25 Windsor Place Cardiff CF10 3BZ / 25 Plas Windsor Caerdydd CF10 3BZ Tel / Ffôn: 029 2034 2434  Fax / Ffacs: 029 2034 3134

Unit 2 Victoria Dock Balaclafa Road Caernarfon LL55 1TH / Uned 2 Doc Fictoria Ffordd Balaclafa Caernarfon LL55 1TH Tel / Ffôn: 01286 677570  Fax / Ffacs: 01286 676095

Registered Charity Number: 1020313 A company limited by guarantee registered in Wales: 2805996 / Elusen Gofrestredig Rhif: 1020313 Cwmni cyfyngedig trwy warant a gofrestrwyd yng Nghymru: 2805996

Email / Ebost: info@childreninwales.org.uk www.childreninwales.org.uk / www.plantyngnghymru.org.uk

Working for children, young people and their families in partnership with the National Children’s Bureau and Children in Scotland Gweithio dros blant, pobl ifanc a’u teuluoedd mewn partneriaeth gyda Biwrô Cenedlaethol y Plant a Clann an Alba

 8 December 2015

William Powell AM

Committee Chair

Petitions Committee

National Assembly for Wales

Cardiff Bay

CF99 1NA

Dear William,

Re: letter of 26 November 2015.

Petition P-04-511 Support for Children and Young People’s Participation Standards.

Thank you for your letter of 26 November 2015 regarding support for children and young people’s participation standards.

Further to my letter to you of 29 September 2015 which outlines the role of Children in Wales and the work undertaken on the Children and Young People’s Participation Standards to that date, I would like to draw your attention to the following points which relate to activity since then.

Originally the CYP’s Participation Standards were developed by the Participation Unit which was independent of government. We are pleased that since Children in Wales has been refreshing the standards we have been working with Welsh Government and they have indicated that they fully support them and will be actively promoting them to Local Authorities and other organisations in Wales. This in our view indicates a significant step forward in terms of national leadership.

At the last All Wales Participation Worker’s meeting on 1 December in Llandrindod Wells, an options paper was presented by the Children in Wales’ consultant (who as mentioned in my previous letter had chaired the work on the original CYP Participation Standards and has lengthy experience in delivering them). This paper reflected the variations across Wales (including the fact that only 5 authorities have young inspector’s teams) and three possible practical ways forward. 

Further to consideration of this paper at the meeting and subsequent discussions with Welsh Government,  a final version is now being prepared and staff will meet local authority participation workers and young people to share the final version.   There will also be a launch to promote the standards.

Children in Wales remains committed to ensuring that the CYP Participation Standards are effective in improving children and young people’s participation and is working hard to ensure that an effective model is the result that suits all parts of Wales and is deliverable.

Yours sincerely

Catriona Williams OBE

Chief Executive