Children and Young People: Rights to Action

Children and Young People: Rights to Action How to do Children and Young People’s Plans

We want to know your ideas on how to plan for children and young people’s needs.

This document tells you the Welsh Assembly’s ideas on how to plan to meet children and young people’s rights and needs in Wales.

Have the Assembly got it right? Answer the questions and tell them what you think. Send your ideas, by Friday 1 June 2007, to: Children’s Framework Team, Children's Strategy Division Welsh Assembly Government Cathays Park CARDIFF CF10 3NQ or by email to [email protected] Contents and Summary click below or turn to the page.

1. The Background______3 What’s new?______3 The Assembly has decided rules the CYPP should follow.______3 The 7 Aims- all children and young people in Wales will:______4 The 10 Entitlements for young people aged 11- 25 in Wales:______4 2. Links to other plans______5 People writing all other plans will have to follow the CYPP because the CYPP is the most important plan.______5 3. Developing the Plan______6 Step 1 Look at needs and what’s happening already______6 Step 2 Agree what goes in the plan and how to measure______6 Step 3 Ask other people what they think about the ideas______7 Step 4 Add in other people’s ideas and send it out______7 Step 5 Get the timing rights and check the CYPP works______7 4. What’s in the Plan?______8 The Plan should look like this:______8 AIM 1: THE EARLY YEARS______9 What information should your local CYPP contain about the early years?_____9 How do we measure if we are getting it right?______9 AIM 2: EDUCATION AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES______10 What information should your local CYPP contain about education and learning?______10 How do we measure if we are getting it right?______10 AIM 3: HEALTH, FREEDOM FROM ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION______11 What information should your local CYPP contain about health and freedom from abuse?______11 How do we measure if we are getting it right?______11 AIM 4: PLAY, SPORT, LEISURE AND CULTURE______12 What information should your local CYPP contain about play, sport, leisure and culture?______12 How do we measure if we are getting it right?______12 AIM 5: RESPECT______13 What information should your local CYPP contain about respect for you, your race and culture?______13 How do we measure if we are getting it right?______13 AIM 6: A SAFE HOME AND COMMUNITY______14 What information should your local CYPP contain about safe homes and safe communities?______14 How do we measure if we are getting it right?______14 AIM 7: FREEDOM FROM POVERTY______15 What information should your local CYPP contain about getting rid of poverty? ______15 How do we measure if we are getting it right?______15 12. The Workforce Plan______15 13. Consultation Questions______16 14. More information …______17 1. The Background

The new Children Act 2004 says that every Local Council has to have a Children and Young People’s Plan (a CYPP) by the year 2008.

This is to make sure that everyone in Wales works together, in partnership, to improve the lives of all children and young people in each Local Council area. The CYPP plans will cover all the different services that children and young people might need to use while you are growing up. This includes things like schools, social services, youth services, play and housing and health services, the police and probation, and voluntary organisations.

The new law also says that children and young people‘s ideas must be listened to and included in the CYPP plans.

The next 15 pages tell you how the assembly think we should do CYPPs in Wales. If you want to know more, look at the assembly’s full consultation documenti.

What’s new? Everyone in each Local Council area must now work in a The people in charge have to partnership to write and carry out make sure children, young people the CYPP plans and their families are: The partnership should represent all  Asked about their needs the services that work with children  Asked their ideas about what and young people. goes in the plan  Given an answer to any ideas There are Leaders in charge of and comments they make making sure this happens:  The Lead Director for children and young people’s services (a If anyone is not happy with what manager working for the Local is in the CYPP or if, for example, Council) you feel your forum is not being  The Lead Member for children listened to, you can let your and young people’s services (a council’s Lead Director know top councilor in the Local Council) about it. You can complain if you  Two Lead People each from the need to. Local Health Boardii and Health Trustiii.

