A celebration of the work and achievements of Hearings-experienced children and young people recently took place in the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow.
The Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, Natalie Don-Innes MSP attended, alongside young people, families and representatives from all organisations who support children with care experience.
In the run up to Care Experienced Week, Rise Up was all about celebrating and listening to the voices of care and Hearings-experienced children and young people.
It was organised by Our Hearings, Our Voice (OHOV) – an independent board of children and young people from across Scotland with experience of Children’s Hearings. The event marks 10 years since plans got underway to develop OHOV. The aim of OHOV is to ensure children and young people have a decision-making role in the improvement and reform of the Children’s Hearings System.
Board member Andrew said: “I hope that during the conference we can celebrate the achievements that Our Hearings, Our Voice has accomplished over the last few years, and to help spread the knowledge of what we have accomplished.”
Jamie added: “It is a celebration of all these young people coming together and really show adults and professionals what it is like to be care experienced and I think it should be a big celebration of how far we have come.”
Fellow board member Achilles added: “I hope that the conference will make young people and professionals leave with a sense of understanding that things are changing.”
New guide for adults, from young people
The young people also launched their new, interactive guide at the event, ‘Seeing beyond the surface: What children and young people wish all adults knew’.
Seeing Beyond the Surface is what children and young people wish all adults knew. The guide explores six key themes, brought to life through the voices and creative expressions of children and young people through written quotes, videos, artwork, poetry and voice recordings.
Gordon Main, Project Lead at Our Hearings, Our Voice explained: “The guide is aimed at adults who work with children in any capacity; teachers, healthcare workers, care providers, police, social workers, and more.
“We hope adults will be inspired by children’s voices to ‘see beyond the surface’, improve practice where they can and strengthen the good work they already do to ensure that every child and young person in care receives the care and support they need.”
Amy Miskimmin-Logan, Participation Development Worker at Our Hearings, Our Voice, added: “A key strength of ‘Seeing Beyond the Surface’ is the powerful and heartfelt expression of children and young people’s lived truth, told through their own creativity. Poetry, artwork, voice recordings, written quotes, videos, and rap allow adults to experience, feel and explore solutions, based on young people’s expertise. It is an honest expression of their emotions: frustration, joy disappointment, and love are evident throughout.”
Interact with the guide
If you would like more information, to comment on or contribute to the guide, please contact Amy.Miskimmin-Logan@scra.gov.uk
