How can we hear and facilitate the voice of the child?

The voice of the child can include both what is said and unsaid, verbal and non-verbal indicators, and the child’s behaviour as a whole. Take time to understand what is behind children’s behaviour, ask questions and don’t assume that verbal disclosure is the only threshold for action. Some children may not disclose verbally unless asked directly, while other children may be pre- or non-verbal.

Children may only partially share if they are unsure about the potential repercussions of what they have to say. This requires you to critically reflect on what children say, decode verbal and non-verbal communication, and think about how behaviours and gestures might say what goes unsaid verbally.

Listen to and observe children carefully and offer a non-judgemental approach, especially if a retraction is made.

Ask yourself:

• What do the child’s behaviour and interactions tell me about them?
• What thoughts and feelings could lie behind these behaviours?
• Have I taken a blended approach to hearing and understanding what the child is trying to communicate, incorporating play, toys or other age and developmental stage appropriate creative tools, and observation?
• Have I considered what the child’s relationships and routines can tell me about their lives?

Social workers are in a unique position when it comes to having contact with children. Your role and expertise means you could hold a key insight into how the child communicates. It’s vital all professionals share information to gain a full overview of a child's situation and provide a co-ordinated approach to support. You may find that other professionals who see children regularly, such as teachers, can offer valuable information about how a child communicates, as well as about any changes in their behaviour.

If possible, tell parents and children what information you wish to share. Explain why, how and with whom you will do so and seek their consent. If you share information without consent, keep a record of what has been shared and with whom.

Ask yourself:

• Are there other professionals who could give me insight into the lived experience of the child?
• Does this information tell me anything new about the child’s experience or the support they need? If it does, have I considered the implications of this?
• If I am having difficulty communicating with the child, are there others with the necessary skills or knowledge who could help?
• Is there information I have that I need to share with others to effectively safeguard and support the child?

> Read more about multi-agency working

The child’s voice can come from many different sources, sometimes not even directly from the child themselves. Speak to other children and adults who the child feels comfortable with, to make sure important information is not lost. Explain to the parents and child the benefits of involving family members, friends and neighbours in assessments, and where possible gain their consent to do so.

However, make sure that involving the wider family and social network does not come at the expense of working directly with the child. Take care to ensure the child’s voice is not overshadowed by those of the adults around them.

Ask yourself:

• Who are those closest to the child?
• In what ways is the child’s voice influenced by the people close to them?
• What information might they be able to share about the child’s experience?
• How does that information help me ascertain what a typical day might look like in the life of the child?
• Is what they are telling me accurate and how far does it agree with what the child is telling me?
• Do they have potentially competing interests that I need to take into account?

While it’s important to observe the child’s behaviour with the parent or carer, it’s also important to see them alone (provided they are at an age where they can engage in a meaningful interaction with you). If a parent or carer refuses to allow the child to be seen alone without a valid reason, record this and seek advice from your supervisor as to next steps.

If a child is refusing to see you, consider why this may be. For example, they might not understand your role, the parent may have influenced them not to cooperate, or they may be scared and worried about the consequences for their family. It’s also important to see children in different places that meet their needs, including at home and at school, nursery or college.

Ask yourself:

• Have I seen and spoken to the child alone?
• If not, what was the reason for this, and have I made arrangements to see them as soon as possible?
• What support might I need from my supervisor/line manager to reflect on and potentially challenge if a parent is still not allowing me access to the child alone?
• Does the child speak, act or behave differently when alone to when they are with others? What could be the reason for this?
• Have I chosen a location to speak to the child alone where they feel safe to talk about their experiences?

All children have the right to be heard and taken seriously in matters which affect them. Children recognise the importance of their contributions and report wanting more opportunities to participate. They also report feelings of disappointment, frustration and resignation if they feel unheard or unable to affect outcomes.

Think about how you can listen to children and address any power imbalances in a safeguarding system that is run, managed and controlled by adults. Empowerment could include making sure children have access to accurate and accessible information, giving children some control over meetings, and encouraging a culture of participation. Treating children as experts in their own lives shows them respect as service users who have both a stake in, and useful knowledge about, their own situation.

