Frequently Asked Questions

The current Children’s Laureate Wales is Alex Wharton.

The Children’s Laureate Wales primarily works with young people aged 5-13 years but will also happily arrange activity for young people aged up to 18 years.  

Feel free to get in touch with Literature Wales at childrenslaureate@literaturewales.org if you have any enquiries about potential participants and eligibility.

A Children’s Laureate Wales workshop aims to get children and young people expressing themselves through poetry in a fun, and interactive way. They promote creativity, communication skills, and self-confidence whilst also developing a love of literature.

Schools and organisations are invited to let the Laureate know of the workshop’s intended aims, themes, and content beforehand through the online form.

Key information:

• A Children’s Laureate Wales in-person workshop will usually last 2 hours. 
• A Children’s Laureate Wales digital workshop will usually last 1.5 hours. 
• School workshops usually take place either between 9.30-11.30 am or 1.00-3.00 pm. 

Workshops can be virtual or in-person, depending on current COVID-19 restrictions and the wishes of the workshop organisers and Laureate.  

Schools are welcome to note down their preferences in the additional information section of the online form.  

Please note: Digital workshops are only available for Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 students.

Connor Allen has a current DBS certificate and proof of DBS is available upon request. 

Please note: Visiting writers should never be left without another adult from the organisation when working with children or vulnerable adults. Writers are not teachers and at least one teacher must always remain with the writer in school. 

Schools and organisations are welcome to get in touch with us at childrenslaureate@literaturewales.org if you’d like to know more about Literature Wales’ safeguarding procedures.  

Schools who wish to arrange a visit from the Children’s Laureate are invited to contact Literature Wales directly through this online form.

Organisations such as libraries or youth clubs who wish to arrange a visit from the Children’s Laureate, or discuss project ideas, can email Literature Wales at: childrenslaureate@literaturewales.org.

The Children’s Laureate Wales is happy to deliver workshops for children and young people outside of the classroom, for example in libraries or youth clubs. 

Organisations who wish to arrange a visit from the Children’s Laureate, or discuss project ideas, can email Literature Wales at: childrenslaureate@literaturewales.org.

It can take up to one month for the poet to respond to your application. The workshops are taken on by the poet on a freelance basis, and the arrangements will be confirmed between the poet and the school. If it has been over a month and you still haven’t received a response, please feel free to get in touch with us at childrenslaureate@literaturewales.org

The fee for a Children’s Laureate workshop can range between £100 and £200. The fee depends on the length and content of the session and whether it takes place digitally or in-person.

Laureate workshops are arranged on a freelance basis and therefore the poet will set and agree on a fee together with the school following the submission of their online form.

School workshops are eligible for Literature Wales’ Inspiring Communities Fund. This scheme offers financial support of up to 50% of the fees paid to the poet. Find out more and apply here.

As there is a high demand for Children’s Laureate Wales visits, there is no guarantee that the poet will be available to offer a date for all schools. All applications will be assessed individually by the poet, with the scheme’s aims in mind.

Don’t forget that there are many more writers and poets in Wales available to run creative writing workshops in schools. Contact us for advice.

It is possible to commission a poem from Children’s Laureate Wales by getting in touch with us on childrenslaureate@literaturewales.org.

Literature Wales’ priorities over the next three years will be Representation and Equality, the Climate Emergency and Health and Well-being.

If your organisation is interested in  discussing the possibility of working with the Children’s Laureate Wales on a project, especially if it’s relevant to the priorities above, get in touch with childrenslaureate@literaturewales.org to organise to discuss any ideas you might have.