A participation strategy for Integrated Children’s Services in ......of representatives from all...

| 1 |A Participation Strategy for Integrated Children’s Services in Renfrewshire

Taking children, young people and their views seriously.

A participation strategy for

Integrated Children’s Services in Renfrewshire

| 2 | A Participation Strategy for Integrated Children’s Services in Renfrewshire

A participation strategy for

Integrated Children’s Services in Renfrewshire

A Participation Strategy for Integrated Children’s Services in Renfrewshire


Contents

Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................2

Our Vision ..........................................................................................................................................................2

Aims of this strategy .......................................................................................................................................3

What does participation mean? ...................................................................................................................4

Why is participation important? ..................................................................................................................5

Framework for action ......................................................................................................................................7

The 7 Golden Rules for Participation...........................................................................................................8

Appendix 1Renfrewshire Community Plan 2013–2023 – Involvement of children and young people ...............................................................................................12

Appendix 2Involving children and young people in participative activities – Checklist .........................................................................................................................................................14

Appendix 3Hearing, acting upon and responding to the views of children and young people ............................... 17



The Community Plan Partnership (CPP) consists of representatives from all the key agencies, including local elected representatives, who plan and deliver services for children and young people in Renfrewshire. We work together to:

• Make access to services easier for children and young people.

• Protect children and young people.

• Ensure that our service are there for those in greatest needs.

• Raise the quality of our services.

• Embed the principles of Getting It Right For Every Child across all services and partners.

We are committed to the active involvement of children and young people in decision making across all of the services we provide including our planning processes. We view children and young people as citizens and as citizens have the right to participate in decisions that affect them.

This participation strategy will establish how we intend to ensure that the right to participate is extended to more children and young people across Renfrewshire through changing and

adapting our approaches to practice, planning and policy development.

The CPP would like to gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Barnardos Scotland to the development of this strategy.

Introduction

Our Vision

Every child and young person in

Renfrewshire will have the opportunity

to express their views, be listened to and

have their opinions respected. All our services

will listen and respond honestly to what

children and young people

have to say.

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• Establish a shared understanding of what participation means amongst children, young people and service providers.

• Increase opportunities for children and young people to participate in existing structures/processes within children’s services in Renfrewshire.

• Increase opportunities for children and young people to participate within planning processes for children’s services.

• Establish methods to evidence how the views of children and young people have been listened to, respected and acted upon.

This strategy aims to:



What does participation mean?

To promote and protect children and young people’s right to participation we need to acknowledge and address a range of barriers:

• Disability issues including speech, visual and hearing.

• Language and communication issues.

• Low levels of confidence, self esteem amongst children and young people.

• Issues concerning the meaningful participation of younger children.

• Negative experiences of engaging with services leading to disaffection.

• Lack of knowledge about methods of engagement amongst professionals.

This is not something that can be bolted-on to our normal activities but is a process that needs to be firmly integrated into everyday practice from the start.

Participation should be valued and embedded in all aspects of our service planning and delivery creating a culture where children are respected and their views valued. All staff members should champion and commit to participation. Everybody plays their part to ensure that children and young people can influence decision making with a focus on what has changed for children and young people as a result of their engagement.

Therefore in Renfrewshire we define participation as:

Children and young people’s right to be involved in making decisions, planning, and reviewing any action/s that might affect their lives.

Participation can mean different things amongst adults, children and young people. In helping to develop and shape this strategy children and young people described participation as:

• Joining in and taking part in activities where they can share their opinions.

• Having their opinions heard, valued and respected.

• Having the opportunity to make decisions about their lives.

In addition staff also stated that the right of participation meant children and young people should have the opportunity to:

• Decide what should be discussed.

• Have access to the information they need to be fully informed.

• Create the solutions to their issues/concerns.

In this strategy we want to draw a fundamental distinction between involving children and young people and consulting them. To young people, consultation means that adults ask and adults decide. True participation in which children and young people are involved in making decisions means working with them in a meaningful process.


Why is participation important?

circumstances, specific vulnerabilities and social status. Therefore, children have additional protection to ensure that they can express themselves and for their views to be taken seriously. Article 12 is possibly the most well-known provision of the UNCRC relating to

For children to be able to fully participate in our community they need to be safe and protected, they need to be able to express their views and to be listened to.

