are in the form of surveys, questionnaires, a comments / suggestion box, focus / group work, empowering users, having opinions valued and ideas listened to and acted upon, YPCS acting on feedback given, ensuring that this is then in turn fed back to those young people involved and evidenced in the changes that are made. Examples of good practice include an Anti Bullying Survey and Poster Competition, using artwork for training and promotional material, a relocation questionnaire to establish service users views, young people designed service information and leaflet, emotional health day held to provide young people with information from a variety of organisations and to try out complimentary therapies Contact details Norah Stevens 0191 219 3477 Email Norah.stevens@ssd.sunderland.gov.uk
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Cultural Event Redcar and Cleveland Children’s Fund and W E A, Black Minority Ethnic Inclusion Project
Brief description The Development Worker in partnership with the Development Worker from Sitara formed a children‟s focus group. The purpose of the Focus Group was to plan the delivery of an event to promote Culture to children aged 5-13 who live in Redcar and Cleveland. The Group met on a weekly basis over 16 weeks to plan the conference. The group decided that Culture could be described through various media of dance, music, fashion, films and drama. The central theme of the day was „festivals‟ to show how different cultures celebrate festivals, through food, music, clothes, decorations and religion. The Group was also involved in the delivery of the day, through the provision of a Muslim Play, festival banners and decorations and dance routines.
What is working well/what opportunities exist The Children‟s Focus Group has led on the planning, delivery styles and the production of information for the event. The children also performed a play on the day alongside a fashion show and the organising of a Muslim Fayre. Contact details Lisa Brett 01642 777 890 Email lisa_brett@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk
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Decision Making and Strategy Telford Children’s Fund
Brief description To aid the Children‟s Funds area based working 4 local area children‟s groups have been developed. These groups support the delivery of a range of local services and provision. In order to support the work of the Borough‟s Children and Young Person‟s strategic Partnership Board and the Active Involvement Working group, a new group has been established called „Raise your Voice, increase your Choice‟. This group is made up of representatives from each of the area based Children‟s Fund groups and has representation for looked after children and young carers. The group is constantly evolving and our aim is to attract members from primary school councils, disabled children and other children who do not traditionally join forums. The proactive and meaningful work of the Children‟s Funds Participation and Children‟s Rights project has meant that the Children‟s fund within the Borough is now taking a lead on much of the Active Involvement agenda. As such, workers from the project facilitate this children‟s group, although the work that is carried out is done on behalf of the Borough wide Strategic Partnership. The group has a monthly meeting and children have requested that these take place in a meeting room at the Council offices. What is working well/what opportunities exist To date the children have worked alongside adults to help to develop a Children and Young Person‟s charter for the Borough of Telford and Wrekin. The charter outlines the Council‟s commitment to Children and Young People across the 5 Every Child Matters outcomes. They have been introduced to local members and have developed their understanding about the work of the Council. At present the group are working on information leaflets for children outlining the Council‟s roles and responsibilities. The Borough‟s Active Involvement Working Group has developed a Strategic Action Plan based on the standards of „Hear by Right‟ and the children‟s group has this as its working document. Originally the work of the Participation and Children‟s Rights project supported and developed children‟s participation and active involvement within the local Children‟s Fund programme, but now increasingly the project is supporting, developing and enabling the Borough as a whole to develop its work in this arena.
Contact details Sarah Stembridge…Children‟s Fund Co-ordinator…01952 221272 Sarah.stembridge@teford.gov.uk Vanessa Postle…Children‟s Participation Worker…01952 221270 Vanessa.postle@telford.gov.uk
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Blackburn with Darwen Youth Service
Brief description 13-19 group originally established Sept 02, meets weekly. Staffing 1xft, 1xpt 1x vol. Group is open to all, new joiners supported and encouraged by local youth workers. As well as weekly group meetings to develop and explore their own agenda they provide members to attend CYP Strategic partnership and13-19 sub group. Also act as focus group to other council departments e.g. Crime and Disorder and Healthy Schools initiative Young People are approached and invited through the Youth Participation worker. Link to Borough policy unit and are advising on development of a Youth Bank. Regular meetings with Council Leader. Have developed a Youth Pledge and are developing a Youth Charter both will be adopted by Youth Service after consultation. Have a regular 2 page spread in Borough‟s paper „The Shuttle‟, includes stories on what they do, how they work, how to join etc. Also run cross Borough elections for Youth MP, includes all schools and youth centres. Advising FE college how to set up a Student Council. What is working well/what opportunities exist Uses lot of interactive processes, mixes in lots of fun, uses rewards and incentives for young people. High level of dedicated staff on project. Young people thoroughly briefed and supported. Mixed ethnicity, gender, ability and age range. Contact details John Poulson, Youth Service Manager Room 244, Jubilee House, Jubilee Street, Blackburn BB2 3ER 01254 585826
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Brighton & Hove CF
Brief description Local Authority Participation Strategy What is working well/what opportunities exist A participation strategy is being developed within the Children‟s Trust partnership, led through the CF programme manager and links with VCS.
