PANDA - VOYPIC

Erasmus+ PANDA Project

Little Voices, Big Decisions: Young Children’s Right to Participate in Child Protection Decision Making

Voice of Young People in Care (VOYPIC) and Queen’s University, Belfast, hosted colleagues from across Europe to explore how young children can be supported to more actively participate in decisions regarding their care and welfare. Speakers include the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), and representatives from the Department of Health NI, the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI), and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust (SEHSCT), as well VOYPIC and Queen’s University.

This online event was part of the PANDA Project, a European project that seeks to promote the participation of young children (aged 12 years and under) in decision making through strengthening professionals’ collaboration with young children involved in child welfare/child protection services. The project aims to:

Increase the skills and competence of social workers
Support organisations to create the necessary conditions for collaboration with children
Provide a framework for policy officers and managers to implement a participatory approach
Provide trainers with tools and methods to aid children’s participation

Alicia Toal, VOYPIC, welcomes guests to the Little Voices Big Decisions seminar, as part of the PANDA Project. She particularly welcomes those joining from overseas, to a virtual event in Northern Ireland.

Prof Karen Winter, Queen's University Belfast, outlines the PANDA Project to the Little Voices Big Decisions seminar.

Koulla Yiasouma, NI Commissioner for Children and Young People, shares thoughts on children's participative rights and what more needs to be done, as part of the PANDA Project Little Voices Big Decisions seminar.

Eilis McDaniel, Department of Health, presents to the Little Voices, Big Decisions seminar, as part of the PANDA Project.

Jenny and Nicola, Youth Rights Workers at VOYPIC, share messages from young people at the Little Voices Big Decisions seminar, as part of the PANDA Project.

Marie-Louise Sloan, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, introduces the PANDA Project Little Voices Big Decisions seminar to examples of practice in her team.