Description Children and Young Persons Champion (Participation and Engagement) - Ref: CH07725 Walsall Council - Outstanding Children's Services Join Walsall Council's Children's Services as a Children and Young Persons Champion during an exciting time of change. Following our recent "Outstanding" rating from OFSTED, we are dedicated to building on this success and putting the voices of children and young people at the heart of our continued development. The Opportunity You will be a key leader in coordinating the engagement and participation of Walsall's children, young people, and their families. You will empower young people, particularly those who are in the care journey, care experienced or leaving care, to influence strategy and service provision. This role involves strategic, multi-agency work with partners across health, education, and other sectors to ensure that children's rights are upheld and their voices are heard. You will build on the positive work highlighted by OFSTED, which noted the effectiveness of groups like the Children in Care Council (CiCC), who praised its benefits in raising confidence and self-esteem. Your role will be instrumental in refreshing the CiCC and expanding its membership to ensure wider representation. Key Responsibilities Lead the coordination of participation and engagement for children, young people, and families in key decision-making forums, including the Corporate Parenting Board. Work collaboratively with senior managers, elected members, and multi-agency partners to drive forward change. Facilitate groups for children in care and care leavers, including those who are harder to reach. Conduct surveys and research into involvement issues to develop action plans that helps to drive and improve service delivery. Oversee staff and lead working groups and projects related to the Corporate Parenting agenda. About You We are looking for an inspiring and passionate individual with a deep commitment to the rights of children and young people. You should have a proven track record in leading participation and engagement projects and be confident in working with a range of stakeholders. You must be able to work creatively, independently, and have the ability to manage staff, your diary and strategic priorities effectively. The ability to travel throughout the borough and a willingness for some out-of-hours work are also required. Why Work for Walsall? This is a chance to join a truly outstanding children's services department that is not complacent about its success. We are on a continuous improvement journey and are committed to placing the needs of our children and young people at the core of everything we do. We offer a supportive environment and a commitment to your professional development. Salary - £39, 152- £41,771 Closing date of application: Thursday 1 st January 2026 Interviews will be arranged for week commencing 12 th January 2026 If you would like to discuss this role further please contact Dhyal Samra – Dhyal.Samra@walsall.gov.uk View: Job Description and Employee Specification This post is covered by the Government’s Code of Practice on the English Language Fluency Duty for public sector workers. The post holder will be required to communicate verbally with customers and provide advice and/or information in accurate spoken English. Walsall Council takes seriously the responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all the children, young people and vulnerable adults entrusted to our care and it is our expectation that all staff will share this commitment. We will ensure continuous development and improvement of robust recruitment processes and procedures that promote a culture of safeguarding amongst our workforce. Completion of an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check is a requirement for working with children and young people and vulnerable adults. Note: Applicants appointed to posts that require an enhanced DBS clearance must declare any periods of time that they have lived, studied or worked abroad and be prepared to provide an Overseas Criminal Records Certificate (OCRC) or a Statement of Good Conduct (SOGC) relating to anytime they were overseas Information for Applicants Important note: When completing your online application form, you will be asked to enter supporting information. You must enter a detailed supporting information statement describing how your skills, abilities and experience meet the specific criteria included in the employee specification. If you do not include a supporting information statement, you will not be shortlisted. Please also ensure that you complete the work history and qualifications sections of your application form. Please do not add a CV as we do not accept them. See our Information for Applicants leaflet for further information. We kindly request that recruitment agencies do not contact us regarding this job vacancy. We are not accepting Agency applications or referrals at this time