Elevating Young People’s Voices in Healthcare: Summit Marks World Children’s Day

We were delighted to welcome practitioners, policymakers, young people and partners to the Elevating Young People’s Voices in Healthcare Summit on 20 November 2025, an event aligned with World Children’s Day and the  Children’s Rights Conference hosted by the Institute for Children’s Future’s (ICF) in collaboration with Manchester City Council at HideOut Youth Zone.

This summit was co-designed with the Change Champions from 42nd Street, Greater Manchester’s specialist young people’s mental health partner. It marked the first in a series of round tables dedicated to embedding children’s rights, lived experience and youth-led recommendations into health policy.

Held in the Council Chamber of the Ormond Building at Manchester Metropolitan University, the event was an opportunity for delegates to meet fellow professionals interested in child health and connect with the young Change Champions whose insights shaped the programme. Professor Deborah James set the tone with a welcome that outlined the summit’s core aims: to elevate young people’s voices in healthcare and work collaboratively with the priority recommendations set out in the Change Champions’ Manifesto. The manifesto itself, grounded in peer research and lived experience, calls for personalised support and accessible services that respect youth autonomy and help in finding purposeful careers.

The delegates welcomed the 42nd Street’s Change Ambassadors, who introduced the manifesto and spoke about its development. Delegates then heard reflections on European models of youth participation from Dr Mariela Neagu, highlighting successful initiatives that create policy with young people rather than for them. These comparative perspectives prompted further discussion on how similar approaches could be embedded within UK health structures.

A series of table discussions invited attendees to explore how the manifesto’s recommendations could be translated into concrete action locally, regionally and nationally.  Attendees recorded their ideas on paper and notes, and these conversations produced a range of ideas on improving access, strengthening youth-led accountability, and ensuring that mental health support adapts to the needs of diverse young people.

After a short break, groups reconvened to summarise their collective recommendations and outline intended next steps. The summit then welcomed keynote speaker Amy Whitelock Gibbs, Chair of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, who spoke powerfully about the role of young people in shaping movements for change and the need for policy frameworks that prioritise equity and children’s rights.

The event concluded with closing reflections from Professor Saul Becker, Director of the Institute for Children’s Futures, who emphasised the importance of sustained partnership between young people, practitioners and policymakers in driving systemic change.

 “Everyone was engaged and energised at the Child Health Summit. Children and young people were at the heart of the event and we look forward to deepening our partnership with them so that their voices shape policies that impact their future health.” – Professor Deborah James

At the close it was clear how important it that young people are recognised as equal partners in shaping the systems that serve them. The insights and commitments shared throughout the day will inform the next steps in this collaborative programme of work, including future round tables and opportunities for wider engagement which MetroPolis will continue to support.