At Barnardo’s, we believe that children and young people should have opportunities to have their voices heard and be taken seriously in decisions that affect them. We recognise this is their right under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This leads to better decision-making, which means children and young people are better off.
Our vision is that the voices and lived experiences of children and young people routinely inform and influence what we say, how we work and the decisions we make, and those we want to influence externally. We have 3 key objectives:
1. Listen and respond to the voices and experiences of children and young people.
2. Create opportunities for children and young people to shape the future.
3. Speak out alongside children and young people.
This tool is for leaders who are confident in their voice and influence practice with children and young people and who interested in sharing examples of best practice with peers.