Case study
Middlesbrough Children Matter
A co-created vision that took Middlesbrough Councilon a vibrant ‘improvement journey’ to show Middlesb rough Children that they matter.
In 2020 following an ‘inadequate’ OFSTED, Middlesbrough Council approached the Care Leaders to for support with their vision, ‘Middlesbrough Children Matter’
Our role was to establish a strong brand with a clear mission, vision and purpose and co-create this with young people and staff and provide specialist support to key areas of the children’s service’s.
These Areas Were:
Education – develop media aimed at encouraging young people to return to school post Covid.
Future for Families (Edge of Care) – develop the launch and website for this new service
Leaving Care – revise and relaunch the leaving care offer
Participation – build an authentic and sustainable approach to young people’s participation
The Care Leaders worked alongside a project manager, project sponsor, operational lead, communication and ICT experts and young people to craft a vision that guided Middlesbrough through ‘special measures’ and into a vibrant improvement journey.
Using our digital capacities and our experience in design, communication and engagement we:
Created a vision
We developed ‘Middlesbrough Children Matter’ to alight the service to follow a common goal.
Build a brand
We built a vibrant brand to communicate Middlesbrough Children Matter internally and online.
Developed Guiding Principles
To ensure the corporate parenting strategy was child focussed, we co-created guiding principles with young people.
Produced Films
Care leavers directed films that communicated how services could support them.
Established a Youth Forum
The Middlesbrough Children Matter vision was for young people, we established a board for them to guide the project
Rebranded the Participation Service
Working closely with the participation team, we rebranded the service to appeal to young people.
Improved Leaving Care
We were asked to rebrand the leaving care offer so it was more accessible to young people, available digitally and print.
New Website
Children’s services wanted to ensure the first point of contactcommunicated that Middlesbrough Children Matter, so we made a website to do just that.
Social Media
We developed a 12 month social media calendar that spoke about how much Middlesbrough Children Mattered.
We had a strategic approach to show develop Middlesbrough Children Matter
It was important to have a strategic approach to develop Middlesbrough Children Matter, this project engaged children’s services, their partners and the wider council. This required a clearphased approach that enabled us to provide the leadership that was needed to make this a success.
Phase 1: Research
We took a deep dive and researched demographics of young people, learnt what they needed and how to measure impact.
Phase 2: Design
Co-designed a vision to guide children’s services to meet the needs of young people.
Phase 3: Create
Created the brand, media and website to communicate the vision and strategies that underpinned it.
Phase 4: Launch
We launched the vision internally, backed by strategies and seniors, with clear calls to action.
Phase 5: Sustain
By providing training and ongoing support we embedded the vision into culture and made it business as usual.
Phase 6: Handover
We handed over the project and exited knowing Middlesbrough Children Matter.
A clear vision that guided Middlesbrough through a vibrant improvement journey.
Middlesbrough needed a vision to communicate ‘Middlesbrough Children Matter’. They asked The Care Leaders to support them to build a strong message that could guide children’s services towards a common goal and show children they mattered.
To incorporate the vison into culture we:
- Produced a mission statement
- Created a clear vision
- Authored a statement of purpose
- Turned corporate values into tangible behaviours
- Engaged with 300 members of staff
- Took guidance from seniors, staff and young people.
Youth forums guided the whole project
This was a project to show that Middlesbrough Children Matter, we worked closely with the participation service and 5 youth forums who worked with us every step of the way, held us accountable to our commitments and developed the brand to communicate Middlesbrough Children Matter.
Young people developed a brandthat spoke to them
The council knew that their brand was acting as a barrier to young people engaging. We worked alongside their participation service, young people and the local authorities design and communications team to develop a brand that engaged young people.
Through weekly meetings, a series of workshops and several staff votes, young people created a brand that they owned.
Middlesbrough Children Matter Logo
- Logo
- Colour Scheme
- Icons
- Imagery
- Typography
- Personality and Tone
Guiding principles, co-produced with young people to underpin the corporate parenting strategy.
To ensure we developed a corporate parenting strategy that was underpinned by what young people told us was important, we co-created 6 guiding principles focusing on key areas and communicated them directly to young people.
Friends and Family
You will have contact with all of the people who are important to you in your life.
Education
You will have excellent support to access the Education, Employment and Training that you need.
Home
You will grow up in a stable and secure home arrangement that meets your needs and wishes.
Health and Wellbeing
You will have easy access to specialist support for your emotional and physical health and well-being.
Adult Life
You are supported to leave care when you are ready, and to make a positive transition to adult life.
Voice and Influence
You will have a voice and opportunities to influence your plan for permanence and our wider Corporate Parenting offer.
We produced films to encourage young people to return to school after COVID-19
A leaving care offer that was accessible and easy to understand
Middlesbrough wanted to rebrand their leaving care offer, they knew their offer was hard to understand, wasn’t designed to appeal to young people and it needed a fresh new look.
We provided training and support to embed their vision into their culture
Creating a vision is one thing and making it look great is another. To make sure visions have impact they need communicating consistently, training needs to be provided and it needs embedding into support and supervision structures so people can reflect on the new way of working. The Care Leaders supported Middlesbrough to take their vision and make it business as usual.
We facilitated 28 training and co-design sessions
Engaged with 300 staff, young people and partners to develop the vision
Provided 22 coaching sessions
A website to ensure everyone knew Middlesbrough Children Matter
The council wanted to develop a new website so that their vision was the first point of contact, ensuring when we hire people they know that we make sure Middlesbrough Children Matter. This website enabled young people could access opportunities, read information that was important and ensure it was accessible and easy to navigate.
Accessible
Following guidance set by government we developed a website that ensured all young people could access
Easy to use
The website was simple to use and easy to navigate
Simple content management
We ensured the council has an easy system to update and manage content
Designed for young people
We were careful to ensure that our website followed principles set out by government to ensure it’s designed for the user
Responsive
The website was responsive enabling it to be viewed on desktop and mobile
GDPR Compliant
We made sure we developed the website to comply with GDPR keeping data safe
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