Children and Young People’s
Strategy 2017-2027
Peter Hutchinson
Dept of Education
Introduction
• Background to the Strategy
– The key aim
– What does it say
• Emerging issues and themes from Consultation
– Overarching issues
– Responses by outcome area
• Next Steps
– Final Strategy
– Delivery and implementation
CYP Strategy
Aim of the Strategy
Working together to improve the well-being of
children and young people, delivering positive
long-lasting outcomes.
• Three key elements:
– Working together: How can we improve cooperation?
– Improving well-being: What are the issues
impacting on well-being?
– Delivering positive long-lasting outcomes: How
do we ensure effective delivery?
Outcomes
Children and young people are physically and mentally healthy
Children and young people enjoy play and leisure
Children and young people learn and achieve
Children and young people live in safety and stability
Children and young people experience economic and environmental wellbeing
Children and young people make a positive contribution to society
Children and young people live in a society which respects their rights
Children and young people live in a society in which equality of opportunity
and good relations are promoted
Indicators
Childhood obesity
Youth homelessness
Self-efficacy
Low birth weight
First time entrants into
criminal justice system
Understanding of the
UNCRC
Mental health and
emotional well-being
Victims of crime
Respect for views
Enjoyment of play and
leisure
Child contact orders
Negative stereotyping
Child development
Child poverty
Attitudes towards others
Educational attainment
Number of young people
in need of education,
employment or training
Engagement between
young people of different
community backgrounds
Educational inequality
Participation
Shared spaces
Example
Outcome
CYP are physically and mentally healthy
Why it matters
Article 24 of UNCRC
Importance of healthy habits in early life
Impact of health inequalities
Issues
Health in expectant mothers
and babies
Childhood obesity
Sexual health
Drug and alcohol abuse
Deprivation gap
Suicide and self-harm
Mental health
Access to services
Greatest effort
Infants
CYP with mental health
problems
CYP with a disability
CYP living in areas of deprivation
Indicators
Childhood obesity
Low birth weight
Mental health and emotional wellbeing
Data Development
Mental health for u16s
Actions
Prioritise healthcare
Tailor services
Promote healthy habits
Ensure CYP can access support
Working Together and Better Delivery
• Duties under the Children’s Services Cooperation Act (CSCA)
• Establishment of new structures
• Reporting and Monitoring
Establishment of New Structures
Senior Management / Ministers / Assembly
Oversight and Accountability
Strategy Group
Outcomes, Delivery, Co-operation
Stakeholder Forum
Scrutiny
Children and Young
People Strategic
Partnership
Children and Young
People
Reporting
Participatory
Parents
Academia
Advisory
Research
Stakeholder
views
Consultation Process
• Engagement with children and young people
through Participation NI and Network for
Youth
• Engagement with parents / guardians through
Parenting NI
• 7 open consultation events across NI
• 200+ responses from stakeholders, CYP,
parents and guardians.
Emerging overarching themes
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Need to consider support for families
Importance of joined up action
Importance of joined up funding
Need to address the root causes of different
issues
Importance of flexibility in approach
Protect the most vulnerable at most vulnerable
times
Greater clarity on indicators and actions
Challenges facing CYP are considerable
Issues raised by Outcome
• Physical and mental health
– Mental health issue key
– Drug and alcohol abuse (legal highs)
– Healthy habits in home and school
• Play and leisure
– Importance of play often lost – electronic play
– CYP with disabilities at significant disadvantage
– Importance of youth work
Issues raised by Outcome
• Learning and achieving
– Significant pressure on young people
– Need to focus on those not attaining the GCSE
standard
– Importance of pastoral care / enjoyment of skill and
other skills importance
• Safety and stability
– Defining and capturing homelessness
– Paramilitarism
– Internet safety and social media – support for parents
Issues raised by Outcome
• Economic and environmental
– Child poverty – unseen costs of education
– Increase in NEETs – CYP who have experienced care
particularly vulnerable
– YP views on natural environment
• Contribution to society
– Important YP are seen as active citizens and given
opportunity to contribute
– Youth work vital in developing range of skills
– Importance of participation fora
Issues raised by Outcome
• Respect for rights
– Knowledge needs to be improved – but action more
important
– Adult awareness and respect key
• Equality and good relations
– Traditional element of good relations often not seen
as major issue for YP.
– Other equality issues raised
– YP often discriminated against because of age and
identity
What’s next?
Next Steps
Implementation
Analysis of
Consultation Responses
Delivery of actions
Finalise, agree and lay
Strategy
New structures for cooperation
Continual engagement
with stakeholders
Monitoring
Review, Revise, Report
Moving Forward
• Analysis of responses
• Report Cards and Implementation Plan
• Development of Structures
• How much did we do?
• How well did we do it?
• Is any child or young person better off?
Thanks
• www.education-ni.gov.uk
• Strategy queries to;
– [email protected]
– Tel 028 9185 8024
• [email protected]