Every Child Matters
Tom Corban Head of the Youth and Community Service
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Development of Government Policy • Context • Every Child Matters • Youth Matters • Targeted Youth Support
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
CONTEXT – Past Practice Local Authority
Social Services
Adult Social Services
Residential Care
Youth Offending Team
Children's Social Services
Children who are Looked After
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
CONTEXT Local Authority
Social Services
Adult Social Services
Children Social Services
Youth Offending Team
Education
Children who Are Looked After
Youth Service
SEN
Pupil and School Improvement
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Schools
Silo Delivery
Local Authority
Information Advice And Guidance
Police
Health Providers
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Every Child Matters – Defining the Problem • Found that information was not shared between agencies; • That the lead role or responsibilities of individual agencies was not always clear; • That there were different cultures in different agencies that resulted in interagency suspicion; • That Children and Young People sometimes fell through the gaps.
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Every Child Matters • To reduce the risk of past failings recurring:– Climbié, Colwell, Beckford etc. • To draw together recent related policy initiatives:– SureStart, Extended Schools, Young People’s Fund, Children’s Trusts etc. • To further articulate the overall policy drive to join up the public sector.
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
National Programme of Change • Radical changes to Children’s Services: – Improvement and integration of universal services; – More specialised help to prevent problems and act early; – Reconfiguration of services to focus on child and family in one place, e.g. children’s centres and extended schools; – Shared sense of responsibility for safeguarding children; – Listening to children, young people and families when planning Service provision. Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Every Child Matters – Focus on Five Key Outcomes
• Being Healthy • Staying Safe • Enjoying and Achieving • Making a Positive Contribution • Economic Well-being
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
CHILDREN ACT 2004 • Children’s Commissioner to champion interests of young people; • Duty on L.A. to promote co-operation; • Duty on key agencies to safeguard and promote children’s welfare; • Better sharing of information; • A single Children and Young People’s Plan; • A Director of Children’s Services and Lead Member. Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
YOUTH MATTERS • Focuses on the 13 to 19 age range: • Primary purpose is to “reform existing services in England” to create a “coherent modern system of support”; • It places the proposed reforms in the context of the agenda set by “Every Child Matters”
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Context – Young People and Services Today • In addition to schools and colleges four other groups of services have roles to play: • Youth Services can make a crucial contribution; • Connexions aims to support and guide all young people but needs to “Go local”; • Mainstream services such as health, often don’t focus sufficiently on young people’s needs; • Targeted support services for those at risk are often fragmented.
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Youth Services • Local Authority Youth Services are the only publicly-funded and nationwide service focused on the personal and social development of young people; • The Voluntary and Community Sector, working closely with Local Authority services can make a “dramatic difference” to young people’s lives;
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Connexions • Established in 2001 to meet young people’s needs for support and guidance with a particular focus on NEET: • The holistic approach is consistent with the principles of “Every Child Matters”; • However the support and guidance services offered by Connexions need to be more fully integrated within services for young people. Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Mainstream Services Local Primary Care Trusts and Hospital Trusts: • Have not always ensured that there are good quality health services to meet the needs of young people; • “Every Child Matters” reforms place a duty to co-operate and work together to address the issue.
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
YOUTH MATTERS – Key proposals • New legislation clarified local authorities’ duty to secure purposeful activities for young people. • A single body (the local authority) working through Children's Trusts will have the lead responsibility and accountability for youth policy.
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Children's Trust or Children and Young People’s Partnership Board
Health Priorities
Children's Services
Pupil and School Improvement
Children's Social Services
Youth Service
Police
Connexions Information, Advice and Guidance
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Housing
Youth Matters - Challenges • Positive Activities • Making a Contribution • Information, Advice and Guidance • Targeted Support
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Targeted Support Diagram 1
Integrated Service Manager
District Team 0 to 19
Targeted Youth 13-19 Support School Youth Work Providers Health Connexions District/Borough Councils Voluntary and Community Sector Children's Social Care Police Post 16 providers/Job centre plus Youth Justice Services
Delivering Swift and easy referral (attendance, behaviour, motivation, advocacy). Positive Activities, CAMHS, Sexual Health, Advice, Information, and Guidance. Housing Service. Parenting Support. Leaving Care System. Preventative Programmes. Education, Employment and Training opportunities
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future
Targeted Support identifying priorities Diagram 2
County wide Targeted Support Resources Expertise and Strategic overview
Integrated Service Manager District Team Targeted Youth Support
Locality needs assessment based on range of professional disciplines
Integrated Planning, Delivery, Monitoring and Evaluation e.g. Individual programmes Lead Professionals Group work based programmes School support Family support 14-19 Curriculum Peer support programmes Conflict resolution Programmes Referral to and delivery from universal provision
Direct delivery from District Targeted Youth Support Team
Delivery by County wide Targeted Support Team
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset, now and for the future