The Assembly has decided rules the CYPP should follow.  Follow the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child  Put children and young people’s needs first  Make sure children, young people and their families are heard  Give top priority to children and young people in most need.  Plan for prevention - services that try to stop things from going wrong before they get really serious  Always include plans that deal with children and young people’s safety  Make sure there are services that everyone can use  Make sure services link up and work together, sharing money and staff  Don’t discriminate – give everyone an equal chance These are based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Childiv which gives 42 rights in total that all children everywhere should have. The rules are also based on the Assembly’s 7 Aimsv and 10 Entitlementsvi designed to make all children and young people’s lives better.

The 7 Aims- all children and young people in Wales will: AIM 1: THE EARLY YEARS have a good start in life AIM 2: EDUCATION AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES have the education and learning opportunities needed AIM 3: HEALTH, FREEDOM FROM ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION have the best possible health and not be abused or exploited AIM 4: PLAY, SPORT, LEISURE AND CULTURE Be able to play, and take part in leisure, sports and cultural activities AIM 5: RESPECT be listened to, respected and have your race and culture respected AIM 6: A SAFE HOME AND COMMUNITY have a safe home and live in a community that keeps you well and happy AIM 7: FREEDOM FROM POVERTY not have less chances in life because of poverty

The 10 Entitlements for young people aged 11- 25 in Wales: Your Rights To learn what your rights are, to understand them, to be able to claim them and to accept and understand your responsibilities. Being Heard To have the opportunity to be involved in making decisions, planning and reviewing an action that might affect you. Having a voice, having a choice even if you don’t make the decision yourself. Feeling Good To feel confident and feel good about yourself Education and Employment To be able to learn about things that interest and affect you and to enjoy the work that you do. To get involved in the activities that you enjoy. Taking part/getting involved To be involved in volunteering and to be active in your community Being Individual To be treated with respect and as an equal by everyone, to be recognised for what you have to contribute and to celebrate what you achieve Easy Access Easy access in getting the best services that you should have, locally and nationally and to have someone available to help you find them. Health and Well-being To lead a healthy life, both physically and emotionally Access to information and guidance To be able to get information, advice and support, whenever you need it, on issues that affect your life. Safety and Security To live in a safe and secure home and community.

1. Do you think this chapter gives a clear idea of the laws, aims and rules on which CYPPs are based? 2. Is there more that this chapter should say?

2. Links to other plans

Instead of lots of overlapping plans, the CYPP will plan all the work that is done with all children and young peopleSay what goals everyone agrees to work towards

Say how local and national goals will be achieved

Say who will do Be a central place for what and how Describe how managing all the money people will work to measure if available for work with together the goals have children and young people. been achieved

The CYPP is for everyone aged 0 to 18 in each Local Council. It will also plan youth services and support for care leavers up to the age of 25.

People writing all other plans will have to follow the CYPP because the CYPP is the most important plan.

The CYPP will say the main things that will happen for children and young people. Other plans will give more details on things like: Health Drugs Keeping children safe Support for children and young Youth justice and crime people Housing

3. Is it clear that the CYPP is the most important plan, that all others have to link to? 3. Developing the Plan

Step1 Look at needs and The CYPP will find out children and young what’s happening already people’s needs and then say how everyone will work together Step 2 Agree what goes in to achieve these. the plan and how to measure success Step 3 Ask other people what they think about the ideas Step 4 Add in other people’s ideas and send the final plan out to people

Step 5 Get the timing right Step 1 Look at needs and and check every year to see what’s happening already how the plan’s working

The Leaders have to make sure everyone, especially children and young people and their families, help decide Step 2 Agree what children and young people’s needs. goes in the plan and Youth forums, school councils or parents how to measure groups can say what needs to happen. All children and young people living in the For each of the 7 Aims, the local Council area should be included whole partnership should agree: All the information about children's rights The needs, gaps and overlaps and needs is to be written down as a needs Goals to achieve and how to assessment. All the work happening measure them already for children and young people How to stop problems before should be written down as a service profile. they start It will say what work is being done, where, How best to work together when, who for, who by and where the Who will make sure it all money comes from happens

The final part of Step 1 is to match the The CYPP also needs to needs assessment against the service clearly say what the right profile to show what is different between results will look like, so that the two. This is what will show what should people can see what they are happen in the future – what to keep doing, trying to achieve. This will be to cancel and to start. called the vision statement. Together all of this makes up the draft CYPP. Step 4 Add in other people’s ideas and send it out Step 3 Ask other people what they When everyone has agreed what new ideas go think about the into the final plan, it has to be formally adopted by the Local Council – that means the council ideas have to stick to it!

