Deputy Minister for Children launches Wales’ first National Children and Young People’s Participation Kite-mark

Wales’ first-ever National Children and Young People’s Participation Kite-mark was launched at a special event held at the Cefn Lea Centre in Newtown, Powys on Thursday 13 May.

The Participation Unit, based at Save the Children in Wales, hosted a one-day event to raise awareness of children and young people’s participation in decision-making on all matters that affect their lives.

The Kite-mark – which features a jolly blue octopus - will be awarded to organisations and local authority service areas by young inspectors who agree that they meet and are able to deliver against the National Children and Young People’s Participation Standards. These Standards have been created to ensure that organisations provide the best possible experience of participation to children and young people in terms of sharing information, listening to their ideas and making sure they get something out of it.

Huw Lewis, Deputy Minister for Children, was a key speaker at the launch event. He said: "It’s important in a modern Wales that children and young people have their voices heard. The new national Kite-mark provides a great way for children and young people to get involved, participating in the key decisions which affect their lives."

During the day various workshops were held for the attendees including some specifically constructed for the young people. Opportunities were also given to budding young reporters to capture the event on film and conduct interviews. A new website illustrating the National Standards and providing new resources and guidance for practitioners was also launched during the day

The event has been funded by the Welsh Assembly Government’s ‘Making the Connections Fund’ and the ‘Reach the Heights’ European Social Fund project.

Anna Skeels, Participation Unit Manager at Save the Children in Wales added:

"We are pleased to be able to showcase the work we have done in partnership with children and young people and other organisations over the past two years, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Making the Connections project and the ESF Convergence Programme ‘Reach the Heights’ Project. Thanks to this support, we now have the resources, training packages and structures in place to help both local and national bodies to work towards a National Participation Kite-mark. Ultimately, this will help to make us all more accountable and to improve the quality of children and young people’s participation in decision-making in Wales."

For further press information or pictures, please contact Eurgain Haf, Media Officer for Save the Children in Wales on 0790 993 7218 or email e.haf@savethechildren.org.uk.