Participation
Creative approaches to gathering children and young people's views
It is essential that our children and young people are respected as experts in their own lives. Talking about potentially difficult experiences or challenges young people face can be tricky, so it's important adults who are supporting them do what they can to make it easier.
There are a wide variety of promising approaches to helping a child share their views, depending on their communication needs and circumstances.
These could include
Creating short videos or audio messages, drawings or using ‘Avatars’
Inclusive Communication resources
Advocacy can be effective in supporting understanding and participation.
When should we seek young people's views?
As much as possible! Our children and young people say they want to be part of decision making and have their experience valued and central.
When it is not considered in the child's best interest to be present at a meeting or discussion, a worker or other family member may convey a child’s views or experience. This can be done in various ways but children and young people need to feel and be part of the process.
For example;
Before a meeting: questions brought to/for the meeting by the child can be put on a card, using plain language. (You/Billie asked…). The other side of the card could be decorated by the child.
During the meeting: consider writing three main decisions from the meeting on a card and returning it to the child when feeding back the discussion and outcomes of the meeting.
Key aims of enabling participation of children and young people who have experienced care are:
providing explanation about the purpose of meetings and plans
sharing understanding of the situation from the child’s perspective
helping a child understand their rights and options
building trust through honest, accountable and reliable interactions
supporting the child to ‘navigate’ and take part
ensuring their voice is heard in planning and decisions
looking back with the child in order to make sense of key decisions