Children in Wales co-ordinates a number of forums and networks across Wales. These forums and networks provide members with a chance to get together to exchange information, share good practice, and network with others in their field. Members of forums are also able to raise issues of concern relating to a range of policy areas which Children in Wales can channel through to policy makers.
Our current Forums include:
The Advocacy Practice Exchange Group provides an opportunity for practitioners in the field of advocacy to share practice, experience and knowledge around advocacy and related areas. It also contributes to the improved development of advocacy practice across Wales.
The All Wales Children and Young People’s Advocacy Providers Network contributes and supports the development of effective advocacy in Wales. It aims to promote partnership work and developmental strategies between organisations. It also facilitates problem solving and resolves potential conflicts of interest.
The Child Accident Prevention Practice and Information Exchange (CHAPPIE) Network The CHAPPIE network aims to promote the prevention of accidents and unintentional injuries for children and young people across Wales. It supports practitioners who have a role to play in the reduction of injuries.
The Children and Young People’s Partnership Involvement Network in Cymru (CYPPINC) has been developed in partnership with the Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services (CWVYS). It enables representatives from Councils for Voluntary Services to improve knowledge, offer mutual support and understanding in order to enhance their work within Children and Young People’s Partnerships.
The Children’s Rights Practice Exchange Groups in North and South Wales have held regular meetings since September 1997. The meetings enable practitioners to exchange expertise and information on a range of issues concerning children’s rights.
The Early Years and Childcare Advisory Group concentrates specifically on the needs of the under eights and their families, and works with a wide range of organisations from all sectors. The group aims to raise public awareness of the needs and entitlement of all young children and their families and to influence public policy and bring about change.
The Fatherhood Wales Forum meets four times a year. It enables members to exchange good practice, respond to consultations and promote the importance of fathers in the lives of children. The Fatherhood Wales Policy Group is a multi-agency network recognising the important role fathers play in raising their children. The Group concentrates on specific policy issues to set the agenda for work in Wales.
Fforwm Magu Plant/Parenting Forum is a multi-agency network of parenting organisations. The Forum promotes sharing good practice, dissemination of relevant information, training and quality standards, and communicates the views of parents, carers and children to policy makers in Wales. The Fforwm Magu Plant Steering Group meets quarterly to plan the schedule of events and activities.
The Flying Start Network meets quarterly, bringing together the Flying Start coordinators from the 22 Local Authorities.
The Forum on Issues for Disabled Children is a multi-agency group that shares information and good practice, and lobbies on issues relating to disabled children and young people. The Disabled Children Policy Group brings together those with a policy brief on disability to highlight issues and concerns about services to disabled children. The group links closely to the Forum on Issues for Disabled Children and the Young Disabled Persons’ Network to reflect the views of forum members and to ensure young people’s voices are heard.
The Integrated Children’s Centres Network is facilitated by Children in Wales to provide a point of contact for Integrated Children’s Centres in Wales. It works to produce common goals for the whole of Wales and develop a framework for monitoring and evaluation to ensure quality standards.
The Looked After Children Health Exchange is a multi-agency group which aims to help guide policy across Wales to promote the health of children looked after. It also operates as a forum for sharing practice and information.
Children in Wales Media Forum This forum aims to promote the positive portrayal and participation of children and young people in the media and to influence other organisations in Wales to promote positive images of children and young people in their work with the media.
Parenting Coordinators Network This is a network for those who have a strategic coordinating role for parenting support in their Local Authority . Quarterly meetings give coordinators a chance to share issues, solutions, research and policy with their colleagues.
Rights Respecting School Award Group Children in Wales established a Network to help work with UNICEF to support the developing Rights Respecting Schools Award in schools in Wales.
Young Carers Workers’ Network meets four times a year and is open to all those who work with young carers in Wales. The Network holds four one-day meetings to share issues, concerns and develop good practice. The Network supports a young carers network who meet to identify issues to present to the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Care on an annual basis.