YPAS Celebrates Liverpool’s Recognition as a UNICEF Child Friendly City

August 6, 2026

YPAS is proud to celebrate Liverpool’s recognition by UNICEF UK as a Child Friendly City, an important milestone in the city’s work to put children’s rights into practice.

The recognition reflects years of work involving Liverpool City Council, partner organisations and, most importantly, children and young people. Together, they have helped ensure that children’s rights and lived experiences increasingly influence the decisions, services and spaces that shape their lives.

YPAS has contributed to this journey through its rights-based participation work. Our participation team, Young Ambassadors and the children and young people who took part have championed young people’s right to understand their rights, share their experiences, and have their views taken seriously in decisions that affect them.

Monique Collier, Chief Executive of YPAS, said:

“Liverpool’s recognition as a UNICEF Child Friendly City is a proud moment, but it is also a promise to keep going. At YPAS, we see every day that being listened to, treated with dignity and able to influence the support you receive are fundamental to children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.

“We are proud of the contribution made by our participation team, Young Ambassadors and the children and young people who shared their experiences, ideas and challenges so openly. We will continue working with the city to ensure that this recognition is felt in children and young people’s everyday lives, particularly by those whose voices can face the greatest barriers to being heard.”

Recognition is not the end of Liverpool’s Child Friendly City journey. The city will now take forward its Sustainability Plan through to 2029 and has pledged to establish a Youth Parliament, giving children and young people further opportunities to shape the city’s priorities.

YPAS looks forward to continuing this work alongside children and young people, Liverpool City Council and partners across the city.

Read Liverpool City Council’s full announcement:
https://liverpoolexpress.co.uk/liverpool-is-a-unicef-child-friendly-city/