P-04-511 Support for children and young people participation standards – Correspondence from the petitioner to the Committee, 24.06.15

Powys Youth Forum Response to NAfW Petition Committee

1) Regarding involvement in meetings, the timings and location of the meetings have made it impossible for both the attendance of staff and young people at them. However we have raised concerns regarding the standards at All Wales Participation Workers Network meetings (at which Welsh Government and Children in Wales were in attendance). Concerns have also directly relayed to Powys' Children in Wales link during a Powys Youth Forum residential.

2) While we appreciate that the picture of practice around the Standards differs across Wales - Welsh Government and Children in Wales have continually reiterated their support for the standards. We feel that this very limited and slow progress only adds to the differing picture across the Local Authorities, with loss of staff who had been funded specifically to support the standards, self assessment, young inspectors and kitemarking process and with the perceived value of the Kitemark lessening with no formal sign off from any National body. This is despite Children in Wales agreeing that a National sign off and certificate is needed, however we are still waiting.

3) This petition was first submitted in October 2013 and to date there has been one national meeting (held in Cardiff) with the next meeting due in early July (also in Cardiff). We feel that very little progress has been made during these meetings to reach the end objective.

Finally we appreciate that the petitions committee have shown a real commitment to ensuring that this important issue is highlighted and is not one which is left behind.