Friday 22 May 2015
The States of Guernsey, in partnership with the Island's third sector, today launches its consultation on the Children & Young People's Plan.
The objective of the Children and Young People's Plan (CYPP) is to put in place a holistic and co-ordinated strategy for all children's services in Guernsey. This will enable the States of Guernsey and its policy and delivery partners in the third sector to prioritise how resources should be used, and will bring together all the organisations working with young people in schools and in the community, enabling them to work to a common agreed strategy.
The draft Plan is published at www.gov.gg/cypp and proposes six structural and cultural changes that need to be made:
1. Children and young people's voices must be heard
2. Information systems - and the sharing of that information - need to be improved
3. Services must be integrated - joint working between all parties is essential
4. Delivery of services must put children first
5. There must be a focus on being proactive and on early intervention
6. The establishment of a Corporate Parenting Board
The Plan sets out that through making these changes, children and young people in Guernsey and Alderney will have every opportunity to:
- achieve and be active;
- be healthy and nurtured;
- be included, respected and responsible;
- be safe.
Deputy Michelle Le Clerc, Chair of the Children and Young People's Partnership Board said:
"This is a hugely important step for social policy in Guernsey and Alderney. We now have in place the commitment to set a common strategy for children and young people's services, a strategy that will put the child's and young person's needs at the centre of all that we do.
"We are now seeking views on the draft Plan from both professionals providing services and from parents and carers. We are also consulting directly with children and young people through the 'Speak Up' initiative and through some specialist work via The HUB.
I would urge all stakeholders to contribute to these various forms of consultation. This is about all children and young people, from the first thousand days onwards through to young adulthood."
Deputy Arrun Wilkie, a member of the CYPP Partnership Board said:
"The CYPP is a vital piece of work. It will impact on the work done in schools, in social services, in health services, and in the community; and bringing it all together is a very positive development. What is important is that we hear children and young people's voices as part of this process."
Deputy Peter Sherbourne, another member of the CYPP Partnership Board agreed:
"I attended one of the school assemblies where our 'Speak Up' campaign was launched. Going into schools to engage with children and young people is an essential first step in this consultation. They are just as much a part of this process as the States and the charities."
Jane St Pier, Chair of the Youth Commission said:
"Last week HSSD published its diagnostic on children's care services, and while that work is of great importance it is only one piece of the jigsaw. I am very pleased that the States and the third sector are working so closely on the CYPP, but we must ensure that we capture views, ideas and expertise from across our community - that's why this consultation is so important."
Paul Whitfield, Chief Executive of the States of Guernsey said:
"The CYPP is the most visible output to date from the new partnership between the States and the third sector that was set out in the Third Sector Compact late October. The work we are doing brings together many different charities as well as half a dozen States departments, so it is also a demonstration of the Service Guernsey initiative in action - a single organisation working effectively with our community's experts to deliver better public services."
The draft Plan and survey is available at: www.gov.gg/cypp
There will also be a Crowdicity platform for third sector groups, and any group that wishes to be invited to be part of that is asked to contact cypp@gov.gg
The Speak Up initiative, aimed at specifically at children and young people themselves, is available at www.gov.gg/speakup