Contact details Ellen Jones, Programme Manager Room 329, Kings House Grand Avenue Hove East Sussex BN3 2LS Tel: 01273 293441
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Greenwich Children’s Fund
Brief description Greenwich Children‟s Fund has set up Young Life – which is a young people‟s forum with a consistent membership of twenty children. These are recruited from across Greenwich Children‟s Fund services. Young Life has regular meetings, outings, and runs specialist training for adults. What is working well/what opportunities exist Young Life has recently been invited to present papers at the National ChildCare Conference and at the international Child-in-the-City conference in London. They co-facilitated a training session on participation issues for professionals in LB of Greenwich and have made decisions about commissioning of services and evaluation. Young Life has a small amount of funding which they administer as a community chest. As part of this process they have been responsible for developing application packs, running appraisal panels and making funding decisions. Young Life is in the process of organising its second children‟s conference in March 2005. For their first conference in March 2004, they consulted pupils at selected schools in the borough via questionnaires about the format and content the conference should take. As a result the focus was on the themes of Racism, Bullying, Domestic Violence and Crime. Contact details Mick Atkinson Greenwich Children‟s Fund Programme Manager Tel: 020 8921 8542 mick.atkinson@greenwich.co.uk
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Lewisham Children’s Fund
Brief description The Scorpions children‟s forums work to promote children and young people‟s participation in decision making across the borough. What is working well/what opportunities exist Examples of the Scorpions work to help mainstream participation: The Scorpion‟s have helped develop Lewisham‟s Borough Participation Strategy for Children and Young People and the Lewisham Young Mayor Role Representatives from the Scorpions are members of the Young Mayor's Advisory Cabinet – this has ensured the participation of younger children in the process The Scorpions have undertaken project „focus visits‟ to help build capacity in services and to support them to develop mechanisms to engage service users Scorpions attendance at steering group meetings has supported children and young people‟s involvement in decision making about the Children‟s Fund and helped to embed participation as a way of working As part of the approval process for applications for funding for 2005/06 the Children‟s Fund projects were required to write a 200word description of how they would meet the five Every Children Matters outcomes and involve children and young people in their service. This was assessed by a group of Scorpions, with the support of the evaluator and participation workers at one of their regular forum meetings. Feedback was given to the projects and the recommendations by the Scorpions about how to monitor services against these outcomes will form part of the monitoring process. Lewisham‟s Participation Project has also produced an accessible and 'project-friendly' Participation Strategy which includes case studies and examples of successful levels of participation work already in practice across the partnership. In addition to this each service has developed its own participation plan. Contact details Helen Naylor Lewisham Children‟s Fund Programme Manager Tel: 020 8314 7931 helen.naylor@lewisham.gov.uk
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Disable Children Nottinghamshire Children’s Fund
Brief description Disabled children and young people are developing and publishing their own information. There are various sections: a website, a directory of places they like to go (which includes information about disabled access, staff training) and a quarterly comic. Both the comic and the directory are available on the website. The comic is distributed to disabled children in the county who are on the databases of the various services. There is an editorial board who meet monthly of around 20 disabled children, and their families. They make decisions about what material is included, they design and judge competitions etc. There are a growing number of contributors to the comic. Lots of children and young people contributed to the directory saying why they liked to go to various places and what was available. What is working well/what opportunities exist (for Children‟s Fund, specifically in terms of sustaining services, cultural change and embedding good practice) Partnership work between voluntary and statutory organisations who are delivering services to families in the county. Sharing of information and databases by services so that families get more joined up services. Some places in the directory have been in touch to say that they have improved their facilities. Families and workers are using the directory as a resource to find accessible places to visit. Children have ownership of the material that they are producing and are seeing it shared with others. They are starting to come up with their own issues that they want to address. Children in mainstream schools are making links with other disabled children eg penpals Older disabled young people are helping at the editorial meetings as peer mentors. Opportunities for more children to become contributors, perhaps through linking with schools. Contact details Sarah Walters Nottinghamshire Children‟s Fund Community House, 36 Wood St Mansfield Notts NG18 1QA 01623 622634 childrens.fund@nottscc.gov.uk Cool Kids c/o SHINE 0115 8465616 www.cool-kids.org.uk
