Mantell Gwynedd

Gwynedd children and Young People

In October 2006, the ‘Stronger Co-operation for Better Outcomes’ consultation document was published, the report prepared by the Gwynedd Children and Young People’s Framework Partnership on the on the outcomes of an independent review undertaken by the Owain Wyn Consultative Services Company on the children and young people partnership structures in Gwynedd. The report also contained recommendations for introducing new arrangements to promote and encourage greater co-operation in response to the requirements of the Children Act (2004) and guidelines issued by the Welsh Assembly Government.

This report was subject to considerable consultation during October and November 2006. The report was disseminated widely and a questionnaire was prepared to accompany the report to enable people to respond. A press release was prepared and an interview on the consultation was given to the Champion 103 radio station. In addition, opportunities arose to present the report at the meetings of some of the county’s main strategic partnerships, and specific workshops were also arranged to discuss the document with the voluntary sector as well as with representatives of the Framework Partnership, Children’s Partnership and Young People’s Partnership. The consultation period ended on 17 November 2006.

A report on the results of the consultation was presented to the Framework Partnership on 08 December 2006 along with a set of final recommendations to be considered and adopted by the partnership to ensure that changes could be introduced and implemented early in 2007.

Gwynedd Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership

Following the consultation, a decision was made to dissolve the Children and Young People’s Framework Partnership, the Young People’s Partnership and the Children’s Partnership and establish a Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership, a Lead Planning and Development Group and a series of Planning and Development Groups. The inaugural meeting of the Strategic Partnership was held on 19 January 2007. A copy of the new structure along with the constitutions of the Strategic Partnership, the Lead Planning and Development Group and the Young People’s Group are contained in the appendices.

The Strategic Partnership is responsible for:

Promoting the well-being of the children and young people of Gwynedd in accordance with the requirements of The Children Act (2004) and statutory guidance issued by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Ensuring co-operation between groups, organisations, agencies and partnerships across sectors in Gwynedd to promote the well-being of children and young people.
Co-ordinating services for all children and young people from the ante-natal stage to the age of 18 years, together with those participating in or receiving youth support services (within the meaning of Section 123 of the Learning and Skills Act) up to the age of 25, and care leavers (up to 21 or 25 if in education or training).
Promoting the rights of the children and young people of Gwynedd in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989).
Providing a vision and setting strategic priorities for services provided in Gwynedd for children and young people by leading the work of planning, preparing and publishing a Children and Young People’s Plan.
Planning, preparing and publishing Action Plans to respond locally to the requirements of the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services.
Managing and administering resources and funding allocated for planning, developing and commissioning services for children and young people (e.g. the Welsh Assembly Government’s Cymorth Fund).

The aim of the Strategic Partnership is to ‘co-operate effectively to ensure that every child and young person in Gwynedd has access to the best opportunities in life’, and its objectives are:

To ensure that the children and young people of Gwynedd have the best start in life.
To ensure that the children and young people of Gwynedd have access to a comprehensive range of education and learning opportunities to enable them to achieve their full potential.
To ensure that the children and young people of Gwynedd are able to enjoy the best possible health and are free from abuse, victimisation and exploitation.
To ensure that the children and young people of Gwynedd have access to play, leisure, sporting and cultural activities.
To ensure that the children and young people of Gwynedd are listened to, treated with respect and have their race and cultural identity recognised.
To ensure that the children and young people of Gwynedd have a safe home and a community which supports physical and emotional well-being.
To ensure that the children and young people of Gwynedd are not disadvantaged by financial poverty.

A total of 25 Members sit on the Strategic Partnership representing a wide range of bodies that provide services for children and young people including Gwynedd Council, Gwynedd Local Health Board, North West Wales NHS Trust, North Wales Police Authority, North Wales Police, North Wales Probation Service, Gwynedd and Anglesey Youth Offending Team, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Urdd Gobaith Cymru, Mantell Gwynedd and the Countryside Council for Wales. The Strategic Partnership also includes representatives from the County’s Primary and Secondary Schools as well Further and Higher Education establishments.

In terms of working with other strategic partnerships, the Strategic Partnership has developed a ‘Procedure for Co-operation’ which highlights the co-operation arrangements that have been established with other partnerships to implement priorities and programmes that are aimed at promoting the well-being of children and young people. As part of this ‘Procedure for Co-operation’, the Strategic Partnership has identified individuals from its membership to act as ‘link persons’ between the partnership and other strategic partnerships to facilitate the flow of communication on matters relating to children and young people.

Planning and Development Groups

Following the consultation, a decision was made to establish a series of Planning and Development Groups to focus on specific areas of work on its behalf, as follows

Planning and Development Group – Parenting, Child Care and Early Years

This Planning and Development Group is responsible for planning, developing and monitoring the Gwynedd Parenting Strategy and the Gwynedd Child Care Plan as well as taking an overview of matters relating to Early Years and schemes such as Flying Start and Genesis.

Planning and Development Group – Young People

This Planning and Development Group is responsible for planning, developing and monitoring support services for young people in Gwynedd in accordance with the Assembly Government’s ‘Extending Entitlement’ programme in partnership with other strategic partnerships and groups such as the Gwynedd Economic Partnership (the Llwyddo’n Lleol Partnership and the Gwynedd Skills Group are now part of this partnership), the Community Safety Partnership and the Health, Social Care and Well-Being Partnership.

