My name is Zaid and I’m a university student from Bremen, Germany. I moved into a group home when I was 14 and have been in the care system for six years now.
I joined the Youth Council of SOS Children’s Villages in Germany, which gave me many opportunities to learn, grow and have my voice heard. Child participation is a subject very close to my heart because these experiences meant so much to me growing up. I hope other children and young people can have the same chance to be heard.
At the high-level EU Presidency conference “Listening to Children and Young People – Challenges in Challenging Settings” in Dublin, I wanted to make the struggles of participation for children in care more visible.
Participation is a learned skill
Meaningful child participation must first and foremost be inclusive. We need opportunities that accommodate different circumstances and needs. It only makes sense if we can all participate.
There are many barriers that can make participation difficult, especially for children in care: anxiety, lack of confidence, limited resources and support.
I like to say that participation is a learned skill. You can’t expect us to be professionals from the get-go. We need many opportunities to gain experience and the right support to develop our skills.
Participation prepares children for the future. It is an intrinsic part of life for every adult. Whether at work, with your family or in politics, you need to know how to express yourself and make decisions. That’s why it’s so important to give young people the chance to participate. These experiences also teach us important skills like communication, project management and teamwork.
We need our words to have an impact
Being able to voice your opinion is nice, but meaningful participation means actually having an impact. We need adults to make this possible for us. Listening is a great first step, but we also need to see that our words can truly lead to change. There’s nothing more frustrating than spending time and energy preparing speeches and presentations only for them to go nowhere.
I’m lucky enough to say that I’ve had many opportunities to have my voice heard and make an impact. Through the Youth Council, I’ve been invited to the high-level conference in Dublin and involved in many projects. One that immediately comes to mind is a national petition to make mental health services more accessible to children and young people.
Lived experience can’t be replaced by research papers
I went to Dublin because I want governments and decision-makers to be aware of children in care and care leavers in the first place, and to recognize our specific experiences. It often feels like we’re hardly considered when policies affecting children and young people are drafted. Our perspectives aren’t represented because there aren’t enough participation opportunities that accommodate our needs. This has to change.
There was so much I learned during the conference, including how participation works in other European countries. My main takeaway was that even though the European Union has many vastly different Member States, children in care often face similar issues. Working together and exchanging perspectives might make it a lot easier for us to address them.
Our participation should not end in our immediate environment or at the local level. The voices of children in care and care leavers must contribute to policymaking. I appreciate the research and effort decision-makers put in, but our perspectives and lived experience can’t be replaced by articles and papers.