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Evaluation Windsor and Maidenhead Children’s Fund
Brief description Windsor & Maidenhead Children‟s Fund has successfully developed expertise and strategic influence in promoting the participation of 5-13 year olds in decisions that affect their lives and laid out a clear strategy for developing participatory practice in local children‟s services. What is working well/what opportunities exist As part of the pan-Berkshire evaluation, a group of children from across Berkshire are being trained as Young Researchers able to conduct and record independent evaluations of Children‟s Fund projects. Young Researchers will interview staff and young service users of selected projects in order to capture and represent children‟s views on how services are currently run, what impact they are having, and how they might be developed. The programme hope that this can become an ongoing project within the Borough and that a future Children‟s Trust will take on this model of ensuring a child‟s-eye view in the evaluation of services. Contact details Anita Cleare – Programme Manager 4 Marlow Road Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 7YR Tel: 01628 683233
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Bristol Children’s Fund
Brief description The Fund‟s Partnership and Participation team has been working with the action research unit SOLAR to develop realistic outcome evaluation processes fit for purpose, with an emphasis on the participation of children and young people using the services. This has led to a number of developments, including the training and deployment of teams of „young consultants‟ within some services who have visited other services to interview children and staff to assess value and effectiveness. These young consultants also contribute to consultation and participation processes within the Children‟s Fund. The use of a digital media resource base has been invaluable, enabling children and young people to record and communicate their findings in ways they find appropriate. What is working well/what opportunities exist The result has been a considerable development of practice with vulnerable members of the 5-13 age group, leading to a capacity for children and young people to participate in other more strategic processes, from evaluating other services to engaging in the 2004 review. The direct work team will continue to support and monitor these processes, as well as devising ways in which the participation network can disseminate the practice beyond the Children‟s Fund. Participation workers are already playing an active role in city-wide participation networks, both sharing practice and helping create opportunities for a wider strategic „voice‟ for children and young people. In this they work in partnership with the Young People‟s Service and the groundwork that department has done in establishing processes for the 13+ age range.
Contact details For further information, please contact – Patricia Wiltshire 0117 941 5330 patricia.Wiltshire@barnardos.org.uk
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Information Sharing and Assessment North Yorkshire Children’s Fund
Brief description The Children‟s Fund in North Yorkshire chairs a multi agency group that has looked at the different ways of involving children and young people in the development and implementation of Information Sharing practice and systems. We have developed an Information Sharing leaflet written by Children and Young People for Children and Young People, with an accompanying CD. We have also completed workshops with over 150 children and young people discussing what ISA looks like from their perspective. The views, comments and suggestions from the workshops have been used to produce: Children and young people‟s Information sharing guidelines A DVD and toolkit on ISA which will form part of the PSHE curriculum within schools What is working well/what opportunities exist We wanted to give children and young people good and clear information on ISA so that then they could make informed decisions. We decided the best way of giving all children and young people the same information was to put together some resources to form part of the school curriculum. We have learnt that children and young people can be involved and influence the practice and development of what initially seemed a complex government initiative. We also learnt that children and young people‟s input can result in developments to practice and systems.
Contact details William Shaw Participation Coordinator wshaw@nspcc.org.uk 01904 720 591
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Inspection Redcar and Cleveland Children’s Fund, Redcar Youth Service and Safe in Tees Valley
Brief description The Development Worker is supporting the Youth Service in the development and introduction of a Young People‟s Inspection Team. The project is aimed at involving young people in the inspection of Youth Clubs, through the internal inspection process and then moving onto Ofsted inspections. It is then envisaged that the programme will be „rolled out‟ to other mainstream services such as Social Services, Education and Health. A central feature of the work is that the entire inspection process is being planned and delivered by young people. The young people are provided with a comprehensive training programme, which includes weekly training sessions, residentials and the completion of Youth Achievement Awards.
