Think Family Partnership becomes first consortium in Wales to sign children’s Participation Charter

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Think Family Partnership has become the first consortium in Wales to sign up to the National Participation Charter.

The Charter demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to the National Standards of Participation when working with children and young people. The standards provide guidance on the best and most meaningful ways of listening and responding to their opinions. These include providing useful information, allowing choice, avoiding discrimination, always being respectful, giving them the opportunity to provide feedback, making sure they gain something out of their involvement, and ensuring they are at the centre of decision-making.

The Think Family Partnership is made up of a group of services and professionals whose jobs are to provide support to children, young people and families in Neath Port Talbot. This includes services such as Families First, Flying Start, Childcare Offer Team, The Family Information Service, The Children & Families Team, Childcare Support & Play Development.

Councillor Peter Rees, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Culture, said:

“The Think Family Partnership strives to ensure that children and young people are at the heart of everything.

“Signing up to the Charter demonstrates the Partnership’s desire to meet the National Participation Standards and ensure that children and young people have a say in matters that affect them.”

One good example of this work is the Play Hero project that the Partnership has supported primary schools to implement. The project involves working with pupils, known as ‘Play Heroes’,to ensure the voices of local children are heard about issues such as barriers to play in schools and in the local community.

The next step is to work towards achieving the National Kitemark which will enable the Partnership to use the Charter logo on all their marketing material. This will be awarded when the Partnership can demonstrate that it is meeting all the required Standards in the Charter.

The consortium follows the Council’s Youth Service which signed up to the Charter last month.

The Charter is supported by Welsh Government and administered by Children in Wales, an umbrella body for organisations and individuals who work with children, young people and their families in Wales. The Standards are underpinned by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, which puts the involvement of children at the heart of improving well-being.

Lynne Hill, Policy Director for Children in Wales, said:

“We are delighted to see that Neath Port Talbot’s Think family Partnership have completed and signed-off the National Participations Standards Charter Certificate.

“In Wales, the Children and Young People’s National Participation Standards help organisations and individuals to ensure the quality and experience of all work involving the participation of children and young people. The Participation Standards identify the seven key issues that all workers should be aware of when working with children and young people in Wales.  The new National Participation Charter is used by organisations and services to illustrate their commitment to children’s rights and participation.  It also highlights local practice and supports the future reporting of Well-being Plans.  The National Participation Charter is intended to be a statement of intent to illustrate that organisations / services are working in line with the National Participation Standards. On signing the Charter organisations will be encouraged to complete the full National Participations Kitemark Award”