When the draft CYPP is The final CYPP should be put on the council’s agreed by the website for everyone to see. partnership it has to be Copies must also be sent to everyone who shown to everyone else received the draft plan, The Children’s for their ideas. There will Commissioner for Wales. A short easy version of be a short draft CYPP the final CYPP must be sent to anyone who and a longer one. asks for it and to children and young people Everyone should be through forums, school councils. given at least 10 weeks to send in comments 6. Is it clear how comments should and ideas. be added to make the final 4. Who should CYPP? Do you think this the be sent the right way to do it? long and short draft 7. Is it clear how the final CYPP CYPP? should be agreed and adopted? Do you think this the right way 5. Is 10 weeks to do it? long enough to send in 8. Is it clear how the final CYPP comments? should be sent out? Do you If not, how think this the right way to do it? long is the right time?

Step 5 Get the timing rights and check the CYPP works These are the dates for the first CYPPs STEP 1 By Dec 2007 Needs assessment and service profile STEP 2 By March 2008 Writing draft CYPP STEP 3 By June 2008 Getting other people’s comments STEP 4 By July 2008 Final plan agreed By Sept 2008 Final CYPP sent out and working

Every year the partnership should write a report showing what is being achieved and how the plan is working. The Report should be put on the council website and sent to members of the partnership. Other organisations that inspect work with children and young people will also check up on how the partnerships are working 9. Is this the right sort of timetable? 10. Is this the right way to do the yearly check? 4. What’s in the Plan?

The Plan should look like this:

11. Is it clear what should be in the Plan? Are these the right things and is anything missing? 12. Should we call the Plan the CYPP or the ChYPP? AIM 1: THE EARLY YEARS

All children and young people in Wales should have a good start in life  You have a right to the best health care when you are born and all through your childhood  You have the right to play, having fun and learning as you grow and develop. In Wales  All children have the same rights to health care services as adults do  There will be more places for younger children at schools and nurseries  Services in every area will help families bring up their young children

What information should your local CYPP contain about the early years?  Support for parents to bring up their children, for pregnant teenagers and for teenage parents  Children's Centresvii which will bring together lots of services for How do we measure if we children in one place are getting it right?  Care for women before and after Suggested goals for every child and giving birth and plans to young person: encourage breastfeeding  To be born healthy and stay  Special projects like the healthy all through childhood viii Foundation Phase and Flying  To learn and develop at the ix Start right times and to have the right support and care if you have special needs  To have safe, happy relationships with your parents or carers 13. Should there be other goals for Aim 1? 14. How do you think we could measure if we are achieving these goals? AIM 2: EDUCATION AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

All children and young people in Wales should have the education and learning opportunities needed  You have the right to a good education  You have the right to support to learn, develop and get skills and qualifications

In Wales, Local Councils must make sure  All children can attend education full time and have the right support to do as well as possible  Schools are improved, better buildings, and school transport  Pupils are safe from bullying  All 16 to 19 year olds will be able to train, work or study

What information should  your local CYPP contain T about education and learning?  How schools and school buildings will be improved  What extra support will be given to children who need it o achieve the very best you  How bullying will be tackled can  How to achieve The Learning  To have problems spotted Country: Vision into Actionx early and receive support to and Community Schoolsxi deal with these  The multi-agency approach to  To do useful, enjoyable youth support services; education, training or employment