What is working well/what opportunities exist The programme of training is nearly complete. Young people are now getting ready to become involved in the internal inspection of the Youth Service in March 2005. The central aims of mainstreaming services have been achieved through the development of the key partnership with the Youth Service. There is also opportunity to extend the project to a range of mainstream agencies including Health, Education and Social Services. The Young People‟s Inspection Team is only the second of its type across the country and as such is a working piece of research.
Contact details Lisa Brett 01642 777 890 Email lisa_brett@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk
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Peer Mentoring Windsor and Maidenhead Children’s Fund
Brief description Windsor & Maidenhead Children‟s Fund has successfully developed expertise and strategic influence in promoting the participation of 5-13 year olds in decisions that affect their lives and laid out a clear strategy for developing participatory practice in local children‟s services. What is working well/what opportunities exist Following our Footsteps will continue as an ongoing jointly funded participation project with the Early Years Learning & Achievement team. The project involves collecting children‟s own visual documentation using digital photography, animated video and audio clips starting from the Foundation Stage through to Year 1. It is directed by the children, for the children, and will create a seamless visual scaffold to follow children‟s footsteps through their early years in school – documenting, recording, remembering, recalling, comparing and enjoying – enabling them to express their views, feelings, concerns and aspirations about matters that affect their school lives. In culmination, a training video for practitioners will be produced to promote a long-term „listening‟ culture at this vital transitory stage.
Contact details Anita Cleare – Programme Manager 4 Marlow Road Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 7YR Tel: 01628 683233
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Northamptonshire Children’s Fund
Brief description This project is operative in two primary schools and one secondary school. These are, Rockingham Primary, Kingswood Primary and Corby Community College. Exeter Community School is now developing this service in their school. Children and young people are involved from the outset in helping to plan and develop peer support in each school. Rather than mentor or counsellor the terms peer listener or supporter is used. A listening service seems more acceptable to children. Listening can range from simply hearing someone get something off their chest, to helping someone as they work through a more difficult problem, giving support, and together looking at how things could be changed for the better. Level of pupil involvement depends very much on the ethos of the school and their attitude towards peer support. Whilst Rockingham Primary allows children to nominate who they want to be peer supporters; Kingswood Primary would allow young people to volunteer themselves, peer supporters are then selected by teachers. Approximately 10 young volunteers are trained as peer listeners/supporters from each school. What is working well/what opportunities exist Feeling box: where young people can post their worries. An appointment is then made to see a peer supporter. Evaluation carried out from all key players. These are, children using the scheme, young peer supporters and teachers, as a way of determining the success of the schemes and ideas for their development. This is an on-going process managed by each school. Young peer supporters have developed key skills that contribute to their Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE) and Citizenship curriculum. For example, sharing responsibilities, helping their peers to help themselves, respecting others, accepting the importance of confidentiality, problem solving and listening to young people. Sharing of good practice is spread across all four schools. Experienced young peer supporters participate in training new peer supporters. Opportunities exist to increase awareness of this project by engaging support staff, parents and school governors. Opportunities exists for embedding good practice by monitoring how young peer supporters have developed in response to their contribution to the service. This would also ensure that they are not overstressed or burdened by their role. To a degree, the success of this project depends on how committed schools are towards it. For example, Rockingham Primary School Head is innovative and very holistic in her practice. This school wants to own this project. Therefore, the likelihood of this project being sustained by, for instance, allowing the peer supporter project to be build into the curriculum, with staff taking full responsibility for supporting it, is greater than schools that are just willing to go with the flow, and are not as committed to the project. Contact details James McBrearty until April 2005; Lian Sobaska from May 2005 both on 01536 201981 32
Safe in Tees Valley and Redcar and Cleveland Children’s Fund
Brief description The Development Worker, along with a worker from the West Redcar YIP, support a group of young people to train as Peer Educators. The programme is accredited through TROCN and AZDAN, with all group members achieving Bronze Youth Achievement Awards and Level One Certificate in Peer Education. The project is aimed at offering support and befriending to children and young people and advice on where to go or who to speak to about any issues or problems. As such the project is a sign posting and befriending scheme. The Peer Educators have been actively involved in the planning and delivery of various Children‟s Fund events and also attend children‟s focus/ planning group that feeds into the Partnership. What is working well/what opportunities exist The Peer Education training programme has included weekly training sessions, two residentials and attendance at seminars and conferences. A video has been produced to advertise the benefits of the project to a wider audience across Redcar and Cleveland. Contact details
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Plan Approval Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Team
Brief description The regional team wanted an opportunity for children to comment on some elements of the 3 year strategic Children‟s Fund plans. This project was not about children and young people assessing the plans, but was set up to complement the assessment of the plans taking place at a regional panel level. The project asked Children‟s Fund Programmes to submit a timeline about participation in their Programme in the past, present and future. These were then discussed by the children, providing an opportunity to use key skills set out within the PSHCE curriculum such as group work, questioning and giving feedback. What is working well/what opportunities exist The project was a success in the eyes of the children and the regional panels. The regional panel added conditions to some plan approvals based on the children‟s comments re: looking „underneath the surface‟ . Programmes were very creative in the development of the „timelines‟. This exercise provides us with an opportunity to use this process in future plan assessments, such as Local Area Agreements and Children‟s Plans.
