Children and Young People- A strategic framework for Jersey

STATES OF JERSEY

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE: A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR JERSEY

Presented to the States on 2nd November 2011 by the Minister for Health and Social Services

STATES GREFFE

2011   Price code: D  R.133

Children and Young People

A strategic framework for Jersey

November 2011

Contents

Foreword

What you told us  5 How we'll use the Framework  5

Introduction

Who is the Framework for?  6 Why have a Framework?  7 What's in it?  7 What services does it apply to?  8 Jersey context  9

Section 1: What we want

Our vision, outcomes and principles  11

Section 2: What we are doing and what we may need to do

Outcome 1: Be healthy  13 Outcome 2: Be safe  20 Outcome 3: Achieve and do  25 Outcome 4: Grow confidently  32 Outcome 5: Be responsible and respected  39 Outcome 6: Have a voice and be heard  43

Section 3: Making it happen

Planning services  47 Governance, monitoring, delivery  49

Appendix 1: How the Framework was developed  53 Appendix 2: Glossary  54

Foreword

Over the past 18 months we have asked Islanders whether they think Jersey is a good place to grow up and, on the whole, they do. Children, young people, parents and professionals have readily identified much that is great about Island life.

That said, they have also identified that more needs to be done if we are to ensure that all children and young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential and lead happy, healthy lives.

This Strategic Framework is intended to help us achieve that. It pulls together the key issues, sets out objectives and will enable us to work in partnership across all sectors to develop detailed implementation plans, defining exactly what needs to be done and by who.

The Framework will help us make better collective decisions about the services and facilities we need. This will include making the most of current resources and, where necessary re-directing funding in order to try and prevent problems from occurring in the first place or help solve them at an early stage. Prevention is always better than cure, but achieving it will require long-term commitment from current and future politicians, the public and all the agencies and individuals that work to support children and young people.

We are determined to deliver a bright future for all the Island's children and young people. Their future is the cornerstone to a strong vibrant community.

Thank you to everyone who has been involved in developing this Framework and to everyone who, over the coming years, will support its delivery.

Deputy Anne Pryke  Senator Ian Le Marquand Deputy James Reid

Minister, Health & Social Services Minister, Home Affairs  Minister, Education, Sports & Culture

November 2011

What you told us

Over 1,100 people told us what they thought about growing up in Jersey. We've listened and incorporated the emerging themes into the Framework. It is built on the voices and experience of Islanders.

"Schools arean't just about education. They are about community."

"Support us as a family."

"Take action before something goes wrong. It costs more upfront but less in the long term. And people don't get

as hurt on the way."

"I want to work –  "So much is dependent

I need childcare that  on those first months of

I can afford and trust." child's life. Help parents

get it right."

"Please can there be more to do on a rainy Sunday?"

How we'll use the Framework

You also told us that we should only spend money on things we can prove are effective and that we need to avoid duplication.

The Framework will help us do that. It will inform the States Strategic Plan, thus shaping the future direction of States policy in relation to children, young people and families.

It will also directly influence the States business planning process. We will work to develop a delivery plan for each of the six key outcomes set out in the Framework. Those delivery plans will dovetail with the States business planning process thereby influencing how we use our financial resources.

More details about how we will plan services are set out in Section 3.

Introduction

Q: Who is the Framework for?

A: All the Island's children and young people, their parents

and carers, service providers, You told us that more needs to be  politicians and decision makers.

done for all the Island's children

and young people, but particularly

Looked After Children and children

with a disability. We have prioritized

their needs but we have not singled

them out in a dedicated chapter.

Instead they are included alongside

other children and young people.

Whenever we talk about children and young people we mean everyone aged 0 to 18 years including those with additional needs, unless we clearly specify otherwise. In some cases the age range may be aged 0 to 25 years.

Q: Why have a Framework?

A: To ensure we invest resources in a way that delivers the greatest possible benefits.

