SHOUT - we are listening

We asked Havering pupils in academic year 6 upwards a series of questions based around the themes of our Starting Well Plan. The survey was delivered online, with our established engagement partner ‘Mind of My Own’, and the questions were co-produced with children and young people.

The themes covered were: Aspiration, Discrimination and Hate, the Cost of Living and how children and young people feel about the local area.

More than 1,000 children responded to the consultation.

• The top three types of support children felt they needed to reach their future goals were: supportive teachers (66.8%); volunteering opportunities (38.1%) and careers advice (32.8%).
• 63.4% of children who reported they’d had hate directed at them said it was because of the way they look, followed by 25.8% for race and 18% for age.
• 11.5% of children said that worrying about money affected their physical health or emotional wellbeing and a further 46.4% were not sure.
• 56.7% of children who responded felt unsafe on the streets and 34.1% felt unsafe at bus stops and train stations. 25.3% reported feeling unsafe at local parks.

The results from ‘SHOUT – we are listening’ have been shared with a wide range of colleagues internal to the Council, and external partners, including school governors, Transport for London (TFL), Community Safety and the Metropolitan Police. TfL and the Police have each provided a written response, addressing some of the concerns raised by children and young people relating to safety, crime and getting around the borough. We have published these on the main SHOUT survey page, as well as a child friendly version of this summary.

Children’s Services are using the results to inform the Starting Well Plan, ensuring that the needs and concerns of children and young people are addressed comprehensively. The results were also used to inform the topics covered by the recent Havering Youth Wellbeing Census which has helped us to better understand wellbeing in young people.

We continue to work closely with schools to support the Period Product Scheme, which aims to provide free period products to students who may otherwise not have access to them. This initiative ensures that young people are able to attend school without facing the challenges associated with period poverty. Many schools and colleges in Havering have signed up to the scheme and have been provided with funding each academic year.

In late 2022 Havering also launched a cost of living campaign to support residents with navigating the increasing expenses associated with daily life. This campaign provides resources and support to help individuals and families make informed decisions about their finances and access any available assistance. More recently we have launched the next phase of our partner-led campaign, By Your Side.

We remain committed to responding to the issues raised in ‘SHOUT – we are listening’ and to hearing from children and young people more generally. For this reason, in November 2023, we launched ‘SHOUT about the money’, our first ever children and young person’s budget consultation.