Contact details Claire Whiteley Cwhiteley.goyh@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 0113 2835247
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Play Schemes Middlesbrough Sure Start Business Team
Brief description The playschemes are based Middlesbrough wide. The main aims are to provide fun, play activities for local children in a safe & pleasant environment at a low cost. To ensure that what children & young people desire is delivered, they are asked individually and as a group, via circle time & verbal responses throughout the schemes. Friendly & fun questionnaires are developed & completed at the end of the playschemes to improve planning & activities in future years.
What is working well/what opportunities exist By communicating with the children & young people in this manner, greater ownership of the scheme is created. The initial week is planned for some structure, and then this can be varied to suit the children, in a safe and happy environment.
Contact details Jenny Robinson 01642 354204 Email: jenny_robinson@middlesbrough.gov.uk
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Publicity Sunderland Children’s Fund
Brief description Infinity Magazine is written by children for children. Children identify the theme and act as the editorial group. Children identify a „reward‟ for participating and receive certificate, medal and cup which children design. 11,000 copies are produced and delivered to all schools in Children‟s Fund areas. What is working well/what opportunities exist It works well as children identify themes that are important to them. Children have covered health, bullying, hobbies and wishes. It also helps to identify and link appropriate support for children. The children who identified bullying as an issue were linked to the Anti Bullying Service who further worked with children on bullying. Working with children in schools has broken down barriers. Developing positive relationships with schools has enabled consultations to be carried out. Two of the schools that produced the magazine participated in the Green Paper consultation. Two services that worked with the participation officer on the magazine have said they had gained a deeper understanding of participation.
Contact details Norah Stevens 0191 219 3477 Email Norah.stevens@ssd.sunderland.gov.uk
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Ealing Children’s Fund
Brief description A Children‟s website and borough wide 5 to13 year olds newspaper has been developed called „Kidz Bizz‟ - which is written by children for children in Ealing.
What is working well/what opportunities exist The newspaper was developed as a way of giving all 5 to13 year olds in the borough a voice on issues that affect and interest them. A team of young editors – who were all recruited from Children‟s Fund services, manage the newspaper. For the first issue the editorial team worked with The Guardian Newspaper‟s newsroom staff. The newspaper is distributed to all primary and secondary schools in the borough and is a core part of delivering Ealing Children‟s Fund participation strategy. Kidz Bizz‟ has produced two issues since its launch in September 2004. Contact details Kate Subanney Ealing Children's Fund Programme Manager Telephone: 0208 825 6897 KSubanney@ealing.gov.uk
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Raising Attainment Sunderland Children’s Fund
Brief description HSP provides a service for children at risk of social or educational exclusion within two targeted areas of Sunderland. It also seeks to break down barriers to learning for children aged 5-11 years before issues become entrenched. HSP will act as a referral agent where more specialist intervention is required and provides direct family support in relation to their child‟s learning. Children‟s views are embedded into the process of the design, delivery and evaluation of the project and their views are integral to their progress. Children identify their own goals for change and contribute to their own individual action plans (IAP‟s). They review their own achievements each session via a scaling method and make comments to their view of their own success. What is working well/what opportunities exist Sharing information at an early stage Ensures no work overload (maximum case allocation) Ensures direct supervision of cases on a fortnightly basis and access to line manager daily It is envisaged that the development of an Integrated Children‟s Service will be an important factor in the shape of the forward strategy for the HSP project. The focus will be on the individual needs of pupils working in a multi faceted team with education outcomes this places the project in a good position to influence and feature in the integrated children‟s services of the future.
