Ofsted Youth Voices Project Application

Who is the Children’s Commissioner? 
The Children’s Commissioner for England is Dame Rachel de Souza. Her role is a statutory position created by the Children Act 2004. The purpose of her role is to promote and protect children’s rights in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.  

What is this project about?

The Children's Commissioner wants to give care experienced children and young people a direct say in how children’s social care services are inspected.

Children’s social care services are inspected by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills. They inspect and regulate services that provide education, training and care for children and young people.

Ofsted are currently running a consultation on how they can improve the way they inspect children’s social care. We want to ensure young people have their say as part of this consultation and are putting together two days of workshops this summer for Ofsted, involving an overnight stay in London to ensure your voices are heard directly. 

The Children’s Commissioner’s office will be running this youth voices project for you to have your say, and will pay for accommodation, food and travel.

Who should apply?

We are looking for a group of up to 10 care experienced young people aged 16 to 18 from across England with a wide range of experience. Whoever you are and wherever you live, we would like to hear what you think about how Ofsted can improve their inspections of children's social care.

As part of this project you will:

• Be invited to London for a 2-day workshop on Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th August 2026
• Take part in discussions to help Ofsted understand young people's experiences of Ofsted inspections
• Help inform changes to how Ofsted inspects children’s social care

Who can apply?

Applicants should:

• Live in England
• Be 16-18 years old in August 2026
• Be care experienced (you are or have been looked after by your local authority or lived in care at some point in your life)
• Be available to attend the in person workshops on Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th in London

We are looking for a wide variety of people to be part of the project, however we particularly welcome applications from young people with lived experience of the health system, those with a disability or additional learning need and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.  

How can I apply?

We will ask you to tell us a little bit about yourself and why you want to be part of this project.

You will be asked to answer some questions via the form and one of the questions by submitting a video. You can look through the questions first and come back to finish your application later. 

We want to hear about you in your own voice so encourage you to avoid using AI to draft your replies to these questions.

Once you have completed the form, you will be able to print or download a copy of your answers for your records. You will be prompted to do this at the end of the form. 

How long does it take to apply?

You can spend as much time as you need on the application, but we think it should take around 10-15 minutes to complete.  

What if I need help to apply?

We want everyone to be able to apply. If you have questions, require this application in an alternative format, or need any help or special arrangements during this application process or if you are selected for the programme, please let us know at Youth.VOICES@childrenscommissioner.gov.uk. This will not impact our decision making.  

When is the deadline?
Please complete this application form by 23.59 on Sunday 9th August 2026.

What happens next?

You will be updated on the progress of your application by mid-August. If we receive a high volume of applicants, we may ask you to meet with a member of the team to further discuss your application in a short informal interview.  

If you are successful, you will be invited to London on Tuesday 25th to Wednesday 26th August to take part in the workshop. You will be able to bring an accompanying adult with you (e.g. family member / carer / social worker).

The office is unable to provide feedback on unsuccessful applications.  

Taking part is voluntary, and you will not be considered as an employee of the Children’s Commissioner’s office at any time. However, your expenses and travel will be covered.
   
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