Involving children, young people and families
Co-creating with young people: development of the film about self-harm, Ask Me How I Am
Over the past year, Fullscope has been developing a framework for involving children, young people, and their families (CYPF), building upon our established model for co-production.
This framework sets out Fullscope’s approach to involving CYPF across our work, and serves as an open invitation to all stakeholders to prioritise CYPF voices in the development of projects and services tailored to them. It encourages organisations to actively listen, learn, and collaborate with CYPF, ultimately striving for systemic change driven by the collective voices of CYPF.
Fullscope’s collaborative work that has informed this framework includes:
Understanding self-harm in young people
Young people with lived experience are at the forefront of the solutions developed in this project. By genuinely listening to and learning from them, we've gained invaluable insights into the experiences of self-harm. Notably, young people have co-created an award-winning film, "Ask Me How I Am," serving as a foundational resource for a new development workshop tailored for professionals.
The co-production aspect of this project was evaluated by independent consultant Dr. Emily Bradfield. Her recommendations, particularly regarding the co-creation of products, and the importance of care in co-designing with young people with lived experiences, have significantly influenced our framework.
Our Voices
Our ongoing project, Our Voices, continuously provides platforms for local young people to articulate their perspectives on mental health and wellbeing issues. Their contributions have directly influenced local service development and decision-making processes. Recently, our Toolkit project has aligned with the principles for co-creation of a product, outlined in our framework. Fullscope has also recently supported a young person from Our Voices to be co-chair for a young persons (age 16-25) mental health review in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, exploring ways in which young people might be supported to be involved with local services at a governance/steering group level.
Artscaping
Children's voices remain central to Artscaping, a collaborative Creative Health initiative led by our partners at Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination. Notably, the The Companionship Compass, developed as part of the Branching Out project, is a navigational aid designed to help adults find their way alongside children and young people as they set out to explore ideas and be creative together.
CB4ward
Collaborating with CPSL Mind, Red Hen, Cambridge Acorn Project, and Blue Smile in the CB4 postcode, our joint project aims to develop and test integrated practices to support families facing multiple disadvantages. By leveraging our collective expertise, we strive to achieve sustainable impacts for families with children and young people.
Through this work we seek to systematically ask questions, observe and listen to the community with whom we are working. We are considering how we might work differently and the possible changes to how we use resource. The families we work with are engaged in co-design and we are building learning and evaluation into every stage of the work.
Whilst this framework describes in some detail models for co-producing with CYPF, we know this isn’t always possible: meaningful co-production requires an investment of resource. However, we urge all stakeholders to find ways to engage with and involve CYPF at every level, from conversations within the community, to feedback surveys, focus groups and more.
We envision this framework as a valuable resource for anyone seeking to engage with CYPF, providing additional reading and resources that have shaped our journey. At Fullscope, we understand the challenges inherent in this work but firmly believe that the opportunities for positive change are abundant. By prioritising genuine listening and learning alongside children, young people, and families, we're committed to driving meaningful change together.
Get in touch to give your feedback about the framework or to discuss involvement projects with Fullscope.