In County Durham,
all children, young people and their families will:
- Be healthy.
- Be safe.
- Enjoy and achieve.
- Make a positive contribution.
- Have economic well being.
All children, young people and their families will be:
- Listened to.
- A full part of decision making.
- Comfortable with the decision making process.
- Aware of the opportunities to be involved.
- Treated with the same respect, dignity and status as adults.
It is recognised that the involvement of some groups of young people may pose challenges to organisations. This is a challenge we wish to meet.
Background
Services to children and young people are due for a radical 'shake up' following the publication of the Children Bill in March 2004. This sets out the Government's clear agenda for the development and direction of Children's Services in the future. It involves integrating and co-ordinating all services for children, young people and their families including health, social services, education, local authorities and others.
In Durham, we wholeheartedly support this new direction. We have already been working in partnership for some time to modernise our services but there is still much to do. We are determined that the new Children's Services will provide better and more appropriate services, improved and real engagement with users, and a well trained and flexible workforce to take ownership of the new ways of working that will be required.
Some young people's view is that:
'All Children and Young People are full human beings; rights holders who will play an active part in the community and an active part in the enjoyment of their rights.
This challenges the belief of many people and organisations that children and young people are incompetent, dependent, powerless and politically silent.
As human beings children and young people will be able to experience a full range of emotions and experiences such as joy, happiness, stimulation and challenge, care, play, friendship and do this in safety'.
(Investing in Children 2002)
The Green Paper set out five outcomes which services should work towards, based on consultation with children and young people:
- Being healthy
- Staying Safe
- Enjoying and achieving
- Making a positive contribution
- Economic well-being
From this, we have developed our Vision and Values for Children, Young People and their families.
How will we go about it?
The Children Bill charges Durham County Council with leading on these changes, and, to do this, is working in partnership with the County Durham Children and Young People's Strategic Partnership to develop our thinking about what is needed for the future. Better engagement with other agencies is being sought by strengthening the partnership arrangements.
We decided at the outset to ensure we focused on the best outcomes for children, young people and their families. A staged approach has been developed that starts with this focus on key outcomes:
| Stage 1 | Agree vision, values and key outcomes for children, young people and their families |
| Stage 2 | Develop a strategy to address the needs of children, young people and their families |
| Stage 3 | Agree a framework so that the services we offer or buy-in (either alone or together with partners) meet the needs of all children, young people and families |
| Stage 4 | Identify the processes required to integrate working arrangements and access to services |
| Stage 5 | Identify and agree structures to support delivery of the joint strategy |
| Stage 6 | Implement structural changes |
What is our progress to date?
- Having consulted with Children, Young People and other key stakeholders, we have developed a Vision for Children, Young People and their families in County Durham.
- The 5 most urgent priorities, based on the Vision for Children, Young People and their Families, have been identified. This 'Durham 5' will be the basis for the Strategy for services.
- Work has started on a mapping exercise to get a picture of how services are delivered now and what will be needed in the future. This is a major piece of work that will allow us to plan effective, accessible services for the future.
Timescales for Future Work
Timescales | Short Term | Long Term |
| 2004/05 | Develop an interim Strategy for Children, young people and their families
Agree future partnership arrangements including the appointment of an Executive group as soon as possible
Engage with staff in all agencies | Undertake comprehensive needs assessment, involving mapping needs and services across the County |
| 2005/06 | Executive group of the partnership to:
- Provide leadership
- Develop strategy
- Commission services
- Performance manage
| Develop key outcomes, objectives and indicators
Analyse results of mapping exercise and plan effective, accessible services for the future |
| 2006/07 |  | Develop processes to deliver key outcomes eg:
- Single assessment
- Key worker model
- Sharing information
|
| 2008 | | Developing a Children's Trust or equivalent |
