Voice of the Child
About Voice of the Child
Who Are the Voice of the Child Team?
The Voice of the Child Team works across Children’s Services to make sure children, and young people are genuinely heard and involved in shaping the services that support them.
The team’s role is not just to ask for views, but to create safe, accessible and meaningful opportunities where lived experience can influence decisions, improve practice and drive real change.
What Do We Do?
The team:
- Facilitates participation forums and engagement activities for children in care, care leavers, children open to services, kinship‑placed young people.
- Supports co‑production, ensuring children and young people are involved in the designing of resources and information for them.
- Works closely with practitioners, managers and partners to embed children’s voices into everyday practice, service development and decision‑making
- Captures learning and feedback from participation and feeds this into service improvement, strategic planning and corporate parenting activity
Get Involved
Participation Forums information:
Children in Care Council (Ages 8–16) – For children and young people in care, ages 8–16.
📍 Wellington Arts Centre, Wellington TF1 1BJ
🗓 1st Tuesday of each month
⏰ 4pm – 6pm
👤 Lead facilitators: Liam Bradley and Leona Jones
Youth Forum (Ages 11–16) – For young people aged 11–16 supported by Children’s Services through Family Hubs and Social Workers.
📍 Inter-Faith Council, Wellington TF1 1LU
🗓 3rd Monday of each month
⏰ 5pm – 7pm
👤 Lead facilitators: Rhianna Nielson and Liam Bradley
Separated Migrant Care Leavers Forum (Ages 16–25) – For Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) who are care leavers aged 16–25.
📍 Birmingham (Venue varies)
🗓 Quarterly
⏰ 5.30pm – 7pm
👤 Lead facilitators: Louise Bull and Sam Millward Thomas
Kinship Forum (Ages 11–17) – For young people aged 11–17 in kinship care.
📍 Parklane Centre, Woodside TF7 5QZ
🗓 3rd Thursday of each month
⏰ 5pm – 7pm
👤 Lead facilitators: Jamie Perkins and Katie Cook
Leavers Come First Forum (Ages 16–25) – For care leavers aged 16–25.
📍 Leavers Lounge, Meeting Point House TF3 4HS
🗓 1st Thursday of each month
⏰ 5.30pm – 7pm
👤 Lead facilitator: Louise Bull
Sibling Day – Events for children and young people in care who do not live with their siblings.
📍 Venue varies depending on activity
🗓 6 Weekly
⏰ Evening
👤 Lead facilitators: Katie Cook and Louise Spragg
Resources and Guidance
As the Voice of the Child Team works across Children’s Services, we have co‑produced clear, accessible information for children and young people in care, those in kinship arrangements, care leavers, and children supported by services.
You can find links to the relevant webpages below, which bring together all key information in child‑friendly and accessible formats.
Children in Care
Care Leavers
Child Friendly information
Kinship Local Offer
Young Peoples Newsletters
These newsletters are designed for young people who are supported by our children’s services. They are packed with valuable information, exciting opportunities and details of participation events to help you stay informed and involved.
Young Peoples Newsletters June - September 2025
Young Peoples Newsletters October - December 2025
Young Peoples Newsletters January- March 2026
Care Experienced Young Persons Newsletter
Our newsletters are created for young people who are care experienced. They include useful information, opportunities and activities to help you get involved with Leavers Come First participation and make your voice heard.
Care Experienced Young Persons Newsletter June - September 2025
Care Experienced Young Persons Newsletter October - December 2025
Care Experienced Young person Newsletter January - March 2026