Out In Your Community – Putting Children & Young People’s Voices at the Heart of Our Work

The Commissioner visited Swansea and Neath recently, focussing on ensuring that children’s rights and young people’s voices remain at the heart of everything we do.

Back in October, the Commissioner launched the Safe, Heard and Respected Plan, a strategy shaped by the input of more than 5,000 young people. Since then, it has been a priority for the Commissioner to meet the groups whose views made this plan possible.

Commissioner Emma Wools said:

“My ‘Safe, Heard, Respected’ Plan is close to my heart because it puts the needs, ideas, and priorities of children and young people right at the centre of my work. It’s the first of its kind in South Wales and has been shaped by what children and young people have told me matters most: feeling safe, being heard, and being treated fairly.

It’s essential that young people see how much their input matters, influencing the actions and priorities of services such as policing, education and the wider criminal justice system. That’s why it’s so important to me, that I get out and update the young people who fed into the Plan, showing them how their feedback has shaped it, and how we intend to deliver on it.”

As part of her visit to Neath and Swansea, the Commissioner met with two groups who were among the many young people that had shared their views and experiences.

First, the Commissioner met with inspirational young people part of ‘Hope’ – a girls’ rights group that work to give children who have been in care a voice. The Commissioner was delighted to learn more about the fantastic work the group is doing to champion girls’ rights and ensure their voices are heard on the issues that matter most to them. The Commissioner then travelled to Swansea, to meet with the Mums and Toddlers Foundation, a Swansea-based charity dedicated to supporting mothers from BAME communities and who provide essential resources and creating a supportive space for mums.

A truly inspirational visit, highlighting the importance of ensuring children’s rights remain at the heart of what we do.