How do we measure if we are getting it right? Suggested goals for every child and young person: 15. Should there be other 16. How do you think we goals for Aim 2? could measure if we are achieving these goals? AIM 3: HEALTH, FREEDOM FROM ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION

All children and young people in Wales will have the best possible health and not be abused or exploited  You have the right to grow up healthy and safe in your family and community  When things go wrong in your life you should have the support to be listened to and help to put things right. In Wales  The Assembly is working to improve health, food and fitness for everyone  Local Councils must have plans to keep children safe and give support and protection when needed  All Children must be listened to and can have an Advocate to support them and make a complaint if they need to  Every local area will set up a group called the Local Safeguarding Children Boardxii that will plan to make sure children and young people are not abused or exploited. What information should your local CYPP contain about health and freedom from abuse?  The health, care and well being of How do we measure if children and young people in the area we are getting it right?  The Local Safeguarding Children Suggested goals for every child Boardxiii - who’s involved and how and young person:  How to achieve the Food and  To have a healthy lifestyle Fitness Planxiv and Healthy  To know how to look after Schoolsxv. yourself in sexual  Services for children and teenagers’ relationships emotional and mental health  To be safe and protected  Sexual Health advice and treatment from abuse and exploitation and health advice and information services for young people. 17. Should there be other 18. How do you think goals for Aim 3? we could measure if we are achieving these goals? AIM 4: PLAY, SPORT, LEISURE AND CULTURE

All children and young people in Wales should have opportunities to play, and take part in leisure, sports and cultural activities  You have the right to have fun, play and do leisure activities as you are growing up  You also have a right to get together with other children and young people and join clubs, groups and organisations In Wales  All schools give pupils a chance to learn sports and do creative things like drama and arts  Climbing Higher: Next Stepsxvi is a plan to encourage you to get involved in sports outside school too.  Your local council must make sure there are enough things for young people to do in your area. Children's Centres will offer younger children play schemes and Youth Services will provide activities for older ones.  The Council also has to have land for playgrounds and open spaces and provide a library service for you to use.  Free or cheap transport is needed to make sure you can get to the activities you want to go to!

What information  To take part in play should your local sport, CYPP contain leisure and about play, sport, cultural activities leisure and  Barriers’ to taking part in play, leisure, sport and cultural activities are spotted culture? and removed  Local Play Strategies  Is able to achieve the best level of skill using the money they can available from different places  Leisure and sporting opportunities  Art and cultural opportunities  Access to transport

How do we measure if we are getting it right? Suggested goals for every child and young person: 19. Should there be 20. How do you think we could other goals for measure if we are achieving Aim 4? these goals? AIM 5: RESPECT

All children and young people in Wales should be listened to, respected and have your race and culture respected  You have the right to have a say about things that affect you  You have the right for your views to be valued and taken seriously  Your race, culture and identity should be respected In Wales  The Welsh Assembly Government want Wales to be somewhere where you are listened to and treated as ‘valued members of the community’.  The Participation Consortiumxvii has a set of Standards to check whether children and young people are “Having a voice, having a choice’  Every local Planning Partnership now has to make sure that you and your families are involved in plans and projects that affect you.  School Councilsxviii, Youth Forumsxix and Funky Dragonxx are now set up.  Your race and culture have to be considered by all the statutory organisations, like health, education and social services, when they make the CYPP, to make sure everyone is respected equally.

What information should your local CYPP contain about respect for you, your race and culture? How do we measure if  Plans to make sure all children get we are getting it right? a chance to participate in planning Suggested goals for every child services and what works well. xxi and young person:  Advocacy and Complaints  To be able to take a proper Services and how to support you if part in making decisions things go wrong and you want to  To knows about your rights make a complaint about a service, and how to obtain them e.g. at school, or about your health  To be valued and respected care. as a member of society  How the plan helps carry out the law to treat everyone equally. 21. Should there be other 22. How do you think we goals for Aim 5? could measure if we are achieving these goals? AIM 6: A SAFE HOME AND COMMUNITY