Article 19 of the united Nations Convention on Rights of The Child (UNCRC) states that Governments should ensure that childrenare properly cared for, and protect them fromviolence, abuse and neglect by their parents,or anyone else who looks after them.

We all have a responsibility to help protect children and young people – whether we work with children or families, are a parent, a family member or a concerned member of the community.

Article 12 states that any child or young person has a right to express their views and have them given due weight in decisions affecting them, in accordance with their age and maturity. Participation is not a privilege and it does not have to be earned; rather, it values children and young people as citizens in their own right.

The UNCRC also recognises that children face particular barriers in influencing decision-making, due to their understanding, individual

participation. However, in addition to this, the Convention grants children and young people the right to information, the right to freedom of expression and the right to meet others and form associations. Article 23 gives young disabled people the right to active participation in the community.


UNCRC articles are also reflected in local and national policy and legislation:

• The Renfrewshire Integrated Children’s Services Plan 2013 – 2016, Reach For A Better Future is underpinned by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). “All services and agencies will work together to consider and promote the rights of children and young people.”

• The Renfrewshire Community Planning Partnership plan states that by 2023 young people will “Feel confident and be responsible — able to participate fully in learning and in their wider community and take part in opportunities that meet their needs, interests and aspirations.” A key action in the 2013– 2023 plan is to “Develop opportunities for children and young people to have a voice and participate in decision making. This will be delivered through our Children’s Services Participation Strategy, youth fora and Children’s Champion Board.”

• Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 New duties in this Act further the Scottish Government’s ambition for Scotland to be the best place to grow up in by putting children and young people at the heart of planning and services and ensuring their rights are respected across the public sector. Rights of children and young people To ensure that children’s rights properly influence the design and delivery of policies and services, the Act will: Place a duty on the wider public sector to report on what they are doing to take forward realisation of the rights set out in the UNCRC. Wellbeing and Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) The Act improves the way services work to support children, young people and families, by placing duties on public bodies to coordinate the planning, design and delivery of services for children and young people with a focus on improving wellbeing outcomes, and report collectively on how they are improving those outcomes.

Respected and responsible: Children, young people and their carers should be involved in decisions that affect them, should have their voices heard and should be encouraged to play an active and responsible role in their communities.

By creating opportunities for the involvement of children and young people in service design and delivery we are also:

• Increasing their skills, personal confidence, self esteem and social networks.

• Making our services more responsive to their needs.

• Ensuring that our resources are used more effectively.

• Able to advocate more effectively on their behalf.

• Ensuring that they are better protected.

Why is participation important? (continued)


This strategy will adopt a systems based approach to the development of effective participative practice through implementing the Social Care Institute of Excellence (SCIE) Good Practice Framework.

In applying this approach, the four parts of service development that need to be considered are culture, structure, practice and review. Each of these elements is depicted as a jigsaw piece which can be considered separately, or viewed as a whole system. Using this model, participation is about putting different pieces of the puzzle together in a way that can support organisations at different points in their journey of involving children and young people.

This model will be adopted across the CPP in Renfrewshire thereby affording a common framework within which to set agreed outcomes and measure progress across all services.

The Renfrewshire outcomes will be:

Culture: Participative Practice will be embedded in the culture of children’s services.

Structure: Create structures that enable children/young people to express their views and become involved in decision making.

Framework for action

CULTUREThe ethos of an organisation, shared by all staff and service users whichdemonstrates a commitment toparticipation.

PRACTICEThe ways of working,methods for involvement skillsand knowledge whichenable children andyoung people to become involved.

REVIEWThe monitoring andevaluation systemswhich enable anorganisation to evidencechange affected byparticipation.

STRUCTUREThe planning,development and resourcing ofparticipation evidentin organisation’sinfrastructures.

CULTURE STRUCTURE

REVIEWPRACTICE

Practice: Promote and improve participative practice across children’s services in Renfrewshire.

Review: Develop effective systems to review participation and evidence change.


The 7 Golden Rules for Participation are a set of principles that can help anyone working with – and for – children and young people.

The Golden Rules can remind adults what children and young people want from participation. They can also help children and young people to think about how adults can support them to participate.

The rules have been developed by Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People through consultation with children and young people from across Scotland. Research into participation has also been used to help make the rules as good as they can be.

