Children and young people in care: What do YOUth think?

An exceptional event focussing on youth participation

When it comes to making lasting changes in people's lives, the written word just isn't enough. It takes action to put policy into practise. From 6th to 9th of December 2008, young people from across Europe and Central Asia came together to help SOS-Kinderdorf International and the Council of Europe (CoE) do just that.

Young people are listened to and are listening in Strasbourg - Photo: © Council of Europe

In a joint project on youth participation, SOS-Kinderdorf International and the CoE hosted 18 young people with care experience at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg, France, in a seminar meant to foster an active dialog between both organisations and young people about how to put the Quality4Children (Q4C) Standards and the Council's 2005 recommendations on the rights of children in residential care into practise. The young people were asked to discuss the Q4C and actions that need to be implemented with regards to youth participation in their countries and internationally. Based on these discussions, they were to give recommendations to representatives of the Council of Europe Family Unit on how to actively involve young people in their work.

Having experienced out-of-home care (some at SOS Children's Villages) and representing youth organizations, their input was very useful and offered the opportunity not only for the other participants but also for the whole seminar team to get a direct insight on their very concrete situation and experiences. After three days of debate, productive work and long evenings, the participants were invited to the Council of Europe to present their recommendations.

After a guided tour through the Council of Europe building, the young people delivered a presentation of the recommendations to high official of the Council of Europe, namely Elda Moreno (head of the Children's Rights and Family Policies Division of the Council of Europe), Isabelle Berro-Lefèvre (Judge at the European Court of Human Rights), Maarit Kuikka (Advisor to the programme "Building a Europe for and with Children"), and Julien Attuil-Kayser (Advisor to the Commissioner for Human Rights).

With this seminar the basis for cooperation between youth representatives and the Council of Europe was set to promote and ensure the rights of children and young people in alternative care in Europe with a strong focus on youth participation. As follow-up it is planned to involve participants in future activities (e.g. of SOS-Kinderdorf International) and projects which are related to alternative care such as the Leaving Care project (The "Leaving Care" project of SOS Children's Villages aims to improve the framework conditions of the process of becoming independent for young people in family-based care.)