Mechanisms of Trust

Background 

Mechanisms of Trust was a project designed to identify ways of improving feedback mechanisms for children and young people by partnering with them to find out how they want to raise concerns, give feedback, and express their views and opinions on services they receive.

During conversations and consultations undertaken over a 12 month period it was identified that children and young people are not equipped with the skills they need to provide feedback on the services they receive. Neither are they encouraged to provide feedback, or given access to ways in which they can do so easily. Stakeholders have also raised this issue with the Commissioner.

Young people have spoken about the relative difficulty they face making a complaint to a large department or in providing their feedback on a process or system aimed at them.

The comparative ease with which feedback can be provided on social media platforms and other digital applications is made easy for them, and they find it puzzling that it can’t be made as easy in other settings.

Consequently, young people are losing trust in the service providers who are delivering services aimed at them because they cannot provide feedback promptly and effectively when they want to and they doubt that service providers would listen to or taken on their suggestions anyway. 

Project Outputs

The outcomes and learnings from the conversations undertaken with children and young people around Mechanisms of Trust are being constantly incorporated into future projects and advocacy opportunities. A number of publications have been produced that encompass these learnings including the Trust is a Must Report that examines what needs to be done to