Gloucestershire's five key principles of the Graduated Pathway

This is a TEST PAGE and currently under development. All information is in DRAFT form and not finalised. This will be launched on 1st November 2026

‘Children and young people have the right to say what should happen and to have their opinions taken into account when adults are making decisions that affect them’.  Article 12 - United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Working Together to Safeguard Children (HM Government, 2026) emphasises the importance of involving children, ensuring that their voice is heard and that the appropriate support is provided to enable this where the child has specific communication needs.  Organisations and agencies should have arrangements in place that reflect the importance of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, including a culture of listening to children and taking account of their wishes and feelings, both in individual decisions and the development of services.

Listening to children in order to gain and understand their lived experience is paramount in identifying their needs in order to ensure a graduated approach. There are many ways in which we can achieve this, including the use of direct work tools such as My Profile, My Journey, Progress Chart.  These tools can be found within the Direct Work Tools and Resources section of the Glosfamilies directory. 

The NSPCC has produced a range of supporting videos here: The voice of the infant: expert insight videos | NSPCC Learning