The Head of Community Services has submitted a report seeking agreement to the commencement of the consultation process for the draft Children & Young People’s Strategy 2018-2023.

Recommendations:

That the City Executive Board resolves to:

1.      Agree the pre consultation version of the Children & Young People’s  Strategy; and

2.      Agree to commence the consultation process on the draft Children & Young People’s Strategy.

The Head of Community Services had submitted a report seeking agreement to the commencement of the consultation process for the draft Children & Young People’s Strategy 2018-2023.

Cllr Tidball, Board Member for Young People, Schools and Public Health, introduced the report. The Strategy would be underpinned by three principles:

1.    Preventative led provision;

2.    Equality, inclusion and engagement of young people; and

3.    Facilitating effective partnership working

The Strategy sought to focus on three key outcomes for CYP, that they should  be healthy and safe; connected; and productive.

She noted that whereas the County Council’s role in relation to Children and Young Persons (CYP) was now effectively limited to its statutory obligations, the City provided open access opportunities.

Central to the Strategy was the introduction of a ‘zoning’ methodology which focuses on partners working together on shared outcomes across a locality area.  This aspect of the Strategy offered some opportunities for co-operation with the  County Council and it was proposed to work with the County to set up a pilot impact zone  in the City to focus on improving the outcomes for CYP in that locality.

In discussion there was acknowledgement of the need to take account of those CYP who may  cross the City boundary for one reason or another.  In relation to this point, Cllr Sinclair, Board Member for Culture and Communities, noted that many CYP and volunteers who engage with City activities come from outside the City. The critical importance to the Strategy of partnership with others was noted as was the regret at the County’s  significant diminution of non-statutory support for CYP in the City such as the loss of Children’s Centres and Youth Clubs.

There was widespread acknowledgment of the importance of the health element of the partnership and the particularly acute pressures faced by the CAMHS service.  This concern was raised by Cllr Tidball at every opportunity at both the Children’s Trust and Health & Wellbeing Board.

Members commended the Strategy as an excellent piece of work.

The City Executive Board resolved to:

1.     Agree the pre consultation version of the Children & Young People’s  Strategy; and

2.     Agree to commence the consultation process on the draft Children & Young People’s Strategy.

The Chair took this item first.

Councillor Tidball, Board Member for Young People, Schools and Public Health presented the pre-consultation draft of the Children & Young Persons Strategy (2018 – 2023).  She highlighted the following key points:

·       That the draft strategy was underpinned by three principles

1. Preventative-led provision (early intervention)
2. Equality, inclusion and engagement of young people
3. Facilitating effective partnership working

·       That the Council would use the “ Ready by 21 Framework” to share and review data about young people to look at the root causes of the societal problems facing young people

·       The trial use of a zoning methodology to focus on specific localities across the city in order to support those communities who need it most and to deliver solutions which respond to specific needs   

·       That the City Council was working closely with the County Council to identify areas where the  City Council’s services could complement and add value to the County Council’s regulatory role

The Committee explored these points in more detail during an extensive discussion.  The Committee also reflected on the challenges facing the Council and its partners in seeking to create “cultural enrichment in primary school education” against the backdrop of a restricting curriculum. The Council was actively seeking to identify ways in which it could work with schools and partners to access the cultural benefits that the city of Oxford could offer.

The Committee noted and welcomed the report.