National Consultation

Issues covered in National Consultation:

Safer Streets
1: SCCYP will work to make streets a safer place for children and young people Some of the things children and young people said would help:

• Better street lighting
• More CCTV presence on streets and buses
• More speed restrictions in areas where children and young people hang out
• Safer routes to and from school
• More police on the streets protecting children and young people, more presence in schools and when travelling to/from school
• Police receiving training to become friendlier and more accessible to children and young people

Bullying
2: SCCYP will work towards an improved system for dealing with bullies and better support for victims. Some of the things children and young people said would help:

• Counselling for the victim
• School buses being patrolled
• Helping bullies face the hurt they have caused and supporting them to make up with the victim
• Independent person being available to children and young people to address cases of bullying (both in and outside school)
• Teachers receiving more training in dealing with bullying
• Schools dealing with all bullying incidents in a fair and open way
• All schools to have effective means of reporting and dealing sensitively with all cases of bullying
• Promoting peer support in schools, including a buddy system for victims

Things To Do
3: SCCYP will work towards improved activities for children and young people outside school and improved access to these activities. ??Some of the things children and young people said would help:

• Young people having a greater hand in organising their own activities - with support from trusted adults
• Existing resources (schools/community centres/sports facilities) being made available to groups of children and young people
• Activities being made more accessible to those with a disability
• Better information about what's on locally
• Cheaper things to do and better discounts
• Better (accessible & free) transport designed to take you to and from an activity
• More opportunities for children and young people to meet with people of all ages in their community, to help break down negative stereotyping

Schools / Education
4: ?SCCYP will work with schools to provide better support and more choices for their pupils. Some of the things children and young people said would help:

• Wider choice of subjects especially in vocational/art based areas
• More help, understanding and support for those with learning difficulties
• Educational Maintenance Allowance being easier to access
• Guidance system in schools being reviewed and improved
• Guidance support focusing on those that might need it most

Schools / Health
5: SCCYP will work to make children and young people?s health a key aim of schools. Some of the things children and young people said would help:

• More exercise in schools and a greater range of activities to meet individual needs
• Wider range of healthy food options available in vending machines and canteens
• Sex education being made accessible at an earlier age, delivered by an expert and not necessarily a teacher
• Pupils being able to drink water and go to the toilet whenever they need to

Transport
6: SCCYP will work to improve public transport for children and young people. Some of the things children and young people said would help:

• Free or highly reduced fares for children and young people
• Bus drivers receiving training in working with children and young people
• Additional provision for children and young people with mobility needs
• Transport for leisure activities outside school
• Buses made safe from bullying

Parents Splitting Up
7: SCCYP will work to support children and young people to have a greater say on what happens when their parents split up, carried out in a sensitive way that they feel happy with.

This is different from the other issues as it is not something children and young people raised in our discussion groups. However, as a very private matter, it might not have been a good place to raise it, which is why we are giving you this chance to say whether you think this should be the main thing we work on. These are some of the things we could do:

• Find out more about children and young people?s experience of parents splitting up
• Find out how many were asked for their views ? by parents or courts
• Find out how children and young people felt about the way this was done
• Find out how many children and young people were not asked for their views ? and what they felt about that
• Work out what children and young people would like to happen
• Try to change the system to make it more responsive to children and young people?s needs and wishes