ChangeFactory has, since 2011, facilitated opportunities for young people to present knowledge from children to professionals and leaders in child welfare services. This has been carried out through live presentations, meetings, films, and podcasts.
From 2013 to 2018, ChangeFactory carried out a professional development work involving 150 child welfare services together with many dozens of young people. The aim was to identify what young people with experience from the child welfare system and leaders of child welfare services considered to be good practice in child welfare.
The work with presenting children’s knowledge to professionals and leaders in the child welfare field has led to changes in practice. Some of these changes include:
- More child welfare professionals spend time talking with children and actively invite them to express their views.
- More professionals meet children with warmth and kindness.
- More professionals understand that children’s behaviour and expressions of distress are responses to painful or difficult experiences.
- More professionals recognise the importance of working together with children to provide good support and help.
- More professionals have a deeper understanding of how the use of physical force is experienced by children and how it can be prevented.