Children’s ChampionReport to Children’s Services

Scrutiny Committee

Children's Champion in Salford, all activities relate to Article 12 of the UNCRC;

Children have a right to say what they think should happen, when adults are

making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account.

Children’s Champion contributes to the following indicators.

• NIS 3: Civic participation in the local area • NIS 4: % of people who feel they can influence decisions

in their locality • NIS 6: Participation in regular volunteering• NIS 50:Emotional health of children • NIS 58: Emotional and behavioural health of children in

care • NI 148: Care leavers in employment, education or

training

• The positive engagement of children and young people underpins all the targets and is a key requirement of all inspection regimes

Current Involvement of children and young people in Salford This presentation is structured to link with

the seven key issues addressed in the recent white paper; Communities in

Control: real people, real power. • Being active in your community• Access to information• Having an influence• Challenge• Redress• Standing for office• Ownership and control

Access to information• Wuu2

• Young people's publication group led by young people. 

• Weekly Saturday slot on Salford City Radio run by young people.

• Weekly 'Champion Children' column in Salford Advertiser

• Development of CC website.

• Use of council publications and SCVS bulleting to raise awareness about work.

• Exploring the use of social media to inform young people.

Having an influence • CYPPB

• Eight neighbourhood youth forums (NYF).

• Salford Youth Council (SYC).

• UK Youth Parliament. Regional meeting in Salford Sun 11th Jan 2009.Election for UKYP rep. early in 2009.

• John O’Neill (current rep) UKYP has been selected for a national award.

• Youthbank 40 young people acting as grant makers to distribute 400k of funding to other young people's projects.

• Influence over budget setting. Pilot PB projects will be developed early in 2009.

Having an influence • Develop effective links between school councils, NYF’s and SYC.

• ‘Youth Act’. Looked after children developed a group SIDI (‘say it do it !!’) to campaign against stereotyping of LAC in Salford.

• Competition 'U count 2' launched in October 2008.

• CC met with the Director of Change, policy and improvement team to ensure youth involvement is meaningful and sustained across the City.

• ‘Take Over Day’ 2008; Opportunities for young people to learn about positions of leadership.

Challenge

• Young people involved in meeting to discuss Scrutiny Work Plan.

• Workshop for members of the CSD scrutiny committee and young people with learning difficulties and disabilities.

• Some youth forums have been involved in local scrutiny projects e.g. street scene.

• Young people have participated in full council meetings since July 2007.

Redress

• Customer First Officer, effective system in place for responding to concerns, disagreements, complaints and compliments.

• CC will ensure effective lines of communication are in place for young people to register their concerns, disagreements, complaints and compliments.

Standing for office

• October 2007 - Cabinet members were shadowed by young people.

• October/November 2008 all local councillors invited to strengthen links with members of youth forums.

• CC to explore opportunities for young people to shadow government ministers and other leading political figures from summer 09.

• Increased involvement of councillors in schools.

• Opportunity to attend a government cabinet meeting (in Liverpool on Jan 8th 09) forwarded to NYF’s.

Ownership and control

• The participation strategy advocates the use of ‘Here By Right' to further meaningful engagement of children and young people.

• HBR workshops.

• Implementation plan for the CYP participation strategy agreed by CYPPB exec.

• Young people were involved in the Connexions contract re-tendering exercise.

• Introduction of HBR to partner e.g. Police, PCT, SCVS, and Connexions.

Networking

Links with a wide range of regional and national organisations;

• National youth Agency• UK Youth parliament• Office of the Children's Commissioner• Children's Rights Alliance for England • NW Regional Youth Work Unit• Young Advisors• Positive links with colleagues in similar roles within other

areas have been developed

Priorities for 2009•Development of NYF’s and SCY.

•Involvement of young people in scrutiny.

•UNICEF Rights respecting Schools Award .

•Participatory budgeting pilots.

•Develop use of IT in communication with young people.

•Publication group for young people.

•Ongoing contribution to relevant strategies and policies.

•Weekly Champion Children Column.

Priorities continued

• Meet with children and young people on a regular basis.

• Support young people to campaign on issues of concern e.g. transport, leisure facilities etc.

• Ongoing involvement of young people in council meetings.

• To further develop the involvement of younger children and vulnerable young people in decision making.

• Embed the participation strategy within CSD and begin the roll out to other directorates, partner agencies and CVS.