We are a small Island and our children and young people are not always able to access the same range of services, facilities or opportunities that others have in the UK, mainland Europe or elsewhere. The number of children and young people in Jersey is not large (approximately 16,500 under 16 year olds) but some of the issues they face are more complex than those faced in much larger jurisdictions.

These issues include:

• limited higher education opportunities on the Island and associated costs of studying in the UK or elsewhere

• housing qualifications restricting opportunities and choices (particularly for young people who were not born on the Island)

• high cost of housing making it difficult to rent or purchase property and live independently

• small population size making anonymity hard for vulnerable young people

• lack of specialist facilities for those with a disability or additional needs

• dominance of the finance industry influencing the range of employment opportunities.

Jersey does not have the same economies of scale when developing services or infrastructure, so we must ensure that we invest our resources - people, effort, time, money and knowledge - in a way that delivers the greatest possible benefits for all children and young people. This framework will help us do that.

What is in it?

Section 1: What we want - our vision, our principles and six key outcomes.

Section 2: What we need to do - a chapter for each of the six outcomes which details:

What we've been told and what we already know

What we're currently doing or planning on doing

What we should focus on in the first instance, based on an assessment of current circumstances.

The six outcomes are all interlinked. For example, being healthy is dependent on other factors such as housing and employment. So, whilst the Framework is structured around six outcomes, many services do not fit neatly into one: there are areas of crossover and inter-dependency. For this reason we must work to deliver the Framework as a whole.

Section 3: How we are going to do it - work together to jointly plan, deliver integrated services and monitor

the effectiveness of what we're doing.

Q: What services does it apply to?

A: All services for children and young people delivered, funded or supported by the States.

The Framework will apply to all services that are delivered by the States; or funded and supported by the States but delivered by other agencies. It will also be relevant to non-States services as it seeks to reduce duplication and identify gaps.

The services covered fall into three categories: universal; targeted and specialist. Whilst all children receive universal services, smaller numbers require targeted and specialist services.

By dealing with problems at an early stage it is possible to improve outcomes for children and young people and, at the same time, ensure cost effective use of resources.

Whilst access to good services is important, it is only one of many determinants that affect the lives of children and young people. More influential social factors include family, community, the law, peer groups etc. The Framework touches on these issues but it is not a full social policy document, so it is essential that we link across all States social policy initiatives.

The services triangle

Services for people with particular needs including those who are:

• looked after or cared for outside their families

Specialist •  in need of protection

• at risk of offending or who have offended. Targeted services for those with identified

needs including: •  those with a health, welfare or support

Targeted needs for example:

• parenting support services

• education support or respite

  services.

Services for all including, for example:

schools, GP's, health visitors, childcare, youth Universal service, leisure facilities.

Jersey context

Jersey is a small Island, 9 miles by 5 miles. It is outstandingly beautiful and both culturally and administratively unique.

Jersey is a Crown Dependency and has considerable autonomy from the UK. It has its own government, the States of Jersey, and its own administrative, financial and legal systems, including its own courts of law. Yet it is not completely independent, it is both defended and represented on an international level by the UK Government.

The States of Jersey has 53 elected members. As well as debating and passing laws they take executive decisions determining policy and approving annual public expenditure.

The Island is divided geographically into 12 Parishes that deliver a range of functions evolved through hundreds of years of customary practice, including an Honorary Police system and a community-based alternative to formal court proceedings known as the Parish Hall Enquiry.

The population

The Island's permanent population is approximately 91,800, with around 700,000 visitors a year. This is a relatively small population comparable in size, although not in demographics, to UK towns such as Basingstoke (90,170) or Lincoln (85,970). Whilst our population is small it is dense with approximately 800 people per square kilometre compared to the UK's 250 or the Isle of Man's 140. This creates pressures on how we use our land, which in turn impacts on the cost and availability of housing and recreational space.

