Children's services - priorities published

The needs of local children and young people have been prioritised in a three-year plan just published by the Royal Borough.

The second Children and Young People Plan (CYPP)  – approved by council last night (Tuesday) – sets out the most important priorities for children's services until 2011 and establishes a clear direction for the development of those services.

It looks back at what has been achieved under the previous plan (2006-08) and focuses on ways of improving services even further to achieve the best possible outcomes for all Royal Borough children.

The publication of the plan follows extensive consultation carried out earlier in the year among professionals involved in the provision of children's services as well as children and young people and their families and members of the wider community.

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for children's services, said this week: "This is the council's second Children and Young People Plan and it builds on a review of the first plan as well as an analysis of the needs of local children to focus on our priorities for the future.

"This new plan is all about setting targets to make our already excellent services even better, and working closely with partner agencies on our Children's Trust to address the particular needs of some of the more vulnerable children in our community, as well as ensuring that every child and young person is happy, healthy, safe and able to achieve their full potential.

"I am delighted that so many people took part in the consultation which has enabled us to establish our very important priorities for the next few years."

Key priorities of the new plan are:
· Be healthy – developing comprehensive mental health services to support children and young people's mental health and emotional well-being. Also developing services to promote physical health, improve sexual health and reduce levels of obesity and substance misuse
· Stay safe – developing early-intervention services for families and schools to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and young people and enable young people with additional needs to be educated and supported closer to home
· Enjoy and achieve – narrowing the attainment gap to enable vulnerable and potentiallyunderachieving children to achieve the highest possible standards. Also raising the proportion of middle and secondary schools judged by Ofsted inspectors to be good or outstanding
· Make a positive contribution – provide more targeted support for young people and support parents and carers to help nurture children and young people's social and emotional development
· Achieve economic wellbeing – enabling all 14-19-year-olds to access the full range of learning opportunities and benefit from employment, education and training.

Two additional priorities are:
· Children in care – improving the lives of children in care by implementing a number of initiatives including promoting health and well-being, increasing family and parenting support and ensuring children receive a first-class education.
· Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities – developing an integrated multi-agency service for children with complex needs that puts children and families' needs at the centre.

Cllr Quick added: "Most importantly we will continue to listen to the views of children and young people and their families to make sure that the council and its partners are providing services that really meet their needs and make a real difference to their lives."

The full plan can be viewed from next week at http://www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/partnerships_childrens_trust_children_young_peoples_plan.htm

For further information about the Children and Young People Plan – or to request copies of the plan – contact Anna Crispin, head of children's commissioning, on 01628 685662.