Gathering children’s voices
We’ve continued to work in partnership with A Place in Childhood (APiC) to support young consultants to explore their experiences as well as their solutions to issues affecting young people in the pandemic.
Last year, A Place in Childhood (APiC) created a report: #ScotYouthandCOVID2: Children and Young People’s Participation Through Crisis.
It sets out the ways in which the young consultants think Scotland needs to change after our experiences living with a global pandemic.
The report contained 34 powerful Asks to the Scottish Government and decision-makers, setting out what needs to happen to improve young people’s lives during and after the pandemic.
The work does not stop here
The young consultants were clear that it was important that the Asks needed to include the experiences of a broader range of children and young people.
Their plan was that workshops would be held with not only them but with other groups of children and young people, including primary school children, and other groups whose voices and experiences have not often been heard in the pandemic.
By doing so they aim to create a ‘Manifesto for Children and Young People’s Rights in Recovery’ that supports the needs of as many children and young people across Scotland as possible.
With our support, A Place in Childhood (APiC) held workshops with the following groups.
- Children with Long Covid
- Young carers
- Young carers with rural experience of the pandemic
- Refugee and asylum-seeking children
- Children of families affected by imprisonment
- Primary-aged children
Unfortunately, a specific session to hear exclusively from Black and People of Colour young people was not able to go ahead.
Published blogs
As a result of these workshops, several blogs were produced, highlighting the ways in which children and young people have been left behind during the pandemic and the urgent work that needs to take place to remedy this.
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: What it’s like to live with Long Covid
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: Long Covid Kids Manifesto Asks
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: Learning from Families Outside
- COVID-19 for Children and Young People: Learning from Primary School Children
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: Learning during Crisis
COVID-19 for Children and Young People. Young Carers Part 2 (The Needs of Highland’s Young Carers)
COVID-19 for Children and Young People: A Fair and Motivating School System, Part 1
- COVID-19 for Children and Young People: A Fair and Motivating School System, Part 2
Expanding participation
The young consultants have gathered all the information from the workshops and are refining the Asks into a survey to find out from as many children and young people as possible:
- how much they agree with the Asks,
- their ideas as to anything missing from the Asks,
- what their priorities are, and build nationwide support.
This short survey will be going out in November 2022; if you can support children and young people to take part, please contact us.
The survey results will help the young consultants finalise the Manifesto for Change to advocate for the changes needed to help children and young people recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.