We know from children and young people with SEND in Bury that having the opportunity to share your views is really important. Everyone is different!

It is important that you can share your views in a way that feels right for you. Children and young people with SEND have the same rights as other children and young people to take part and share their views and ideas. It is written into international law! You can check this out in this summary (written for young people) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child [UNCRC] by clicking here.

It is important that you can identify what is working well for you at school or college, as well as things that might not be going well, so people can do something to make it better. Some ideas for how you might share your views have been included in this section, but you will have your own ideas too. Things you might think about include:

• Who you like to spend time with in school or college (adults or other children and young people)

• Where you like to be in school or college

• Your likes and dislikes (e.g. subjects/lessons, the school or college building etc.)

• What you find helpful in school or college

• Who helps you, and how

• Things you would like more (or less) support with

• Things you would like to work towards (your goals or targets)

Adults at home and at school or college should help you share your views in ways that you want and feel able to.

There are lots of options! Here are some examples:

• Talk to an adult in school or college, and ask them to write down your views.

• Write down how you feel yourself or draw a picture.  

• Or perhaps you'd prefer to complete a questionnaire or drawing activity.

• You might like to put together a presentation or use an app on your phone/ tablet to share your views. Apps such as 'Mind of My Own' can support you to do this. You can read more about this app by clicking here, or speak to an adult in school or college to find out more.

• Some children and young people like to take photographs of things they like (e.g. parts of school or college) to share with adults, or to point to pictures to indicate how they are feeling.

• Some children and young people like to use worksheets like:

• the Blob School resources

• Three wishes – if you could have three wishes about school, what would they be?

• My Perfect week – describe your perfect week in detail.

• Good day/bad day – describe what happens on a good day from the moment you get up, what happens on a bad day, and how can we work to have more good days?

• Relationship circle - who is important in your life?

• Decision making profile – a tool to help you with making decisions.