Ask yourself:

• Have I given the child access to accurate and accessible information?
• How am I able to give the child some control over meetings to encourage participation?
• Have I asked for and factored in the child’s preferences (including communication preferences) and opinions when making decisions that affect them?
• Are there more probing questions I could ask? Does what the child say or do suggest they are trying to ask for help?

We all make assumptions and form expectations about people based on factors like class, ethnicity, gender and disability. These assumptions and expectations can influence how we understand children’s expressions and behaviours, preventing us from hearing their voices.  

It’s important to be mindful of your potential personal biases and carve out time to reflect and discuss how these might influence your practice and responsibility to act as an advocate for the child’s voice.

Pay particular attention to children whose voices may be under-represented, such as children with disabilities, with complex mental health needs, those placed far from home, LGBTQ+ children, asylum-seeking children, children from ethnic minority backgrounds and those who are ineligible for benefits or other forms of support.

Ask yourself:

• Have my own background and assumptions affected how I am engaging with the family?
• Do I make time to reflect on my own unconscious biases and assumptions?
• How can I challenge those unconscious biases and assumptions and seek ongoing education and training to help with that?
• How can I challenge the unconscious biases and assumptions of other professionals in my network, particularly when these impact the perceived validity or accuracy of the child’s voice?
• Do I engage with my supervisor and other practitioners to explore these issues?

Children communicate in different ways. Think about how to adapt your practice to hear their voice and not exclude children who would otherwise participate. Consider how best to communicate with a child, taking in to account disability, age, development and language.

Ask yourself whether any specialist communication support is needed for children who have disabilities and/or complex communication needs. This will sometimes need wider discussion with other agencies.

Ask yourself:

• Have I gathered the child’s account of what is happening to them?
• If the child speaks a different language, is non-verbal or pre-verbal, have I found alternative ways to communicate with them?
• Is the child being supported to communicate their feelings and wishes most effectively?
• Would training in ‘play skills’ or other techniques help me to develop a greater insight into the child’s world and build a better relationship with them?

> Listen to our podcast on intersectionality in social work practice

Building a trusted relationship with a child is essential to hearing, understanding, and acting upon what a child is communicating. In practice, it is the quality of these relationships that determine the extent to which children’s voices will be heard and included meaningfully in decisions affecting them.

Time and creativity may be required to build enough trust for a child to share their feelings and for you to properly understand what is being communicated. Even where children do not actively participate in meetings, by maintaining a meaningful dialogue you can advocate for them and ensure that the child’s voice is heard and included in decision making.

Ask yourself:

• In addition to face-to-face work, have I considered other communication approaches including phone calls, texts or online communication via work devices and approved channels?
• Have I allowed enough time and space for the child to feel comfortable sharing their experiences with me?
• Have I demonstrated an active interest in the child’s life, views, aspirations, interests, and activities?
• Have I been clear about why the child’s views are being gathered, and what will happen with the information they have shared?
• Have I fed back to the child what I have done based on what they have communicated to me?

> Find out more about how to have difficult conversations with children

To have an impact it’s important that the child’s voice is accurately recorded in assessments and factored into arrangements and decisions. Make the child aware of the impact their participation has had. And if decisions have been made that do not align with the child’s wishes, take the time to explain this to them.  

When recording assessments, describe the child’s voice, explain how that voice has been determined, and outline what the child sees, hears and experiences on a daily basis. Alongside what the child communicates verbally, also describe the child’s physical appearance and demeanour, behaviour, expressions and interactions.

Ask yourself:

• Have I accurately recorded the child’s own words in assessments?
• Do my notes clearly show the difference between the information the child gave me, my own direct observations, and my interpretation or assessment of the situation?
• Have I set out the impact the child’s voice has had on the action I have taken, or will take, and what action all other relevant people need to take?

> Read our Practice points on assessments