By James Cathcart, director, Young Voices Heard
This is the 20th time the Children & Young People Now Awards have been run. Respect to Children & Young People Now magazine – and their sponsors – for continuing to host such a joyous celebration of best practice.
The past two decades have seen thousands of organisations and individuals nominated by their peers and supporters for their “innovative and impactful practice”. The awards have been a showcase that has championed the vital work of the children's services sector to policymakers, funders, commissioners and the public.
The awards were launched in 2006. I was invited to be a judge after being appointed chief executive of the British Youth Council in 2008.
So began my relationship with the awards programme in a number of roles – as judge, nominator, presenter, sponsor via the British Youth Council and blogger. But my favourite and regular role has been as a facilitator or supporter of the young judges panel.
Young judges have been involved in the awards since their inception, in line with Children & Young People Now's Participation Charter, also launched in 2006 and developed in partnership with young people and the sector.
The magazine put its principles into practice by making space for and supporting a panel of young judges aged 16 and over to have their say, giving their votes equal weight. It has become the norm, not a novelty, that young judges present many of the awards.
The young judges are recruited from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences to bring a user-perspective to the table. The judging is done virtually now but in the early days panels would meet in person. I remember going to the offices of London Youth to facilitate one panel before adjourning to the local pizza restaurant.
There are currently 24 award categories covering most aspects of work with children and families. The categories have evolved over the years to reflect changes in demand and the way services have responded. New awards have been introduced such as the Digital Innovation Award, the Youth Volunteering and Social Action Award, the Leaving Care Award and the Partnership Working Award.
The awards have also been responsive to events, going online for two years during the Covid-19 pandemic and with the inclusion of the Pandemic Response Award in 2022.
The number of entries averages 500 per year but there have been more than 600 entries some years adding up to more than 10,000 entries over the last 19 years.
The 500 or so guests who attend the awards ceremony are treated like VIPs with the CYP Now team going out of their way to ensure everyone feels special.
Attendees dressed in their best outfits cheer on the shortlisted entries, encouraged by a celebrity host.
The whoops of joy from each table as their nomination is read out are only surpassed by the displays of delight from the winners as they skip to the stage and brandish their trophies aloft like the champions they are.
Guest speakers have been a feature and have included England footballer Mark Wright, who talked about his experience as a foster carer.
Senior politicians have also attended and the first two ceremonies in 2006 and 2007 were opened by the then children's minister Beverley Hughes.
Secretary of state for children, schools and families Ed Balls opened the awards in 2008 and 2009, followed by Education Secretary Michael Gove in 2010 and children's minister Edward Timpson in 2012.
When Michael Gove spoke at the 2010 event, he described the awards nominees as “some of the most inspiring, idealistic and impressive people in the country”.
Other comments by political bigwigs did not go down so well like when in 2013 the then civil society minister Nick Hurd caused a stir when he said it was “ok to lose” some youth services.
This was particularly ill-judged given that the Campaign to Save Our Youth Services was a shortlisted entry and 18-year-old campaigner and British Youth Parliament vice chair Dara FarreIl won the Children and Young People's Champion Award for taking this campaign national.
Like so many award winners, Dara has continued to champion the rights of children and young people, going on to the chair the first House of Commons Youth Select Committee and to be elected as a county councillor.
The awards will always be a highlight of our sector's year, a time to say “Well done and thank you” to each other. So do something amazing and nominate someone today. www.cypnowawards.com
--
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: WHAT WINNING A CYP NOW AWARD MEANS
-
Public Sector Children's Team Award: 'Our win shows foster children and carers matter'
-
Children and Young People's Charity: 'Award pays tribute to care-experienced young people'
-
Children and Young People's Champion: 'Social workers deserve recognition'
--
HOW TO ENTER THE 2025 AWARDS
Derren Hayes, Editor, CYP Now
In 2025, the Children & Young People Now Awards turns 20! The first awards ceremony was held in 2006 and two decades on it is still as popular as ever with entries topping 500 again last year.
We are delighted to announce that children's minister Janet Daby has accepted an invitation to attend this year's awards ceremony, following in the footsteps of several of her predecessors including Ed Balls, Beverley Hughes and Edward Timpson.
There are 24 awards categories to enter this year including a new category, the Violence Prevention Award, that recognises outstanding work among agencies in tackling youth violence.
This year's CYP Now Awards ceremony will be held on Thursday 20 November at the wonderful Novotel London West in Hammersmith. In addition to the awards ceremony, there will be a drinks reception, speeches, entertainment and a three-course meal.
The awards opens for entries on Monday 31 March with the closing date of 5pm Thursday 12 June.
The awards are an all-too-rare opportunity to shout about the outstanding work of dedicated professionals supporting disadvantaged children, young people and families – to find out more and apply go to www.cypnowawards.com
Good luck!
