Are we there yet?

This is  a three year study which listened to children and young people as part of evaluating For Highland’s Children 2 Chlidren's Service Plan 2005-08 (FHC2). FHC2 sets out seven themes for children and young people; that they should be safe, nurtured, healthy, active, achieving, respected & responsible and included.

The project followed 271 CYP (aged between 9 and 16 in 2005), over three years to ask about their experiences of the themes and their ideas on improvements for the children’s service plan. Annual interim reports were produced, "Are we there yet?" 2006 and 2007 and the final report, "Are we there yet? A way to go", was published in 2008.

Over the three year period children and young people cited examples of good practice from their experience and provided their own ideas about improving practice in a number of areas. These have been written up and where possible links to the good practice examples found.These can be found on the Good Practice Ideas page.

Each report was presented to the Joint Committee for Children and Young People. Each report was received very positively by members of the Joint Committee and provided Responses to the children and young peole. The final report has been considered both in the evaluation of For Highland's Children 2 and in the development of For Highland's Children 3.

An exhibition of some of the children and young people's drawings was taken to Holyrood and 8 of the young participants had the opportunity to meet with MSP's over lunch and discuss some of their issues with them.