In common with many other countries the population balance between older and younger people is changing. At present we have approximately 16,500 under 16 year olds. As a percentage of the population this is declining year- on-year despite. At the same time the numbers aged 65 and over is increasing. Population projections suggest that

we already have the same population of under 15 year olds as we do over 65 year olds (17% each). As our population continues to age, more resources will inevitably be directed towards services for older people, whilst the proportion of people working and paying taxes to fund public services will decline.

The Island's farming, hospitality and finance industries have historically attracted workers from around the world. Today, approximately 10% of the Island population is from outside the British Isles. The census in 2001 showed that 53% of Jersey residents were born in Jersey, 36% in the British Isles, 4% in Madeira or Portugal, 2% in Poland and 4% somewhere else in the world.

How we live

Standards of living in Jersey are generally high and unemployment is low. Our gross national income per person is amongst that highest in the world. At $US 66,000 per capita it is significantly higher than the UK's $US 36,000[1]. Our weekly household income, after housing costs are taken out, is approximately 52% higher than the UK.

As in other jurisdictions there are disparities in income amongst different groups of people although for some these are levelling out. In 2002 an estimated 33% of children lived in households considered to have a relative low income. Today that figure is an estimate 22% compared to the UK's 30%.

Household income is, in part, driven by the Island having the highest percentage of economically active women in the world (82%). This includes a high proportion of working mothers (75% compared to 68% in the UK) which can create particular pressures in relation to access and affordability of childcare.

Other pressures include divorce and family breakdown. The divorce rate in Jersey is significantly higher than the UK. In 2008 alone there were approximately 27% more divorces registered on the Island. The rate of relationship breakdown between non-married partners is not known.

Section 1: What we want

Our vision, outcomes and principles

Our vision

We want all children and young people to grow up in a safe, supportive Island community in which they achieve their full potential and lead happy, healthy lives.

The outcomes

In order to make this vision a reality, we have identified six key outcomes. We want all children and young people to:

• Be healthy

• Be safe

• Achieve and do

• Grow confidently

• Be responsible and respected

• Have a voice and be heard.

Our principles

Five core principles will underpin the delivery of these outcomes:

1. the welfare of all children is a principal consideration
2. we will "think family" – supporting families[2] is critical to supporting children
3. early intervention is key - we must invest upfront to prevent problems developing in the first place
4. services must be designed and commissioned based on need, impact, effectiveness, efficiency and value for money
5. we must work in partnership to ensure best use of knowledge, expertise and resources.

Section 2: What we are doing and what we may need to do

Outcome 1: Be healthy

We want children and young people to enjoy good health - physically, mentally and emotionally. We will work to improve their understanding of health issues, promote their wellbeing and improve services.

1. What you told us

• Being healthy is critically important.

• You are concerned about obesity in children.

• We all need the best start – working women need maternity leave and new families need health visitors.

• You recognise that speech is fundamental to our wellbeing – all babies and young children need the stimulation and support essential to developing speech.

• You think schools have got a critical role to play – providing hot lunches and encouraging exercise through after- school activities.

• You want it to be easier to cycle around the Island.

• Adults are setting a bad example by drinking too much alcohol.

• You think our health services are good but it costs too much to take children to the GP.

Children and young people's voices

"Health is important because it affects your future"

"It's about achieving physical, mental and social wellbeing"

"Watching what you eat is important so you have enough energy to play sports"

"Some people come from a healthy background, others

have to learn to be healthy"

Adults' voices

"It's hard to get interpreters for non-English speaking families

accessing health services"

"It's expensive so you put something off rather than take them to the doctor because of the cost. You shouldn't feel like that, you should be able to take your child to the doctors."

"We have a really good health service in Jersey"

2. What the data tells us

Early Years

• There are approximately 1,000 births per year. The infant mortality rate is 3.6 per 1,000 live births. This compares

favourably to the figure of 4.7 in England and Wales.

• In 2009 there were 48 pre-term births under 37 weeks that required admission to the Neonatal Unit.

• In Jersey, breast-feeding rates are high immediately after the baby is born (on average at least 75%). They reduce

to around 30- 40% at the 6 week health check.

