Vulnerable Children and Young People in Southampton say ‘Let Our Voices Be Heard’

A Southampton Safeguarding Children’s Partnership event

On Monday 14 October, the Southampton Safeguarding Children’s Partnership hosted an event at St Mary’s Football Stadium focused on the voices and experiences of children and young people. 

The event, entitled ‘Let Our Voices Be Heard’, included guest speakers from the Hampshire and IOW Youth Commission, a group of young people aged 14-25 with a strong focus on social and criminal justice. The young people shared with passion the work they do in the community, and their commitment to making a difference for every young person in the City. One young person spoke candidly about their own incredibly personal experience. Their bravery shone through and their determination to share their story demonstrated why young people’s voices are so important to how we work. 

Over 200 people from Hampshire and IOW Constabulary, NHS, schools, social care, voluntary agencies and representatives from the wider safeguarding community attended the immersive event. The event was designed to challenge how professionals work together, shift perceptions and change our approach to support Southampton’s most vulnerable children and young people. Attendees were invited to consider everything from the language used, which organisations to involve, and when and how referrals are made. 

Professionals heard how vulnerable children and young people are living through experiences that are often difficult for them to understand and share. Spotting the signs that they need help can be challenging, so when they are able to say what’s wrong, their voices must be heard. 

Scott MacKechnie, Chair of Southampton Safeguarding Children’s Partnership said; “Professionals in Southampton work tirelessly to support the thousands of children and young people in the city. Events like ‘Let Our Voices Be Heard’ provide an important opportunity to pause and reflect on how we work together. With colleagues from the Police and NHS sitting alongside teachers, social workers and members of the many services working within our community we heard the voices and experiences of young people throughout the day. It was a perfect opportunity to explore Family Safeguarding as well as test the toolkits we use to help professionals respond in a meaningful way.” 

Robert Henderson, Executive Director for Children, Learning and Community Wellbeing said; “It’s so vital that as professionals we take the time to challenge each other and ourselves. Our children and young people are telling us how they feel and what’s happening in their lives, but we also need to pick up on what they aren’t telling us. As adults, we can often miss the signs when we need help with personal struggles, it means we have to be even more aware of those signs in our children and young people.” 

Leo from the Youth Commission said; “The highlight for me was the opportunity to offer a single piece of advice to our professional partners – a message from young people to those with the power to make change. My message was – and is – simple: let us be a part of your conversations, let us help you to help us. We will do anything to make a change for all young people; we want to be listened to – really listened to. Above all, let us be heard, seen, and empowered.” 

Earlier in the year on World Social Work Day (19 March), an apple tree was planted in the grounds of Itchen College by young people and members of the Southampton Safeguarding Children’s Partnership. It was donated by Mayfield Garden Centre where young people from Itchen College volunteer as part of their mental health and wellbeing programme. Its roots represent the foundations of the new Family Safeguarding approach in Southampton, an innovative way of multi-agency, multi-disciplinary teams working with the whole family to help keep families together wherever it is safe to do so. Its fruit will be used to supply the pantry at the college for the young people to enjoy for many years to come.  

Attendees were invited to share their feedback about the day by placing apple post-it notes onto a drawing of a tree. The feedback from the day was extremely positive with professionals leaving comments such as ‘young people at the centre’, ‘voice of the child’, ‘the young speakers left me in awe’, and ‘listen’. 

The impact of the day will be long lasting for those that attended and it is our job now to share that information widely, to make real change for the benefit of Southampton’s children and young people together making decisions ‘with me and not without me’.