Agenda item

To seek approval to the Children and Young People’s Plan 2021-2025.

Cabinet received a report seeking approval to the Children and Young People’s Plan for the period 2021–2025 at Appendix 1 of the report.

The Children and Young People’s Plan was one of the Authority’s key plans that formed part of the Authority’s Policy Framework and it was a key mechanism by which the Authority delivered the objectives linked to Our People, set out within the Our North Tyneside Plan.  It focused on delivering improved outcomes for all children and young people up to the age of 19 years, and those young people aged up to 25 years who were care leavers, had special educational needs or a disability and lived in the borough.  

The 2021-2025 Plan had been developed and owned by the Children and Young People’s Partnership.  The partnership brought together public, voluntary and community sector organisations to improve the lives of the borough’s children and young people. 

The Plan was the third Children and Young People’s Plan produced by the partnership.  The previous Children and Young People’s Plan 2014-2018 had underpinned the delivery of key success and significant service developments and improvements, as outlined in the report.

Despite the many significant achievements that the Authority had delivered in recent years, there remained many challenges that the Authority continued to be focused on.  Alongside the changing need and demand that the partnership expected as a result of the impact of Covid-19, the Authority’s understanding of its challenges and what was important to children and young people had informed the priorities and actions set out in the Plan.

The priorities and deliverables set out in the Plan were aligned to the strategic outcomes the Authority and partners wanted to see for children and young people, which were:

Outcome 1: I am safe

Priority 1.1: Ensure children and young people were living safely

Outcome 2: I am Healthy

Priority 2.1: Supporting children to have a healthy early childhood

Outcome 3: I have Opportunities

Priority 3.1: Narrow the gap in educational outcomes

Priority 3.2: Ensure the right support for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs

Outcome 4: I have a Voice

Priority 4.1: Support children to be active citizens

Outcome 5: I am Happy

Priority 5.1: Develop resilience, confidence and independence in children and young people

These priorities and the related actions had been developed through engagement with a range of stakeholders across the Children and Young People’s Partnership, as well as drawing upon ongoing engagement with children and young people which was a central component of the Authority’s approach.  This included recommendations from the Overview, Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee to strengthen the Plan in relation to services to support young people who might be, or at risk of, being Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to accept the recommendations as set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report, or alternatively, to not approve the recommendations and request officers to consider relevant issue(s) identified by Cabinet.

The Young Mayor stated that Youth Councillors welcomed the Plan which they felt covered all aspect of young people achieving their aspirations in a safe and healthy environment.

Resolved that the Children and Young People’s Plan 2021–2025 at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved for submission to Full Council in accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules contained in the Authority’s Constitution.

(Reason for decision: The Children and Young People’s Plan is a key plan to deliver the priorities linked to Our People, as set out within the Our North Tyneside Plan.