All children and young people in Wales should have a safe home and live in a community that keeps you well and happy  You have the right to be safe at home and to be looked after properly if you have to live away from your family.  You have the right to be protected from drugs, crime, danger and health risks  All disabled children have the right to special protection. In Wales  The police, fire, health agencies and your local council should tackle crime and make sure your community is a safe place to live. The law says these agencies must work together and set certain up Plansxxii for safety.  Children and young people who might get (or have been) in trouble with the law should be supported to make sure they don’t do crimes.  Agencies should work together to protect and support children and young people who experience abuse in their families.  Everyone should be able to live in a good home that they can afford.  Local councils should provide somewhere to live for certain homeless people especially with children, leaving care or under 21 in unsafe situations What information should your local CYPP contain about safe homes and safe How do we measure if we communities? are getting it right?  Community Safety Suggested goals for every child and Partnershipsxxiii work with young person: children and young people  To be safe from crime and the  Youth Justicexxiv and affects of crime Policing Plans that affect  To be safe from serious accidents children and young people that could be prevented  The Local Housing  To be able to live in a decent Strategyxxv and how it home affects children, young people and their families 23. Should there be 24. How do you think we other goals for Aim could measure if we are 6? achieving these goals? AIM 7: FREEDOM FROM POVERTY

Children and young people in Wales should not have less chances in life because of poverty  You have the right to a good standard of living  You have a right to financial support from the government if needed In Wales  The Welsh Assembly Government has a Child Poverty Strategy and Implementation Planxxvi full of ideas to improve the money situation of families, children and young people in Wales in the next twenty years.  The CYPPs will play an important part in helping families get a better income through things like improving local job opportunities and advice and support to get work  Childcare and transport should be provided so that people can get to work What information should your local CYPP contain about 25. Should there be getting rid of poverty? other goals for  The main things that will help Aim 7? families to have more money coming 26. How do you think in. we could  A Child Poverty Action Planxxvii measure if we which will bring all these ideas are achieving together. these goals?

How do we measure if we are getting it right? Suggested goal for every child and young person:  To be free from poverty

