Bristol Child Poverty Strategy 2011-2020 Published

Bristol is pleased to publish its first Child Poverty Strategy, which is based on an extensive needs assessment and citywide consultation.

The most recent full national data release showed that 21,835 Bristol children live in poverty (26.7%) – the highest number and highest percentage in the south west. These are the children least likely to have opportunities to move away for education and career development – and so most likely to be the Bristol citizens on whom our aspirations for 2020 and beyond will rest.

Disabled children moving into adulthood

In support of improving outcomes for young people with additional needs, we are now consulting on The Draft Bristol Transitions Strategy, along with a draft partnership transitions protocol and participation framework. See the Transitions page for more details and to leave your response. The end of the consultation period will be 15th June 2012.

Troubled Families Bulletin

The national Troubled Families agenda has been widely reported in the media over the past two months following statements from the Prime Minister giving his personal commitment, as well as committing resources, to ‘turn round the lives of Britain’s 120,000 troubled families’. 

This is a cross-government agenda which is led by DCLG. Since the end of 2011, detailed expectations on local areas are starting to become clear. Many of you will become involved with this agenda over the next three years. Attached is the first in a series of bulletins to keep colleagues across the city up to speed with developments.

Click here to see: Troubled Families Bulletin Feb 2012

External Links

Troubled Families Speech (15 December 2011):  http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/troubled-families-speech/ 

Troubleshooters scheme to tackle ‘troubled families’ (15 December 2011): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16187500 

Troubled Families (15 December 2011): http://www.communities.gov.uk/communities/troubledfamilies/

11-17 year olds with challenging behaviour on the edge of care in Bristol: Needs, services, and costs

This report was funded by the Department for Education, in preparation for the setting up of a Multi Systemic Therapy Team in Bristol. It looks at information about 33 young people aged 11-17 who had challenging behaviour, and became looked after between April 2010 and August 2011, outlining their needs, the services they received, and the issues this raises. Information was gathered from databases, and through interviews with workers and with some young people and parents.

We hope to establish a Multi Systemic Therapy team in Bristol by autumn 2012, initially funded by the Department for education, to work intensively with 11-17 year olds with challenging behaviour, and their families.

Bristol IEBI Analysis Report Jan 2012

Bristol Youth Links – Cabinet decision “call-in”

Statement: Youth Links call-in

Cabinet’s decision to create a new Youth Links service for Bristol will be re-examined by the call-in panel on Wednesday 4th January.

Following examination of the decision at the panel the issue may go back to Cabinet to re-consider with new information, refer to Full Council for debate or no further action is taken and the Cabinet decision from 24th November will remain.

Plans for a new youth service, Bristol Youth Links, will see £20 million invested in youth services over the next five years. New arrangements will see ten or fewer contracts let to deliver a range of services.

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People Cllr Clare Campion-Smith said:

“It is disappointing that launching new youth services for Bristol may get delayed. The project aims to deliver high quality services where they are most needed. Our funding commitment gives the organisations who might bid for contracts the certainty they need to secure grants from elsewhere and employ staff.”

Provide your views on the Draft Children’s Specialist Commissioning Plan 2012 – 2015

The Draft Children’s Specialist Commissioning Plan 2012 – 2015 has been published on the Consultations page of the blog. Please leave comments and responses directly on the page here.

The Bristol Children & Young People’s Plan 2011-2014 Published

The Bristol Children & Young People’s Plan 2011-2014 has been published.

The CYP Plan seeks to add value to the work undertaken by individual agencies by shining a light on our partnership priorities - those which no agency can address on their own.  The plan will inform commissioning and delivery decisions over the next three years in a range of agencies.

Full details can be found on the CYP Plan Page: http://bristolchildren.wordpress.com/cyp-plan/