Participation
What is participation?
Participation means taking part in something. We define participation to be the meaningful involvement of children and young people in Jersey in the decisions that have an impact on their lives, families, schools and community.
The Children’s Commissioner has a responsibility in law to directly involve children and young people in Jersey in her work. This includes working with children and young people to develop projects and seeking their views about how life is for them so that she can act where their rights are not being upheld.
The Participation team supports the Commissioner to involve children in the work that we do.
What we do
Youth Advisory Panel
The Participation team support the Youth Advisory Panel in their role of advising, guiding and challenging the work of the Commissioner.
The panel share their views, thoughts, and experiences with the Commissioner and her team so that we can understand the challenges and issues faced by children and young people in Jersey, and to make decisions about what the Commissioner needs to do to stand up for children.
You can meet our Youth Advisory panel here.
Raising Awareness
The Commissioner and the Participation team visit children and young people across the island supporting them to understand their rights and how they can contact the Commissioner if they feel that their rights are not being respected and upheld by adults.
To access resources to use with children and young people to help them understand their rights, please visit our useful links and resources page.
Participation Advisory Group
The Participation team support the development of participation with children and young people in all organisations and settings and can offer advice and guidance on this. Please contact Andrea Le Saint on 01534 867317 to discuss how you can engage children in decision making in your organisation.
The Participation team are part of a Participation Advisory Group in Jersey which supports and informs best practice and standards for children and young people’s participation.
Child Welfare
Childline: 0800 1111
Childline is a free, private and confidential service where you (as a child or young person) can talk about anything. Whatever your worry, whenever you need help, Childline is available for you, online, on the phone, anytime.
Calls from Jersey may be chargeable from mobiles and the number will appear on your mobile bill. To call Childline free from Jersey, try using a landline or phone box.
You can find out how to contact Childline online by visiting their website here.
Childline is available:
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
MASH: 01534 519000
If you have a concern about a child in Jersey, please contact the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).
You can also email MASH at enquiries-MASH@gov.je.
MASH working hours are 8:30am- 5pm Monday to Thursday; and 8:30am- 4:30pm on Friday.
An out-of-hours service will operate at other times: the duty social worker can be reached by contacting either the Police on 612612, or via the Hospital Switchboard on 442000.