Planning and Development Group – Participation and Information

This Planning and Development Group is responsible for planning, developing and monitoring a Participation Strategy and an Information Strategy for children and young people and to take an overview of matters relating to advocacy.

Planning and Development Group – Children and Young People’s Research

This Planning and Development Group is responsible for assisting and supporting the Strategic Partnership to review, co-ordinate, commission and undertake research into matters relating to children and young people.

Planning and Development Group – National Service Framework

This Planning and Development Group is responsible for planning, developing and monitoring Action Plans for delivering the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services.

Planning and Development Group – Child Poverty

This Planning and Development Group is responsible for supporting the efforts of the Strategic Partnership to deal with and alleviate the causes and effects of child poverty in Gwynedd.

In addition to this, a decision was also made to establish a Lead Planning and Development Group to:

Oversee and co-ordinate the work of the Planning and Development Groups.
Assist the Strategic Partnership to prepare and publish the Children and Young People’s Plan by ensuring effective planning across the all age groups.
Advise the Strategic Partnership on the commissioning, communication and performance management arrangements that need to be introduced to implement the Children and Young People’s Plan effectively.
Monitor the Cymorth Plan and present recommendations to the Strategic Partnership on the allocation of resources locally.
Co-operate with other similar Groups (such as the Health, Social Care and Well-Being Partnership’s Lead Officers Group) to identify opportunities for co-operation and to jointly develop schemes and work programmes to ensure that plans and programmes for children and young people are co-ordinated effectively across all strategic partnerships.

Arrangements for supporting the Strategic Partnership and the Planning and Development Groups

To ensure that the work of the Strategic Partnership, the Lead Planning and Development Group and the Planning and Development Groups are supported effectively, it was agreed that the Strategic Team – Children and Young People and the Operational Team – Children and Young People would lead on the following (with the Operational Team providing administrative support):

Strategic Team – Children and Young People

Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership

Lead Planning and Development Group

Planning and Development Group – C&YP Research

Planning and Development Group – National Service Framework

Planning and Development Group – Child Poverty

Operational Team – Children and Young People

Planning and Development Group – Parenting, Child Care, Early Years

Planning and Development Group – Participation and Information

Planning and Development Group – Young People

The Strategic Team – Children and Young People is located within the Policy and Performance Unit of the Development Directorate (Gwynedd Council) and the Operational Team – Children and Young People is located within the Lifelong Learning Service of the Development Directorate.

Children & Young People’s Partnership Staff

Strategic Team:
Strategic Co-ordinator – Darren Griffiths
Contact: Tel: 01286 679 788
e-mail: darrengriffiths2@gwynedd.gov.uk

Children and Young Peoples’ Strategic Partnership Officer – Eirian Wynne
Contact: Tel: 01286 679 788
e-mail: eirianwynne@gwynedd.gov.uk

Operational Team:
Sioned Owen – Operations Manager
Contact: Tel: 01286 679 419
e-mail: sionedannowen@gwynedd.gov.uk

Elin Wyn Hughes – Support Officer
Contact: Tel: 01286 679 653
e-mail: elinwynhughes@gwynedd.gov.uk

Empty Post – Senior Project Officer

Lucy Stevenson – Project Officer
Contact: Tel: 01286 679 914
e-mail: lucystevenson@gwynedd.gov.uk

Gwawr Davies – Project Officer
Contact: Tel: 01286 679 648
e-mail: gwawrdavies@gwynedd.gov.uk

Gareth Jones – Contracts and Monitoring Officer
Contact: Tel: 01286 679 971
e-mail: garethjones2@gwynedd.gov.uk

Lyndsey Jones – Flying Start Administrative Officer
Contact: Tel: 01286 679 690
e-mail: lyndseymariejones@gwynedd.gov.uk

Ffion Williams – Research and information Officer
Contact: Tel: 01286 679 690
e-mail: ffionwilliams@gwynedd.gov.uk

Dawn Jones – Information Services’ Manager
Contact: Tel: 01286 675 570
e-mail: dawnwynjones@gwynedd.gov.uk

Lona Roberts – Training and Child Care Support Officer
Contact: Tel: 01286 675 570
e-mail: lonapierceroberts@gwynedd.gov.uk

Gwenan Pritchard – Information Officer
Contact: Tel:01286 675 570
e-mail: gwenaneleripritchard@gwynedd.gov.uk

Debbie Lovell – Information Services’ Administrative Officer
Contact: Tel: 01286 675 570
e-mail: debbielovell@gwynedd.gov.uk

Allan Evans – Plas Pawb Centre Manager
Contact: Tel: 01286 678 824
e-mail: allanevans@gwynedd.gov.uk

Aled Williams – Plas Pawb Receptionist
Contact: Tel: 01286 678 824
e-mail: aledwilliams@gwynedd.gov.uk

Documents

Draft Gwynedd Children and Young People’s Plan 2008 – 2011 – ‘Our Plan, Your Plan’ (12/06/2008) - click here
Consultation Questionnaire on the Children and Young People’s Plan (12/06/2008) - click here
Estyn’s Final Report on the Quality of Youth Support Services in Gwynedd (12/06/08) - click here
A guide to changes and additions to All Wales Child Protection Procedures 2002 - click here
Participation Protocol (Local Safeguarding Children Board) - click here
Children in severe poverty in Wales: an agenda for action - click here
Gwynedd Children and Young People Today (Latest draft 09-05-07) - click here


Type size A : A \| Site map \| E-mail us \| Tell a friend \| Add to favourites