Clare Humberstone

Clare Humberstone is the team manager of the children’s involvement team (CIT) at Sheffield City Council.

The CIT delivers a range of projects to support all children and young people to have a say on issues that affect them. Their ethos is based on the belief that all children and young people have something to say and a way of communicating their wishes, views and feelings and through this they ensure that everything they do is inclusive and accessible. The team works hard to promote the voice of all children and ensure that everyone, including children and young people with the most complex communication impairments, can access opportunities to be heard.

The CIT works across the 0-19 age range and their work is flexible and appropriate for each age group. The team’s work involves: providing advocacy for children and young people in child protection conferences; creating innovative, inclusive and engaging resources; facilitating the Children In Care Council and other voice and influence forums; delivering practical training packages on a range of areas aimed at increasing professionals’ skills and confidence in listening and communicating effectively with children; and delivering commissioned pieces of consultation work with children and young people. The team’s work has a strong focus on supporting social care professionals in their direct work with children and young people, including the development of a child-centred review process where children can be fully involved in decisions about their lives.

For more information on the Children’s Involvement Team and to see examples of their work, please visit their website: www.sheffkids.co.uk