Three-year strategy agreed by city council to transform local services, prioritising early support, safety, and improvements in education, health and skills.
This week, Plymouth City Council agreed a three-year strategy to achieve excellence in the services it provides to support children, young people and families, focused on 10 key priorities.
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The new plan is the latest step in ongoing work to improve these services, not least following an Ofsted inspection in December 2022 that found, ‘serious and widespread systemic failings in the front door service, which leave children at risk of significant harm.’ A further inspection in January 2024 noted ‘significant’ improvements. The recruitment of a new permanent senior leadership team had created firm foundations for the future of Plymouth’s Children’s Services.
Achieving Excellence aims to build on this work. One key focus is early intervention, to ensure that families receive support as soon as they need it. This provision will be aided by the development of Family Hubs, expanding the offer previously provided by children’s centres by bringing together a range of support from pregnancy through to early adulthood.
The core of the new plan is the experiences of children, young people and families themselves. Input from families, staff and partners has been used to identify what needs to be done differently. Young people consulted said they want an ‘equal, kind and safe’ city where their voices are heard and what they say is acted on.
Cllr Jemima Laing, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care at Plymouth City Council, says: ‘We are absolutely committed to ensuring that Plymouth is a great place to grow up, where children and young people have a bright future and are safe, healthy and happy. This new strategic plan sets out a clear route for us to transform and improve, working collaboratively with partners to ensure that children, young people and their families receive the help they need at the right time, so they are empowered to thrive and fulfil their potential.’
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