Participation of Young People

Dorset County Council has a statutory duty to ensure there is an effective Children in Care Council that represents the views and wishes of all children in care. It is also responsible for ensuring their recommendations and suggestions are taken seriously and there is a direct link to the Corporate Parenting Board. Dorset County Council believe that it works better if the Children in Care Council is provided by an external organisation.

Dorset County Council aim to develop further and strengthen the way in which children participate in the design and delivery of services. They want to build on the good work already established through the children in care council, young inspectors, young researchers, Dorset Youth Council Enables (DYCE) and UK Youth Parliament with a particular emphasis on capturing the views and wishes of our most vulnerable children. Dorset County Council want these views and wishes to influence service design and delivery.

They also want to continue to develop the work that has already been achieved through Total Respect Training, the young people’s recruitment panel and the continued involvement of young people in the selection of foster carers.

The vision of the Children's Trust Board is to improve the lives of all children and young people and narrow the gap so that the experience of the majority is the experience of all. The plan contains an overall ambition to ‘continue to develop a culture of active participation with children, young people, families and communities in shaping the services that are important to them’ and a key aim of ‘Making Voices Count’.

The Participation service will seek to contribute to the aims above by ensuring that:

• Children in Care are involved in influencing the services they receive from Dorset County Council and other statutory partners and influence policy issues.
• Young people are actively engaged with local and national politics and influence change.
• Services that impact young people are evaluated by young people to ensure they are meeting their needs.
• Evidence the voice of children is being heard in all activity and involvement in social care. Importance of co-production and what should happen in service development and how young people can be involved.
• Evidence of young people participation in service decisions and activity. Working with young people them rather than small involvement.

The contract will cover the period 1st May 2017 to 31st March 2019, with the possibility of two further 12 month extensions.