Lancashire County Council puts the voices of children and young people first with Participation Strategy

It will be implemented by all services within Lancashire County Council, particularly those that work directly with children and young people, such as early help and social care teams.

Designed in partnership with professionals and young people who guide and support children's services in Lancashire, the strategy introduces new consultative, collaborative and child-led practices to ensure stronger influence and input from young people in decision-making processes.

The launch event held last week formally introduced the strategy. It was attended by professional teams such as Early Help, Youth Work, Children's Social Care, SEND professionals and the Lancashire Music Service.

The event provided opportunities for young people to take part in a range of creative activities and give feedback on what participation means to them. Professor Laura Lundy, founder of the Lundy Model of Participation, joined as a guest speaker to support the strategy.  

County Councillor Cosima Towneley, Cabinet Member for Children and Families said: "The voices of children and young people lie at the heart of everything we do. It's essential for those who use our services to have the freedom to express themselves, feel actively involved and crucially, get the chance to influence the decisions that affect their lives.

"We have worked on this strategy alongside partner organisations and believe that it will move us forward towards our ultimate vision – that across Lancashire, children, young people and their families are safe, healthy and achieve their full potential."

The strategy also outlines areas of influence for young people to get involved in, such as communication, recruitment and policy. It goes on to highlight the benefits of joining participation groups and how to get started in making a difference.

The core aim of the strategy is led by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child - Article 12, which states that every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them and have their views considered and taken seriously.

Read the full participation strategy for children and young people here: Children and Young People’s Participation Strategy - Lancashire County Council