Gathering the child and family Voice which is often referred to as participation means children and families being ‘actively being involved in something’. There are different ways offered to explain participation, but one simple understanding is: All children, young people and families have the right to be involved in all decisions that affect their lives. This is protected under Article 12 in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. In practice this means more than just seeking their views, it means actively acting on those views to shape the work we do with children from an individual level to an organisational level.
The following resources will provide guidance in relation to “Gathering the Child’s Voice” and ‘Participation’:
- Children and young people’s participation (external link) - Free Open University course covering: Listening to children and enabling children to share in decision making. The course also emphasises that the adoption of an integrated approach to participation by different sectors of the children's workforce is of crucial importance
- Resources to gather the Voice of the child booklet - A range of resources that you can use to gather the voice of the child. It includes Three Houses, Stepping Stones, Suitcase of Valuables, Service User (child) Feedback Form, Bag of Worries, Life Path, My First Aid bag, My Solution Maze, Worry Monster and guidance on using the resources
- Tools for gathering the views of children and young people - Tools and strategies which might help to ensure that we are gathering the child/young person’s views and giving them a voice.
Participation Strategy 2022 - 2025
Wigan Children’s Services, children and young people have helped to co-produce this strategy and told us what they thought was effective and ineffective participation. The strategy outlines how we will enable effective participation with children and young people over the next 3-years based on the Lundy Model of Participation.
Types of participation
- Consultation - The project is designed and run by adults, but children and young people understand the process and their opinions are gathered and treated seriously
- Co-Production - Adults, children and young people working together to influence the support and services on offer during the design, delivery and review stages
- Child or Young Person Initiated - Children and young people plan and select their own activities and adults participate rather than lead on them
- Child or Young Person Led - Children and young people lead on projects and events. Adults may observe and assist, but they do not interfere with the process or play a management role.
Participation is not
- Tokenism - Adult-led activities in which children and young people may be consulted but with minimal opportunities for feedback, or feedback is not taken seriously
- Direction - Adult-led activities in which children and young people do as they are told without understanding the purpose of the activity
- Communication - Just sharing information with children and young people i.e. no input.