The September Children’s Regional Partnership Board (RPB) was a focus on communication, although it was difficult to hear at times over the howling winds!
The aim was to explore what effective communication and collaboration look like for our board, within and between our organisations and with the region’s children and all those who care for and support them. We’ll use these insights to start to write our communication plan.
What do you think?
We’d love to hear what you think about our initial ideas below and any suggestions for how we can improve the way we communicate with you and how the board can facilitate better working between different organisations. Please get in touch by emailing childrensrpb@denbighshire.gov.uk.
What success looks like
If the board’s communication plan is successful, below is what we’d like different people to say about us.
I feel heard and empowered to influence decisions. I know where to go for help, and I get the support I need, when I need it. I know what’s happening, and I feel safe and included. I feel like my voice truly matters.
A child
We feel listened to. We understand what is happening, have been kept involved at every step. Everything has been made to feel easy and transparent. We have trust in the process, and it has been accessible from start to finish.
A parent
Working together has significantly enhanced our ability to deliver services. The Children’s Regional Partnership Board has our back, and they are genuinely interested in working with us to make positive changes. I feel appreciated, informed, empowered and we are working together with a clear sense of shared purpose.
A person working with children
There is a real buzz about the Children’s Regional Partnership Board’s work in North Wales. We have a clear understanding of who they are and what they do. They are an example of great practice which we can look up to.
Someone outside of North Wales
The voices of our children, young people, families and carers are always heard, and our communication with them is always clear and timely. We have gained valuable insights, and they have informed our decisions. Around the table, as Board members and partners we feel listened to, respected and treated as equals, working with a common purpose.
Us (the Children’s RPB)
How we communicate online
We want our online content to be relatable, engaging and relevant to the audience. It should be jargon free, inclusive and accessible. To help make this happen, we want to involve children and families more in producing content with us.
Where we have an online presence, it should be updated regularly, and we want to avoid and combat social media negativity and misinformation.
How we communicate in person
Thinking big, we conjured up the image of our perfect Children’s RPB meeting and summarised what we’d most like to see.
- Meaningful involvement of children and young people.
- Meeting in different community-based venues across North Wales.
- Opportunities to share ideas, debate and get to know each other better.
- Changing meeting formats, locations and inviting different people to match the purpose of the session.
- Start holding engagement sessions in addition to our business meetings and development meetings.
How we work together
The things we think will help us work together better.
- Clear and connected structures: join the dots, align the ways we work and avoid duplication.
- Understanding and good management of what’s happening to support children and families at different scales from operational to strategic.
- Develop good relationships with our colleagues who support children through voluntary and private sector organisations.
- Build on the things that are working well.
- A shared understanding between us all.
We shared with the board a summary of research into what has worked well to promote communication and collaboration in other areas. You can download the report below.
