Children's Rights. Credible Evidence. Lasting Change.
Strategic consultancy for leaders and elected members ready to treat children and young people's lived knowledge as legitimate evidence, not just a listening exercise.
National expertise in rights-based participation
Bez Martin Consultancy brings nationally recognised expertise in children's rights and rights-based participation, with particular expertise in applying the Lundy Model of Participation.
Drawing on extensive experience across children's services, Bez works at the interface between systems change and practice, supporting leaders and practitioners to move beyond simply listening to children and young people towards embedding meaningful participation in strategy, decision-making and everyday practice. She jointly founded and leads the Lundy Model Network, a national community of practice with now over 4,000 members strong, connecting practitioners and leaders across the UK.
That vantage point has taught her something specific: most organisations have invested heavily in creating space and inviting voice, the visible, easier half of participation. Far fewer have built the pathways that let children and young people's knowledge actually reach decision-makers and count as evidence once it arrives.
This isn't a call to democratise decisions leaders are statutorily accountable for. It's a call to treat children's lived knowledge as seriously as any other form of evidence that shapes those decisions.
When commitment isn't enough
Most organisations already say the right things about listening to children and young people. The harder question is whether that commitment shows up in governance, decision-making and everyday practice, and whether you can evidence it.
That's often where things stall:
- A participation strategy that hasn't moved since it was signed off
- A corporate parenting panel that meets, but doesn't shift decisions
- Inspection or scrutiny findings pointing to gaps in how children's voice reaches senior leaders
- A workforce that gathers views but isn't sure what to do with them
I work with leaders to identify what's getting in the way, strengthen what's already working, and build the systems and capability that make participation meaningful and demonstrable.
Not sure where to start?
Start with a Participation Systems Review
Most organisations can point to real participation activity, spaces where children and young people are invited to share their views. Far fewer can trace a clear line from what's said to a decision that changed because of it.
This review tests that specific gap: where children's knowledge currently sits in your organisation, whether it reaches the people who decide, and whether it counts as evidence once it arrives. You get a clear, evidenced picture of strengths, gaps and priorities and a practical basis for what comes next.
Depending on what the review finds, this can lead into professional mentoring, governance support, workforce training, or independent facilitation.
Grounded in real systems change
Before founding this consultancy, Bez led rights and participation work at Leicester City Council, implementing the Lundy Model across early help and social care and strengthening how children in care's voices reached decision-makers.
She is now Head of Participation at Anna Freud, the children's mental health charity, and founder of the Lundy Model Network, a national community of practice now over 4,000 members strong
This isn't theoretical expertise, it's been tested inside the systems you're asking her to help you change.
Let's talk about what needs to change.
Work is typically delivered as a short facilitated review, a time-limited programme, or ongoing independent mentoring, shaped around what you're trying to achieve. Get in touch to talk through what would be most useful.
Contact me:
E-mail: bez@bezmartinconsultancy.co.uk