12. The Workforce Plan In every CYPP the Workforce Plan will give details of:  Who is doing paid work or volunteering with children and young people.  How many workers, carers and volunteers there are in the Local Council  Problems - like with wages, working conditions and people moving jobs  Are there enough trained workers or not.  How to make sure there are the right staff, carers and volunteers to reach the goals for each of the 7 core aims and how place like colleges will help.  Making sure training reaches people from all backgrounds, languages and communities.  Who will do what to make sure all this happens and how money will be shared out. 13. Consultation Questions 1. Do you think this chapter gives a clear idea of the laws, aims and rules on which CYPPs are based?...... 5 2. Is there more that this chapter should say?...... 5 3. Is it clear that the CYPP is the most important plan, that all others have to link to?...... 5 4. Who should be sent the long and short draft CYPP?...... 7 5. Is 10 weeks long enough to send in comments? If not, how long is the right time?...... 7 6. Is it clear how comments should be added to make the final CYPP? Do you think this the right way to do it?...... 7 7. Is it clear how the final CYPP should be agreed and adopted? Do you think this the right way to do it?...... 7 8. Is it clear how the final CYPP should be sent out? Do you think this the right way to do it?...... 7 9. Is this the right sort of timetable?...... 7 10. Is this the right way to do the yearly check?...... 7 11. Is it clear what should be in the Plan? Are these the right things and is anything missing?...... 8 12. Should we call the Plan the CYPP or the ChYPP?...... 8 13. Should there be other goals for Aim 1?...... 9 14. How do you think we could measure if we are achieving these goals?...... 9 15. Should there be other goals for Aim 2?...... 10 16. How do you think we could measure if we are achieving these goals...... 10 17. Should there be other goals for Aim 3?...... 11 18. How do you think we could measure if we are achieving these goals?...... 11 19. Should there be other goals for Aim 4?...... 12 20. How do you think we could measure if we are achieving these goals?...... 12 21. Should there be other goals for Aim 5?...... 13 22. How do you think we could measure if we are achieving these goals?...... 13 23. Should there be other goals for Aim 6?...... 14 24. How do you think we could measure if we are achieving these goals?...... 14 25. Should there be other goals for Aim 7?...... 15 26. How do you think we could measure if we are achieving these goals?...... 15 14. More information … i Insert hyperlink full CYPP consultation document ii Local Health Boards (LHBs) are set up by the government in Wales to assess, plan and advise on the best way to provide health services in each area. iii NHS Trusts are set up for each local area, they provide and run the health services you use through hospitals, doctors and clinics iv UNCRC - Stands for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This is an international document that sets out all the basic rights children and young people have. The UK government and the National Assembly of Wales have signed up to it, which means they agree to promote children's rights and are inspected to see how well they are doing. www.unicef.org v Insert hyperlink Rights to Action vi Insert hyperlink Extending Entitlement vii Children's Centres - local ‘one stop shops’ that provide play, learning and support to families and their children viii Insert hyperlink Foundation Phase - a plan for 3- 7 year olds to improve their learning and education, part of the Wales national plan “The Learning Country” ix Insert hyperlink Flying Start - a plan made by the Assembly for extra support services for children aged 0 to 3 years old in Wales x Insert hyperlink The Learning Country: Vision Into Action This is an Assembly national strategy that brings together all the plans for improving learning, education and skills for everyone in Wales, children and adults xi Insert hyperlink Community Schools xiiInsert hyperlink Local Safeguarding Children Board - These are local groups set up, by law, to protect children and young people from abuse and ill treatment and promote their welfare. xiii Insert hyperlink Local Safeguarding Children Board - These are local groups set up, by law, to protect children and young people from abuse and ill treatment and promote their welfare. xiv Insert hyperlink Food and Fitness Implementation Plan - a plan to give children and young people more opportunities to learn about and decide to eat well, stay fit and be as healthy as possible. xv Insert hyperlink Healthy Schools Scheme is a project where schools work to improve the health of pupils and teachers and the community. xvi Insert hyperlink Climbing Higher: Next Steps xvii Insert hyperlink Participation Consortium - set up by the Welsh Assembly Government to improve the ways children take part in decision making xviii School Council - All schools in Wales have to set up a school council. This is a way for pupils to express their views on school life ranging from uniform, school dinners and school rules. www.schoolcouncilswales.org xix Youth Forums are set up in all local areas in Wales and are a way of meeting other young people and having a say about local issues that affect you like leisure, transport, health, crime. xx Funky Dragon - the Children and Young People’s Assembly for Wales. It is run by young people and aims to give 0-25 year olds the opportunity to have their voices heard and have a say about things that affect them. www.funkydragon.org.uk xxi Insert hyperlink Advocacy Service - A service that supports you to get listened to, have your say, or make a complaint when things go wrong xxii Insert hyperlink Substance Misuse Action Plan This is a plan made by every local council to reduce the harm caused by taking drugs. The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales is set up to prevent young people from committing crimes and re- offending and to ensure that custody for young people is safe, secure and works to deal with the reasons why young people have offended. Local Youth Justice Pans are made to plan how this work will be carried out in each local area www.yjb.gov.uk xxiii Insert hyperlink Community Safety Partnerships - a group of agencies in each local area who work together to reduce crime and make communities a safer. xxiv Insert hyperlink Local Youth Justice Plan xxv Insert hyperlink Local Housing Strategy xxvi Insert hyperlink Child Poverty Strategy and Implementation Plan - This is a plan made by the Welsh Assembly called ‘A Fairer Future for our Children’ and explains how everyone will need to work together to make sure children and young people and their families have enough money to live on xxvii Insert hyperlink Child Poverty Strategy and Implementation Plan - This is a plan made by the Welsh Assembly called ‘A Fairer Future for our Children’ and explains how everyone will need to work together to make sure children and young people and their families have enough money to live on