A schoolgirl’s emblem, created to remember the lessons from the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry, will be unveiled this week at a tree planting event.
The emblem is one of four elements of the Legacy Project recommended by the Citizens Panel to ensure that the children and young people who were failed by the Island’s care system are acknowledged and that Jersey learns from the past.
Jodie (13), a pupil at Haute Vallée School, created the emblem which will be used to link the elements of the Legacy Project together.
Jodie said: "I am delighted to have been chosen for this competition because this is a big achievement to me and it was really difficult deciding how to represent all the different subjects I was given at first. I’m very proud because this will be shown all around the Island for a long time.
"My design represents how children should feel safe where they are, they should be able to cope with change and that they should be recognised for their full potential. The black bird represents the past and the white bird the future, showing that all children should have a good sense of freedom. The boy and the girl in the background show that every child should be recognised for their full potential and what they can do at their highest ability, and finally the blending in the crest represents that children should be able to cope with change, whether it’s moving house, getting a haircut or starting a new school."
Jersey Children's Day
The emblem, which features a butterfly and birds, will be unveiled at Haute Vallée School on Friday 23 October at the same time an oak tree is planted in the grounds to celebrate the first Jersey Children’s Day. The creation of an annual day to, "both remember the survivors and victims and provide a focus on children and young living on the Island now", is the second element of the Legacy Project recommended by the Citizens Panel.
As part of this year’s inaugural Children’s Day, which took place on Friday 3 July, all schools and nurseries were invited to choose a tree to plant in their grounds during the autumn term. Haute Vallée is the first school to plant their tree and to mark the occasion there will be a special ceremony which will be attended by the Minister for Children and Housing, Senator Sam Mézec.
Senator Mézec said: "I would like to congratulate Jodie for all her work to create a beautiful and thoughtful design for the Legacy Project emblem. The emblem represents the importance that we must all place on ensuring that every child in Jersey can grow up safely, enjoy their rights and reach their full potential. As the symbol of the Legacy Project, this is also a powerful reminder that we must not forget the lessons of the past as we seek to secure a positive future for all the Island’s children and young people."
The Minister for Education, Senator Tracey Vallois, added: "I would also like to extend my thanks and congratulations to Jodie for her fantastic design, as the first of many Children’s Day trees is planted at Haute Vallée.
"As a result of the pandemic, Jersey’s children and young people have faced an incredibly challenging year. The first Children’s Day provided an invaluable opportunity for them to reflect on these experiences and to find inspiration by taking part in the ‘Tree of Renewal’ project. I am looking forward to seeing Children’s Day becoming established over the years to come."
In a statement, the Citizen’s Panel said: "In 2018 we were asked to make a set of recommendations as to how Jersey should best remember the past failures of our care system. We recommended that to do this we must look back and forward.
"We are excited that one of our four key recommendations, the Jersey Children's Day has, despite COVID, been embraced by schools across the Island as a way to both provide activities celebrating childhood and family life and as a way to educate all of the importance of children's rights. This tree planting symbolises the need for us to come together to nurture and care for children as they are the roots of our society. Like this tree if they are cared for, they will grow strong and flourish.
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