The Children and Families Directorate are looking for individuals to help and support them co-design our invitation letters to Family Support, Child Protection Case Conference and Children who are Looked After meetings.
The purpose of this work is to review current invitations and to co-design and produce new invitations that are warm, easily understood, and contain child and service user friendly language. It is hoped having these changes will encourage attendance and participation at meetings to promote the best outcome for the Children and Young People by also ensuring professionals have the opportunity to provide their written professional views in the event they are unable to attend the meeting in person.
This project is underpinned by children’s rights set out in the UN Convention on the Right of the Child (UNCRC), particularly Article 12 “the right to express views” and is guided by the Lundy model of participation. This ensures that children and young people have the space, voice, audience and influence needed to meaningfully contribute to matters that affect their lives.
Background
The Western Health & Social Care Trust are committed to ensuring our children, young people and families feel welcome, involved and comfortable to participate in their meetings. Our aim is to ensure that Children, Young People, Parents and Professionals attend their meetings and these are given priority.
We want to encourage and promote multi-disciplinary working throughout the assessment period with Children and Families to ensure all professionals understand their role and have meaningful input. In consideration of this, the Western Health & Social Care Trust want to ensure and promote the valuable contribution and assessment from all the professionals involved with our Children and families through attendance at the multi-disciplinary meetings attached to the pathways to ensure best practice and decisions.
What to expect
Meetings will be held online to review current invitations in place and consider any ideas for change in respect of the current proformas and processes. Participants will have a voice in promoting change and they will avail of ongoing support and guidance from the team. All participation will be voluntary.
Details
Date and time for meetings will be confirmed with the interested parties, it is hoped these will begin early January 2026.
How to get involved
If you would like to get involved please contact Anne Mc Monagle via email: anne.mcmonagle@westerntrust.hscni.net
