The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust was awarded the prestigious Trust of Sanctuary award in recognition of its commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of background, ethnicity or origin. No other health and social care trust has achieved that recognition. The Belfast Trust is also the only trust in Northern Ireland to have a good relations strategy. Its commitment to learning about the experience of newcomers and how to better support and welcome them is admirable. The Royal Jubilee Maternity Service received the Trust of Sanctuary award for its work as well, which is really important.

I was at the awards ceremony last week with the artist Oliver Jeffers. Along with some asylum seeker children with whom we had been working, he has produced the most amazing exhibition. It is called "Seen". If anyone is in any of the well-being centres in Belfast or is at the Royal, they will see some of the artwork. The children were asked to take a piece of A4 paper and draw something that represented them. The very young kids drew things like footballs and food. A lot of them drew pictures of houses and future careers. Oliver then drew a portrait of the child around how they wanted to be seen.

Those children are so vulnerable, and they have suffered so much. They carry such unimaginable trauma, but they just want to be seen as children. The exhibition reflects that and our common humanity. We all bleed the same, we all want to feel connection and we all want dignity and respect. The exhibition is a reminder that those children deserve the same future as any of our children. It is an amazing exhibition, and I am delighted that the trust will showcase it over the coming weeks. Please go and see it. Receiving the prestigious Trust of Sanctuary award is a wonderful recognition for the trust. I look forward to seeing other services getting the same recognition.