Contact details Norah Stevens 0191 219 3477 Email norah.stevens@ssd.sunderland.gov.uk
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Recruitment Windsor and Maidenhead Children’s Fund
Brief description Windsor & Maidenhead Children‟s Fund has successfully developed expertise and strategic influence in promoting the participation of 5-13 year olds in decisions that affect their lives and laid out a clear strategy for developing participatory practice in local children‟s services.
What is working well/what opportunities exist The Guide to Involving Children & Young People in Recruitment will be completed, including practical „off-the-peg‟ examples of local practice to encourage services to take the first step in this area. The guide will be linked to RBWM Human Resources policies and distributed to partner agencies and the voluntary sector.
Contact details Anita Cleare – Programme Manager 4 Marlow Road Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 7YR Tel: 01628 683233
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Lincolnshire Children’s Fund
Brief description Recruitment and appointment for staff in projects by children and young people, from co-designing job and person specifications to designing and delivering creative and robust interview and appointment materials and methods, working in partnership with adult panels.
What is working well/what opportunities exist Children and young people have contributed to the development of written guidance to assist other children, young people and their adult facilitators to make a success of this. Other organisation are starting to adopt methods for their own appointments, including a school head, looking to Children‟s Fund for guidance. Future opportunities exist to engage children and young people in peer training.
Contact details Colin Hopkirk, Children‟s Participation Coordinator 01507 528300 colinh@childrens links.org.uk
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Shadow Board – Strategic Partnership East Riding Children’s Fund
Brief description The Artbeat Consultation Project and more recently the UP2U Participation Project have been commissioned to ensure all children and young people, regardless of their needs, have the opportunity to have their voices heard and be fully involved in the ongoing development of the Children‟s Fund. Through the above two projects children and young people have had the opportunity to have their say through a variety of creative methods including; Big Brother type diary rooms, drama workshops, press conferences and pop idol events. They have also been involved in the recruitment and selection of staff, training of staff, development of the Information Sharing and Assessment Project, developing the Local Preventative Strategy, Children‟s Fund commissioning and developing a number of leaflets, in areas such as dog fouling and child protection. What is working well/what opportunities exist Over the past 2 years children and young people have had much to say and contribute. Below is a summary of their thoughts. “I have to travel a long way to school. I think I should be able to go to a school nearer to where I live” “Children and young people should not have to put up with bullying. There needs to be more supervision in schools to stop bullying. Teachers need to talk to parents of those children and young people who are bullied and those who bully” “If you told something to your Social Worker and you don‟t want them to repeat it they should stick by that and some of them don‟t” “In some areas there are no after-school activities. Also, play areas have dirt in them. If we design a leaflet based on health concerns of dog poo, would you consider printing it and give it out to the residents of the East Riding”? “There should be someone available for parents to talk to. There should be sessions for parents when children are at school that teach them how to look after their children better” An action plan is being developed to capture everything children and young people tell us and help to monitor action taken. This will be a standing agenda item for the Children & Young People‟s Joint Strategy Group, (East Ridings Strategic Partnership for Children and Young People). Contact details Tim.nelson@ercf.org.uk 01482 871077
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Small Grants Oxfordshire Children’s Fund
Brief description Oxfordshire Children‟s Fund (OCF) has acted as a catalyst, challenging cultures and fears through supporting and „doing‟. It has successfully demonstrated the possibilities, and the huge potential for involving children & young people in creative ways. It has had a significant impact at a variety of strategic and operational levels Participation to be a continuing major focus for 05-08 to ensure sustainability and a strong legacy of good practice. What is working well/what opportunities exist Community Chest project has been the major route for C&YP involvement in the fist phase of the OCF. This involved creating five OCF Children‟s Panels across the county (each with 8-12 CYP aged 5-13) C&YP have been trained to facilitate own meetings and can allocate £125k over three years for children to do out of school play and leisure activity. Innovative and full responsibly given to C&YP. The CF participation project manager has trained and supported c&yp to be actively involved in the tendering process, in assessing funding applications, in recruitment and policy development. Contact details Alison Partridge – Programme Manager Learning and Culture Directorate Harlow Centre Raymund Road Marston Oxford Oxon OX3 0PG Tel: 01865 256647
