Self Assessment Framework for working with Children and Young People

Driven by the Government’s Change for Children agenda, services for children and young people are expanding and developing. Museums, libraries and archives are engaging with this initiative by providing services which contribute in many ways to meeting the Every Child Matters outcomes.

Every Child Matters: Change for Children is the new cross-government approach to the wellbeing of children and young people from birth to age 19. The Government's aim is for every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the support they need to meet the Every Child Matters outcomes, which are to:

• be healthy 
• stay safe
• enjoy and achieve
• make a positive contribution
• achieve economic wellbeing

For more information about Every Child Matters visit the website:
www.everychildmatters.gov.uk

Museums, libraries and archives contribute to the Every Child Matters five outcomes in many of the services they provide. Case studies demonstrating how the five outcomes have been met by museums, libraries and archives are available on the MLA website.

An integral part of Every Child Matters is the Common Core Framework of Skills and Knowledge for the Children’s Workforce. It reflects a set of common values and defines the basic skills and knowledge needed by those working with children, young people and families. The Common Core identifies six areas of expertise which everyone working with children and young people should have in common. They are:

• Effective communication and engagement
• Child and young person development
• Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child
• Supporting transitions
• Multi-agency working
• Sharing information

The Government plan for the future demonstrates commitment to the creation of a single qualification framework to support career pathways for the children’s workforce. All qualifications and the occupational standards that underpin them will include an appropriately differentiated Common Core. Over time it is expected that everyone working with children, young people and families will be able to demonstrate a basic level of competence in the six areas defined above.

The MLA Partnership Self Assessment Framework can help museums, libraries and archives staff to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to work in partnership with organisations and agencies working with children and young people. It can also assist in demonstrating the expertise of the sector workforce to deliver the children’s agenda, particularly to meet the five outcomes for Every Child Matters.

The MLA Partnership Self Assessment Framework interprets the six areas of expertise from the Every Child Matters Common Core Framework and provides a workforce development toolkit to assist in their implementation. The Framework can be used by staff and volunteers in all museums, libraries and archives.

Who is it for?
The MLA Partnership Self Assessment Framework can be used by anyone working directly or indirectly with children, young people and families in a museum, gallery, library or archive.

The Self Assessment Framework Professional Development Workbook can be downloaded below:

MLA Partnership Self Assessment Framework (1372 kb)

Please contact Liz Towner, learning and workforce development manager, if you have any queries relating to this subject.