A young girl has her arms outstretched, she is looking upwards and smiling.

Our language pledge

Every conversation starts with the child.

Our children and young people have challenged us all to think about what language we use. This is in all parts of our lives including when we are working with young people, when we are talking to each other and when we are writing about young people or in reports. As a partnership, we support and are committed to challenging the stigma associated with language.

For children in our care and using our services, the language used by professionals can impact their identity and their sense of belonging. Both written and verbal communication that use phrases associated with stigma or impersonal jargon can alienate, offend, and create barriers between young people and those who support them.

The partnership is committed to creating a culture of openness, where we listen to young people’s preferences about the language used to describe them. We understand that this is not just about being politically correct but about showing respect, fostering dignity, and ensuring young people feel safe, heard, and valued.

All members of the partnership are asked to make public their pledge to challenge outdated language practices and to use simple and straightforward language.

We're committed to:

  • not using jargon or acronyms - we pledge to avoid using complex jargon or acronyms in our conversations and documentation. Language should be clear, respectful, and easily understood by all, especially the young people we work with
  • challenging each other - we'll challenge each other on the language we use, ensuring it is inclusive and free from negative connotations. We believe it's vital that partners hold one another accountable to uphold this standard
  • respecting pronouns and gender identity - we commit to respecting the pronouns and gender identities of all children and young people. Their chosen names and pronouns will be used consistently in all communications. We'll ensure that our language reflects the dignity and identity of every young person, and we'll actively challenge any language that undermines this
  • listening to young people - we're committed to asking young people about the language they prefer to use and how they wish to be referred to
  • responsive communication - our interactions will be guided by the young people's needs and preferences. We recognise the importance of responding thoughtfully and respectfully in every conversation

The Voice and Involvement Sub-Group have been active in promoting the language pledge and it’s message within their teams. Here are some examples of how you can do this in your own teams:

  • share the pledge through existing meetings and forums - include it in operational, service, governance, team and subgroup meetings to raise awareness and keep the use of inclusive, accessible language on the agenda
  • use the pledge to review existing communications - apply the principles when developing or reviewing leaflets, patient information, reports and other communications, with the aim of putting language “at the forefront” of current work
  • involve different groups in reviewing language - test and sense-check wording with relevant teams, services, families, young people and other audiences to ensure communications are clear, appropriate and accessible
  • build the pledge into quality assurance processes - add a specific check to report or document quality assurance forms so that colleagues explicitly consider language as part of the review process
  • use the pledge to drive wider improvements - consider undertaking a broader review or overhaul of existing patient and public-facing information to ensure language consistently reflects the pledge
  • revisit the pledge regularly - make it a standing or recurring agenda item at team meetings, particularly when there are new staff members, to reinforce awareness and embed the principles into everyday practice
  • encourage team leads and champions to promote the pledge - ask leads and managers to share the pledge through their networks and meetings, helping to build consistent practice across teams and services
  • embed the pledge across services and teams - encourage individual teams and wider centres to formally adopt the pledge and identify opportunities to apply it across their work