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Standards Sunderland Children’s Fund
Brief description Two children‟s Fund services, Home School Partnership and Wear Kids have been piloting two different sets of Involving Children Standards. What is working well/what opportunities exist Piloting the standards has provided valuable information about involving children. Issues raised to date include the ethics of involving young children, risk assessments and appropriate training for workers and children. The pilot will end in February 2005. A report will be produced on the findings. The report will feed into a City Wide strategy group about Involving Children Standards. Contact details Norah Stevens 0191 219 3477 Email Norah.stevens@ssd.sunderland.gov.uk
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Training Wolverhampton Children’s Fund
Brief description The involving children training course was put together by Wolverhampton Children‟s Fund and an organization called PEP. The course was initially aimed at projects who where commissioned to provide a service for the Children‟s Fund, but due to its success it was opened out to other relevant agencies & organisations in Wolverhampton. Some of the key aims of the training course was to: To ensure children & young people play a key role within training by helping to evaluate and be part of the participation task that was set. To equip participants with effective methods of working with Children & Young people, through training materials and sharing experiences. To provide participants with a resource pack that they regularly update and build up on alongside Children & Young People. What is working well/what opportunities exist The Children‟s Fund wanted to ensure that Children and Young People where at the heart of the training course, to achieve this, a pack called “ Listen & Respond” was built into the training programme and was designed for people working with children/YP to start developing a continuous database of participation work they had done alongside their group. There has been an increased number of children and young people involved in helping to monitor and evaluate key parts of the training course As the training course was opened up to the voluntary & statutory sector, participants enjoyed the wealth of experience and have formed links with each other. A seminar involving participants of the course, children & young people is now in the process of being organised, the seminar will showcase good practice and look at the impact training and evaluation has had. The seminar will also look at and share how “Listen & Respond pack” has developed within each organisation. A range of training needs have been highlighted as a result of the whole training experience. A culture of people enthusiastic about participation has been born and will help to tailor the next set of courses around participant‟s needs, with views already expressed around having a local participation forum, keeping up to date with participation materials and accreditation that would contribute to further education. Contact details Michael Ross (Participation Coordinator) 16 A Temple St Wolverhampton WV2 4AN (01902 551963)
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Sunderland Children’s Fund
Brief description Training provision on participation as part of new workers induction in Children‟s Fund services. What is working well/what opportunities exist Providing participation training as part of their induction promotes participatory practice and all workers have a shared „meaning of participation‟. Contact details Norah Stevens 0191 219 3477 Email Norah.stevens@ssd.sunderland.gov.uk
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Travellers Nottingham City Children’s Fund
Brief description Children and young people from a Traveller‟s site in Nottingham City identified (through training around the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child with Luna Training) that their right to an education was not being met. They felt that school was not accessible for them. They accessed funding with us CYPU – now Change makers) in partnership with Luna and made their own report, facilitated by Luna. They then identified where the report was to be sent and Luna then supported them to do a radio broadcast live, where they interviewed professionals from the LEA. Through their previous involvement in the Children‟s Voices Project, the young people felt empowered enough to then host and chair a meeting where professionals, parents and other young people from the Traveller‟s site attended and worked together to identify positive ways forward, which would make a difference for the young people who first identified the issue.