The 7 Golden Rules for Participation

Golden Rule 1: Understand my rightsI should be given information about my rights.

I need to understand why it is important that I am listened to, and have my views taken seriously.

Remember that I have a right to have a voice today, not just in the future.

Adults working with me should also learn about children’s rights, and why it is important to truly listen to me when making decisions that affect me.

It should be made clear to adults working with me that my participation in all decisions that affect me is my right. This is their responsibility.

Golden Rule 2: A chance to be involvedI may need extra help, and I should be given this.

Use activities that are fun and creative and suit my abilities and interests.

Always treat me fairly and don’t judge me.

Make me welcome, while also thinking about my age, ethnicity, ability, language, culture, religion,where I live, and anything else that is important.

I am different, we are all different. Recognise and celebrate this.

Golden Rule 3: Remember, it’s my choiceGive me the chance to take part in a way that is right for me, not you.

Remember that it is my choice to participate.

I may choose not to take part, make sure that it is okay for me to do this at any point that I want or need to.


Golden Rule 4: Value meInvolve me right from the start.

Remember that I should be able to say what I think about things in my day to day life, as well as bigger things in my school, community and country.

Show me that you are listening to me, and are taking me seriously.

If I take part, please use what I tell you to help you make decisions.

Make sure that you use the things I have said to make my life better and change the things that need to be changed. If you do not use the things that I have said to make changes, please explain to me why not. Tell me how important my voice is. Don’t ignore me because it is too hard for you to hear what I have to say.

Golden Rule 5: Support meThink carefully about how to communicate with me in away that I will understand, and don’t give up until I do.

Check with me that I understand, and don’t assume that I do.

Remember that I might need somebody to speak with me, or for me, at times.

Give me a chance to ask questions.

Answer me honestly.

Support me to say what I think in ways that suit me best.

Golden Rule 6: Work togetherI can learn from you, you can learn from me, we can learn from each other.

It is important that we respect each other.

Check that what you think I said is what I actually said.

Respect that we will sometimes disagree, and make time where it is okay to talk about this.

Be honest with me about what difference my voice will make, and be clear about what is possible.

Golden Rule 7: Keep in touchExplain to me what decisions or changes have been made, or not made, and why.

Give me a chance to ask you questions about this.

Agree with me how we will keep in touch about what is happening.

Tell me how to contact you if I want or need to.

Tell me what you will do next.

A Participation Strategy for Integrated Children’s Services in Renfrewshire| 10 | A Participation Strategy for Integrated Children’s Services in Renfrewshire


Appendices

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Appendix 1Renfrewshire Community Plan 2013–2023

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VisionBy 2023 we will get it right for every child andyoung person by ensuring that they live in apositive and inclusive environment, have thebest start in life, are confident, healthy and free from disadvantage.


Involvement of children and young people

Outcomes

What we plan to achieve

Children and young people in Renfrewshire will:

• Have the best start in life; being ready to learn, supported to achieve and ambitious throughout and beyond their school lives.

• Live in a safe, secure, stable and nurturing environment at home and in the community. Their rights are respected, they are free from poverty and neglect, and supported to be resilient and to thrive.

• Feel confident and be responsible; able to participate fully in learning and in their wider community. They can take part in opportunities which meet their needs, interests and aspirations.

• Have good physical, emotional and mental health and wellbeing.

Actions

What we will do as a partnership in relation to participation

• Improve partnership working to support citizens in local organisations that enhance the quality of community life. This will be delivered through our Community Learning and Development Strategy.

• Develop opportunities for children and young people to have a voice and participate in decision making. This will be delivered through our Children’s Services Participation Strategy, youth fora and Children’s Champion Board.

To ensure that the participation of children and young people within planning processes is meaningful, consideration must be given to:

• Creating a shared understanding of the principles of participation amongst partnership members.

• The role and remit of partnership members in speaking to children and young people.

• How the views of the most vulnerable children and young people are heard.

• Establishing an effective meeting structure where the views of children and young people are discussed.



Appendix 2Involving Children and young people in participative activities

Checklist

The Process:

If you are working though this framework online you might want to move one of these ticks into each box when you have completed each stage! In paper form you can just add a tick with a pen.

Clarify that the piece of work needs to be done and the purpose of it. Explore what difference children/young people can make by being involved and if the decision making structures already in place need adjusting.

