Wokingham

Wokingham District Council has this week unveiled its ambitious children and young people’s plan, which promises to put the child at the heart of all that the council does.

The Wokingham district council, along with its partners in the health service, the police and the voluntary, community and independent sectors, has developed a multi-agency plan to share priorities and improve the lives of all the children and young people in the district. The plan outlines what life is like for children and young people in the district and sets out what the council and its partners will do over the next three years to make things better for them.

The plan is a major initiative from Wokingham district council’s newly formed children’s services, which brings together education and children’s social services as a single new service to work in partnership with other partner agencies.

As the backbone to the plan, the district council and its partners agreed five core outcomes, which will help achieve the priorities set out in the plan. They are:

* Staying safe - preventing and protecting children and young people from harm and neglect.
* Being healthy - helping children and young people to have good physical and mental health, and to live healthy lifestyles.
* Enjoying and achieving - helping children and young people to get the most out of life and develop the knowledge and skills they need for adulthood.
* Making a positive contribution - encouraging children and young people to become involved in their community and help us shape our services to better meet their needs.
* Achieving economic well-being - making sure that children and young people can enjoy a standard of living, which makes the most of their life chances and choices.

The council and its partners aim to integrate services and transform their delivery to more effectively meet the needs of Wokingham children, young people and their families, as they deserve the best possible services fit for the 21st century.

The council also has key aspirations for vulnerable groups including looked after children, those with learning difficulties and disabilities, those from minority ethnic groups and teenage parents.

Underpinning the whole plan is a proposal to remodel services. The council will create a network of accessible, early intervention and preventative family support services in the local community, centred around seven neighbourhoods. To achieve this will require a shift in the way the council and its partners work but it will be achieved through existing resources.

The council has listened to Wokingham children, young people, their parents and carers and is responding to what they have said and will provide support near their homes and integrated services. Extended services at schools and children’s centres are key to achieving this.

Cllr Frank Browne, executive member for Wokingham children’s services, said: “One of our challenges is to ensure that the district’s children and young people have the self-confidence, ability and ambition to achieve their full potential in order both to benefit from these and in turn to contribute to their local communities.

"We are committed to providing the highest quality, effective services in the district for children and young people to maximise their chances in life. The new children and young people's plan brings together our strategic vision for how we can achieve this over the next three years."

Wendy Woodcock, corporate head of Wokingham children’s services, said: “Children are at the heart of all that we do in children’s services and they represent the future of our district. By developing this plan, and with the effort and commitment of our partners, the council intends to help all children, young people and their families to access the best services possible.

“We want to ensure they stay safe and healthy, enjoy and achieve to the best of their ability, make a positive contribution to their community and enjoy economic well-being. The job for all of us now is to make sure we work closely with our partners to achieve our aims.”

The summary is being widely distributed to schools, libraries, and health service outlets throughout the district. You can also download it from the council’s website at: www.wokingham.gov.uk/cypplan.

Wokingham District Council