What is working well/what opportunities exist The young people now have services engaging with them as a result of that meeting. The young people are preparing a training package for Connexions staff. The children and young people all received OCN accreditations for their report (and were visited by Jayne Hayward and Sarah Bartlett from Gov. Office) and the Youth Team are engaging the young people who have stepped in to the next age-bracket and are currently making a follow-on video with them (funded by Change makers). They continue to speak out about issues effecting them because through their involvement in the Children‟s Voices Project, they know their opinions are valued, they know they matter, they know what they want to say, how to say it so that people listen, and they have got supportive staff to ensure they identify the right people to approach to get their needs met. They have identified their future aspirations-markedly different from the ones they identified at the beginning of our work with them and they are all engaged in services who can get their needs met and work towards them achieving their ambitions. Contact details We have got the CDROM report, them on the radio and a word doc. Of the meeting. The word doc. And the radio info. Is on our website (www.lunachildren.com, on the participation section and if you type in Traveller‟s and then click on perform search) carly@lunatraining.com sam@lunatraining.com
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National CXS / Youth / CF Participation Network Contact Details
LONDON Children‟s Fund Louisa Harvey Tel: 0207 217 3225 Fax: Mob: lharvey.gol@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk Connexions / Youth Cheryl Rose Tel: 0207 217 3360 Fax: 0207 217 3545 Mob: crose.gol@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk Graeme Young Tel: 0207 217 3572 Fax: 0207 217 3492 Mob: 07770 963 224 gyoung.gol@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk WEST MIDLANDS Children‟s Fund Suzanne Everill (CF) Tel: 0121 212 5496 Fax: Mob: severill.gowm@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk Children‟s Fund Sarah Bartlett (CF) Tel: 0115 971 2650 Fax: Mob: sbartlett.goem@goregions.gsi.gov.uk Children‟s Fund Jenny Sergeant (CF/SS regional manager) - Chair of CF regional group from 02/05 Tel: 01223 372516 Fax: Mob: jsergeant.go-east@goregions.gsi.gov.uk Connexions / Youth Simon Withey Tel: 0121 212 5468 Fax: Mob: swithey.gowm@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk
EAST MIDLANDS Connexions / Youth Julie Pickford Tel: 0115 971 2631 Fax: 0151 971 2404 Mob: jpickford.goem@goregions.gsi.gov.uk EAST Connexions / Youth Tim Barber Tel: 01223 372504 Fax: Mob: tbarber.Go-East@goregions.gsi.gov.uk
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NORTH EAST Children‟s Fund Liz Green - CF/SS Tel: 0191 202 3854 Fax: Mob: lgreen.gone@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk Jackie McHanwell Tel: 0191 202 3742 Fax: Mob: jmchanwell.gone@goregions.gsi.gov.uk SOUTH EAST Children‟s Fund Connexions / Youth Liz Aitken (CF/SS lead) John Case Tel: 01483 882542 Tel: 01483 882536 Fax: Fax: 01483 882377 Mob: Mob: laitken.gose@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk jcase.gose@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk SOUTH WEST Children‟s Fund Connexions / Youth Julia Woods - CF/SS lead Mark Christopher Tel: 0117 900 1870 Tel: 0117 900 1862 Fax: Fax: 0117 900 1904 Mob: Mob: jwoods.gosw@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk mchristopher.gosw@goregions.gsi.gov.uk YORKSHIRE & HUMBER Children‟s Fund Connexions / Youth Claire Whiteley - lead for CF/SS Justin Fielder Tel 0113 2835247 Tel: 0113 283 5431 Fax: Fax: Mob: Mob: cwhiteley.goyh@gojfielder.goyh@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk regions.gsi.gov.uk NORTH WEST Children‟s Fund Maria Sabberton Tel: 0151 224 2911 Fax: Mob: Msabberton.gonw@goregions.gsi.gov.uk Connexions / Youth Kate Clements Tel: 0151 224 6379 Fax: Mob: 07736 028914 kclements.gonw@goregions.gsi.gov.uk Connexions / Youth Sharon Evans Tel: 0191 202 2210 Fax: 0191 202 3626 Mob: sevans.gone@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk
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National Government Department Participation Contacts DfES
Progress Table Theme Early Years and Childcare Schools Contact Name and Policy Area Sarah Amer, Michael Collins (Sure Start) Connexions Service Shaping the participation agenda Developing the Department and others Bo Emecheta, Maxine Bailey (pupil participation) Stephen Stanton (extended schools) Geoff Friston (pupil associate governors) Inderjit Dehal, Paul Jackson (ethnic minority pupil achievement) Jean Humphrys, Maggie Startup (Ofsted) Phil Snell, Kevin Woods (SEN strategy) Barry Miller (Connexions) Richard Parsons, Shane Garrity (volunteering) Colin Smith, Felicity Winter (Youth Service) Ben Gibbins, Bobbie McClelland (ELC project) Beverley Southward-Bruce, Andrew Duncan (EMA project) Jennifer Baddeley, Valerie Kenton (LSC) Nikki Waid, John Cowan (Aimhigher) Cathy Thompson, Emma James (Consultation Fund, CY Board, UKYP) Beth Williams (DH/DfES advocacy guidance) Debbie Usherwood, Lindsay Jackson (need2know) Neil Remsbery (Every Child Matters GP) Dave Merrick (CAFCASS) Mark Burrows, Becky Benwell (LA children, A National Voice) Jenny Gray (safeguarding children) Judith Fuller, Caroline Daw (communications) Richard Parsons (NYA guidance/training) Colin Smith, Sarah James (sustainable development) Richard Selwyn (children‟s trusts)
Skills for work and life
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM)
Yvonne Campbell ODPM Tel: (020) 7944 3112 Yvonne.Campbell@odpm.gsi.gov.uk Shelagh Prosser Head of Equality and Diversity Unit ODPM Tel: 0207 944 3981 shelagh.prosser@odpm.gsi.gov.uk
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