Record the Aims and Objectives for the piece of work.

Consider who needs to be involved, in what role and how you will involve children/young people in the planning process. Involve colleagues, children and young people at the earliest possible stage and prepare them well.

Think

Next steps?

Whilst it might seem (or actually be) difficult to involve children/young people in the planning process remember that they might have important views about areas such as identifying suitable times for them, venues, methods of gathering data (if appropriate), refreshments, activities etc.

Clarify the budget and consider the obvious (and less obvious) costs associated with the piece of work. Remember that it may cost money to support children and young people to participate.

Write out a Timeline showing the full process and share with everyone involved. Make sure that children and young people in particular understand the whole process and the timing associated with the piece of work.

Just a thought


Remember that timelines can be a useful tool in planning and helping children and young people understand the whole process – particularly if they are visual. However a word of caution – the time associated with participative activities can be deceptive and things may take longer than anticipated! Remember that the process that children/young people are involved in is often as important (sometimes even more!) than the end result, and timelines should (where possible) be negotiated and determined by the children and young people involved!

There can be many barriers to children and young people participating. These can include language, literacy, culture, transport, geography, unsuitable times and inaccessible venues. These should be considered fully and addressed at the earliest planning stages. If children/young people are involved in the planning sometimes the barriers are identified and dealt with before they ever become a problem!

Decide how to make participation activity available to children/young people. Ensure that you are inclusive.

Explore and decide on the methods you will use to carry out the piece of work. Again this may be done in partnership the practical arrangements involved in carrying out this with children/young people.

Identify any barriers to participation that children/young people face and develop ways to overcome them.

Just a thought

Just a thought

If the participative activity is going to be carried out within a group setting give consideration to the potential group dynamics. Identify appropriate/ideal make up of the group (mix/single sex group/ age/culture/territory etc).

Reflect upon your role and consider what attitudes, atmosphere and styles of working are going to be most suitable for this piece of work. It may be that you (and other colleagues/volunteers/students) use a slightly different approach within this setting.

Ensure that all participation activities are compatible with relevant child protection policies.

Think


Just a thought

Just a thought

Consider the implications of other relevant policies including Recording, Confidentiality and Freedom of Information Act and plan accordingly.

Carry out any necessary risk assessments for the participative activity. If staff from external agencies are involved, ensure they have the required Disclosure Scotland checks.

Gain the necessary consent for children and families to be involved in the participative activity. This is likely to include a specific consent form for their involvement.

Children and young people sometimes agree to get involved in things without fully understanding what it is, or they may just forget what you said. It may be useful to arrange a visit, write (symbols) it down (and attach to consent form) or have an informal information session first. It is important that they understand that their involvement in participative activities is of a voluntary nature and they can opt out at any stage (even if that does cause us difficulties). If they are clear about what it is they are getting involved in at the start they can give informed consent! In many cases you may need to work closely with family members if a child is too young to give personal consent.

Identify what support structures you can put into place to support children/young people on an additional/on-going basis, if sensitive issues are raised.

Explore and decide how you are going to recognise and acknowledge the children/young people’s involvement in this piece of work.

Recognising children and young people’s involvement in additional participative activities is a subject that can be widely debated. Much of the debate is linked to the level of commitment/skill/ required from/by the child/young person. There are a number of ways that you may recognise their involvement including a thank you letter, a trip out, payment (money or vouchers), a certificate or potentially linking their achievements to recognised accredited awards.

Decide on how you are going to feed information into the decision making processes of the service/organisation and how this will become a two-way process, feeding back to children and young people.


Appendix 3Hearing, acting upon and responding to the views of children and young people

Think about the different methods of hearing the views of C/YP…

• Ideas boxes• Review meetings• Questionnaires

What we did with the information received from C/YP…

• Was it discussed?• Who discussed it?• Did you consult with

other C/YP

The result was…

• Did anything change? • If changes were not able

to be made why not?• Is further work being

undertaken on the issue raised?

We didYou saidThis

happened

The YOU SAID, WE DID, THIS HAPPENED model is used to evidence that you have heard what C/YP have said, where the information received has gone and highlight and changes to service delivery/policy. This model can be used on service user’s notice boards, newsletters, websites, minutes from review meetings etc.

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