A borough where children and young people help shape the future
Child Friendly Sandwell is our long-term commitment to making Sandwell a place where children and young people are listened to, respected, valued and involved in decisions that affect their lives. It is a borough-wide way of working that puts children’s voices at the heart of services, spaces and communities. Being child friendly is everyone’s responsibility, bringing together schools, community organisations, health services, businesses, families and local communities to help every child feel safe, included, respected and able to thrive.
What we have done
We have engaged with more than 2,650 children and young people and worked with over 80 organisations and partners. Children have helped identify priorities including safety, belonging and inclusion, shaping a shared vision for the future of Sandwell. We have also supported schools, promoted children’s rights and created new opportunities for participation and play.
Priorities
- Feeling safe and secure in your neighbourhood
- Having a sense of family and belonging
- Making sure everyone is treated fairly and feels included
We’ve also chosen three big themes to guide how the Council and its partners work:
- Culture: Making sure children’s voices are part of everything we do
- Communication: Sharing information in ways that are clear and easy to understand
- Teamwork and leadership: Working together and leading with purpose
How we are making a difference
Child Friendly Sandwell is about more than listening. It's about taking action.
We are working to:
- Give children and young people a greater say in decisions that affect their lives.
- Improve services, activities and places based on what children tell us.
- Promote children's rights and participation across Sandwell.
- Create more opportunities for play, wellbeing and community involvement.
- Make information easier for children and young people to understand.
- Build stronger partnerships that improve outcomes for children and families.
By embedding child-friendly thinking into everyday decision-making, we are helping to create lasting change across the borough and ensuring children are recognised as active citizens who help shape Sandwell's future.
Child Friendly programmes and opportunities
Play Sufficiency Assessment
Our Play Sufficiency Assessment helps us understand the quality and accessibility of play opportunities across Sandwell. We engaged more than 2,230 children, parents, professionals and partners to understand how children experience play across the borough. Children highlighted the importance of freedom, friendship, safety and access to quality play opportunities. These views are helping shape future investment and improvements so all children have opportunities to play, explore and thrive.
Find out more about the Play Sufficiency Assessment
SHAPE, Elevating Our Voice and Participation in Sandwell
Children and young people have the right to be heard and to help influence the decisions that affect their lives. In Sandwell, this happens through the SHAPE Programme, supported by the Elevating Our Voice Strategy and the Children and Young People's Participation Framework, which together help ensure that young voices are listened to, valued and acted upon.
The SHAPE Programme is Sandwell's flagship participation programme. SHAPE stands for Staying Safe, Being Healthy, Enjoying and Achieving, Making a Positive Contribution and Economic Wellbeing. Through surveys, youth forums, consultations, co-production projects and representation opportunities, children and young people can share their views and help shape local services, policies and priorities.
Our Elevating Our Voice Strategy sets out a shared vision for making sure every child and young person has the opportunity for their voice to be heard, respected and to make a difference. Developed alongside children and young people from across the borough, the strategy promotes meaningful participation, co-production and inclusion, ensuring that young people are involved in decisions that impact their lives.
Supporting this work is the Children and Young People's Participation Framework, which provides a clear process for council services and partner organisations to engage with children and young people. It helps professionals plan, deliver and evaluate participation activities, connect with existing youth forums and demonstrate how feedback has influenced decisions through a "You Said, We Did" approach.
Together, these programmes and resources are helping to create a more child-friendly Sandwell where young voices shape change.
Find out more about SHAPE and the Participation Famework
SEND Working Together Charter (Co-production Charter)
The SEND Children and Young People Working Together Charter is a shared commitment between children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), their families, and the Sandwell SEND Local Area Partnership to ensure services are designed and improved with children and young people, not just for them. The charter is built on the principle of co-production, meaning children and young people are involved as equal partners in shaping the decisions, services and support that affect their lives.
Developed alongside children and young people with SEND, the charter reflects their experiences, ideas and priorities. Through workshops, discussions and participation activities, young people helped define the vision, principles and promises that underpin the charter. Their contributions shaped the commitment to ensure every voice is heard, valued and acted upon, creating the vision of "Young Voices Shaping Change."
The charter sets out five key principles: Value, Care and Welcome; Be Honest; Trust Each Other; Communicate Well; and Be Ambitious. These principles guide how partners work together to create inclusive services, build positive relationships, and support children and young people to achieve the best possible outcomes.
By embedding co-production into everything we do, the charter helps ensure that children and young people with SEND have meaningful opportunities to influence decisions, challenge services and help shape the future of SEND support in Sandwell.
OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning)
OPAL is transforming playtimes in Sandwell schools, creating more opportunities for children to be active, creative, social and independent through high-quality outdoor play experiences. Three schools - Wednesbury Oak Academy, Timbertree Academy in Cradley Heath and Crocketts Community Primary in Smethwick have received the OPAL award - accreditation from the Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) Primary Programme, and are actively improving children's wellbeing, confidence and enjoyment of school life.
Watch the video to see how playtime is being transformed at Wednesbury Oak Academy.
Free play opportunities - with Sandwell Go Play
We are committed to providing free and accessible play opportunities for children and families across Sandwell. Through community events, neighbourhood activities and play initiatives, we help children enjoy the benefits of play, develop new skills, build friendships and stay active close to home through our Go Play opportunities all year round. Sessions are designed forr children and their grown-ups to stay and play togther.
Find out more about free play opportunities through Go Play Sandwell
Rights Respecting Schools
Schools across Sandwell are embedding children's rights into everyday learning and school life, helping children understand their rights, develop confidence and become active participants in their communities. Sandwell schools continue to achieve recognition for their commitment to children's rights and wellbeing.
Find out more about Rights Respecting Schools Award
Sandwell Summer Festival and National Play Day
In August we celebrated National Play Day through the Sandwell Summer Festival, providing free activities, play opportunities and family events across the borough. These events encourage children to be active, connect with others and enjoy outdoor spaces in their communities.
Festival of Free Play
The Festival of Free Play celebrated children's right to play and brought together families, Library Service schools and communities to enjoy creative, child-led play experiences. Held in the Summer half term, the event showcasesd the importance of play in supporting children's happiness, health and development.
Find out more about the Festival of Free Play
Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme
The Holiday Activities and Food Programme provides eligible children and young people with access to free holiday activities, healthy meals and enriching experiences during school holidays. The programme supports children's wellbeing, helps reduce holiday isolation and gives families access to safe, enjoyable activities throughout the year.
Find out more about the HAF Programme
Get involved
Want to help shape a Child Friendly Sandwell?
We’d love to hear from you! Whether you’re a child, young person, parent, carer, teacher, community member or business — your voice matters.
- Contact us | childfriendly@sandwell.gov.uk
- Follow our journey on social media FacebookInstagram #childfriendlysandwell
- Join upcoming events and workshops
Together, we can make Sandwell a place where every child thrives.