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Keep up with the latest Child Friendly Community News
Working towards a child-friendly Torbay
We are at the start of an exciting journey towards a child-friendly Torbay.
We are working with UNICEF UK and local partners to become a UNICEF Child Friendly Community (CFC).
A Child-Friendly Community
Children’s rights are set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The convention defines a child as a young person below the age of 18. We will use this agreement to guide decisions that affect children and young people in Torbay. We will do this in partnership with councillors, the local community and voluntary sector partners.
The right of the child to have their views heard and taken seriously, for example, will mean that they will have a say in council decisions. Anything from major policies to decisions around the care they receive. They will also have the opportunity to help design local services and spaces.
The goal is for children and young people to have positive and meaningful input into their community. We want them to benefit from the plans, decisions, spaces and services they use and that impact their lives where they grow up.
What’s happening in other areas
We join nine other councils in the UK currently taking part in the UNICEF UK Child Friendly Cities & Communities programme. Cardiff is currently the first to achieve Child Friendly accreditation.
The partnership was announced in April 2024. It is estimated that the project will take three to five years to complete.
The work with UNICEF also supports our own Community and Corporate Plan. This outlines our plans for Torbay to be recognised as a child friendly place. We want all residents, of all ages, to feel, and to be, safe, and to live well within their communities.
Find out more about our Community and Corporate Plan
What has happened so far, and what will happen next
We have carried out surveys throughout 2024 and 2025. We asked those who work with children and young people, and children and young people themselves, to fill them in. The next steps will be choosing the UNICEF Child Friendly ‘Badges’ for Torbay. We will work with children and young people and local community partners to do this.
We have also been meeting with local schools, colleges and community groups who all work with children and young people. They have been choosing their Badges and telling us what their priorities are for Torbay.
We will be providing updates on these sessions soon. We will share decisions made by the young people involved and what the outcomes were. We will share photos and videos from the sessions as well. Watch this space.
Discovery Day in Torbay
Image: Attendees pictured at Torbay’s UNICEF Child Friendly Community Discovery Day.
Children, young people, and adults from different groups came together for a special event called "Discovery Day" at the Riviera International Conference Centre on Friday, 25 April. This event was part of our work with UNICEF UK to become a child-friendly community.
At Discovery Day, children and young people from Torbay learned about their human rights, which are listed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. People from Torbay Council, schools, health services, and community groups attended, including the Leader of the Council and other councillors. Students from Shiphay Learning Academy, Oldway Primary School, Mayfield College, and some who are homeschooled were there.
One important part of the day was when children and young people voted on what they thought were the most important things to focus on for the rest of the programme. These important things are called "badges," and progress will be measured based on these badges.
The Badges for a Child Friendly Community
There are three ‘Core Badges’. These are:
- Culture
- Communication
- Cooperation and Leadership
They must be adhered to by any organisation working towards Child Friendly status.
The organisation working with their local community can choose the rest. The choices are:
- Safe and secure
- Flourishing
- Education and Learning
- Participating
- Child-Friendly Services
- Place
- Family and Belonging
- Healthy
- Equal and included
- Innovation
Who decides that Torbay is a Child Friendly Community
The decision to recognise Torbay as a UNICEF Child Friendly Community will be made by:
- UNICEF UK
- an independent panel of experts in human rights, child wellbeing and public services
- an advisory board of local children and young people
We join communities in more than 40 countries participating in this global UNICEF initiative.
Harrison’s view on Changing Places facilities
Harrison goes to Mayfield College. We talked to him about the need for more Changing Places facilities in Torbay.
Changing Places toilets are for people who cannot use standard accessible toilets.
This includes people who have:
- profound and multiple learning disabilities
- other disabilities that severely limit mobility
They are suitable for those with spinal injuries, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis. There is extra equipment and space. This allows people to use the toilets safely and comfortably.
We have two Changing Places facilities in Torbay. One is in Paignton, and one is in Brixham. We hope that extra funding will allow us to have one in Torquay.
Find out more about our Changing Places facilities.
More information
If you have any questions or would like to arrange a Child Friendly engagement session please contact us.