Sandwell Council is working with children’s charity the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) and local partners towards international recognition as a UNICEF Child Friendly Community.
The ambitious partnership will see councillors, council staff, public, private and local community and voluntary sector partners ensure that children’s rights – as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – are used to guide decisions that affect the 113,500 children and young people under 25 in Sandwell.
A child friendly borough is one that respects and promotes the rights of children and young people and provides them with opportunities to participate in its social, cultural, political and economic life. Developing a child friendly borough involves engaging with children and young people as active citizens, ensuring their safety and well-being, and creating inclusive and accessible spaces and services for them.
Young people have ideas that can benefit the whole community and ensuring we listen to them will set us all up for a better future.
Following today’s launch (Tuesday 17 September at Grove Vale School, West Bromwich) which was recently given Outstanding Ofsted status, the council will work with local children and young people to understand which areas or ‘badges’ they think should be prioritised to make Sandwell more child-friendly – for example feeling safe or staying healthy.
The council will need to show evidence of sustainable progress in six badges to be recognised as a UNICEF Child Friendly Community. Progress will be closely monitored by UNICEF UK, and assessed at the end of the journey by an independent panel of experts in human rights, child wellbeing and public services, as well as an advisory board of local children and young people.
Naomi Danquah, Child Friendly Cities & Communities Programme Director, UNICEF UK said: “We are delighted to welcome Sandwell Council to the Child Friendly Cities & Communities programme – who are joining a thriving network of council partnerships from around the UK, all committed to upholding and promoting children’s rights.
“This partnership represents a bold commitment from Sandwell Council and their partners to put children’s rights at the heart of everything they do – from early conversations around children’s spaces and services, to the day-to-day running of those services. We’re excited to see this partnership make a real and lasting difference to children’s lives in Sandwell, so that the borough is one where all children and young people can realise their full potential.”
Leader of Sandwell Council, Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, said: “We’re so lucky to have such fantastic children and young people in Sandwell and we want to make sure that they are involved in shaping Sandwell both now and for the future.
“Our vision for the future of Sandwell is to build a strong and growing borough based on fairness. Everyone, of every generation, has an important part to play in making that happen, but co-designing the future of our towns with children is an important step forward. Children will be at the heart of decision making and will become our directors for change. This means that children and young people are the driving force in this partnership. We commit to listening to the voices of all children, seriously considering their views, and taking action to enable them to influence real change in Sandwell.
“Working with an organisation such as UNICEF UK means we are working with the very best when it comes to improving the lives of future generations and opening up the best possible opportunities for them.”
Watch the video from Councillor Kerrie Carmichael and Councillor Jalal Uddin, Cabinet Member Children and Education to find out more about our plans where children and young people can realise their full potential.
Quote from Alison Connop, Headteacher Grove Vale Primary School:
“As Chair of West Bromwich North Learning community and Headteacher of Grove Vale Primary, we are proud and honoured to be champions for this amazing community project that will impact positively upon the lives of our young people”.
“We look forward to working collaboratively with all partners to provide a platform and voice for our young people across Sandwell to make where we live more child friendly”.
“Sandwell is wonderful place to live and it is vital our children have a voice, playing a major part in shaping our local area so everyone can thrive and be proud of our community”.
Find out more information on Sandwell becoming a Child Friendly Borough.
About Child Friendly Cities & Communities
Child Friendly Cities & Communities is a UNICEF UK programme that works with councils to put children’s rights into practice.
The programme aims to create cities and communities in the UK where all children – whether they are living in care, using a children’s centre, or simply visiting their local library – have a meaningful say in, and truly benefit from, the local decisions, services and spaces that shape their lives.
The programme is part of Child Friendly Cities – a global UNICEF initiative launched in 1996 that reaches close to 30 million children in over 40 countries.
In the UK, UNICEF provides training based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and supports councils, their partners, and children and young people, as they work together on an ambitious three-to-five-year journey towards international recognition as a UNICEF Child Friendly City or Community.
For more information please visit UNICEF online.