Senior councillors set to agree new plan to deliver for children and young people across Leeds

The refreshed children and young people’s plan outlines the shared vision for all those that work with children and young people in Leeds and has been updated to reflect the current priorities highlighted in the 12 Child Friendly Leeds wishes.

The 12 wishes were developed following analysis of feedback and consultation data from over 80,000 children and young people across Leeds over the last three years.

This has led to the plan prioritising the importance placed on tackling the climate emergency and improving health outcomes by children and young people in Leeds, as well as delivering a strong emphasis on the importance of play and having fun.

Building on the success of the previous children and young people’s plan in delivering on the city’s child friendly ambition, there is a continued focus on achieving five key outcomes for all children and young people across Leeds.

The refreshed plan continues to aim to ensure all children and young people; are safe from harm, do well at all levels of learning and have skills for life, enjoy health lives, have fun growing up and are active citizens who feel they have a voice and influence.

Responding to new challenges facing Leeds and building on existing city-wide partnerships, the refreshed plan brings all those that work with children and young people in Leeds together around seven key actions and three obsessions that will direct work over the next five years.

Within the plan there is a clear desire to ensure a difference is being made on children and young people across Leeds, and there are clear measurable indicators included in the plan that will be visible that will be visible and shared to allow the council and its partners to be accountable for the progress of the plan and improving outcomes for children across Leeds. 

A copy of the full report that will be discussed at Leeds City Council's executive board on Wednesday 15 March can be found here.

Councillor Fiona Venner, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult and children’s social care and health partnerships, said:

“I am really excited about our refreshed plan developed for and with children and young people to ensure that Leeds is the best city in the UK to grow up with.

“As our recent Outstanding Ofsted rating shows there is great work taking place right across the city already and this plan builds on that but reflects the importance of delivering on health outcomes and tackling the climate emergency for young people in Leeds.

“I would like to thank all 80,000 children and young people who took part in the development of this plan, and I hope that they find it reflects their hopes and dreams for Leeds.”

Notes to editors:

Three Obsessions

1. Safely and appropriately reduce the number of children looked after.
2. Young people in Leeds attend school, achieve, and attain well, and continue their route of a sustained education, apprenticeship, or employment destination.
3. Leeds is a healthy place for all children; and improve the timely access to healthcare when needed/

Seven Key Actions

• Ensuring the best start in life for all children, by supporting parents and babies.
• Challenging child poverty, by collaborating with communities and families to improve outcomes.
• Outstanding Social work and support, continuing the council’s journey as Ofsted rated ‘outstanding’ local authority.
• Improving the health and wellbeing of all children and young people, by ensuring that children have an environment that supports them to be mentally and physically healthy.
• Attaining and achieving, by placing a sharp focus on supporting children’s learning, with a specific focus on those children who are vulnerable to poorer outcomes.
• Early Help, building on what work works well and reorganising more of Leeds City Council’s children services around the restorative early start approach, focusing help to where it is needed earlier.
• Think Family Work Family, consideration of how family relationships, the role of adult behaviour and wider contextual issue impact on outcomes for children and young people.