• Primary immunisation levels in Jersey are very high and, at 95-98% of children, are better than the UK.

Being active

• Physical activity decreases as children get older. 69% of 10-11 year olds participate in three or more physical

activities per week, declining to 51% by age 14-15. • Only a third of children are aware of the amount of physical activity they should be doing in order to

improve their health. • Between 2000 and 2006 there was a decline in the number of children cycling or walking to school and

an increase in those being driven to school. In the UK approximately 56% of children either walk or cycle at least some of the way to school, compared to only 37% of children in Jersey.

• In 2009 32% of the adult population were overweight and a further 12% were obese. This is increasing year

on year in Jersey, leading to a number of associated health risks. • 27% of Jersey's five year olds are overweight or obese compared to 23% in the UK. This number has risen year

on year over the last 10 years.

"If your mum and dad are fat,

you'll be fat"

Food and diet

• The majority of young people are aware of the 5-a-day' recommendation but this does not translate into practice.

On average, around three quarters of children aged 10- 15 years do not eat the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables each day. • One in ten young people aged 10-15 years do not have anything to eat before lessons start in the morning.

• The consumption of crisps or sweets and chocolate on most days increases with age (but this has reduced

steadily over the last 10 years). Older males aged 14-15 years consume more from this food group than any other age.

Smoking

• Smoking accounts for approximately 20% of all deaths on the Island (around 150 people per year).

• Children and young people are more likely to smoke if there are adults who smoke at home. Approximately

39% of 14-15 year olds live in a home where someone smokes and approximately 400 babies are discharged each year from maternity wards to households where at least one parent smokes.

• Whilst smoking amongst 14-15 year olds is decreasing, 17% of 14-15 year olds still report smoking at least 1

cigarette per week and 12% consider themselves regular smokers.

Q: "What makes you feel healthy?"

A: "Water, sleep, laughter, bananas" A: "Having a laugh with friends"

Alcohol and substance misuse

• The harm caused by alcohol in Jersey is real and measurable. It is estimated that 6% of all deaths in

the Island are premature and caused by alcohol

related conditions.

• In Jersey we drink one and a half times more alcohol

per capita than in England and Wales.

• In Jersey the number of licensed premises per head of population is double the number in England and Wales.

• Approximately 11% of young people aged 14-15years drink regularly, with approximately 8% drinking at least

double the recommended adult limit. Children who drink are at increased risk of physical and social harm.

• On average the specialist Alcohol and DrugsService has only 35 referrals per year for those under 25 years. Whilst

this number is small, young men are over represented in these figures. • Approximately a quarter of young people are under the influence of alcohol on arrival at police detention.

Sexual Health

• Teenage pregnancy rates for under 16's are much lower than in England and Wales (2.3 per 1,000

compared to 7.8 per 1,000).

• The rate of local under 18 conceptions remains low (16/1000) compared with UK (40/1000).

• Brook (Jersey) figures for 2009 show that 850 females requested emergency contraception with

approximately 199 of those being under 16 years old.

• The pregnancy rate for under 18 year olds is low

in Jersey and the majority in this age group who do become pregnant choose a termination.

• It is estimated that 20% of 14-15 year olds report they are having, or have had, a sexual relationship.

This compares with 25% in the UK. • The local survey revealed that only 64% of 14-15 year olds say that they have the confidence to say no

to sex. There is a difference between girls and boys with 80% of girls saying no compared to 45% of boys.

• 53% of young people report sex education lessons are their main source of information compared to

36% in previous years. • In general young people's knowledge of contraception has increased over the years. For example in 2010

approximately 77% of 14-15 yr olds knew where to get free condoms and 79% correctly identified condom use as a reliable method of preventing sexually transmitted infections.

• Jersey's specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) provides support, supervision

and consultation to approximately six services (for example: paediatrics and school counsellors) in addition to working directly with 540 children and young people aged less than 18 years. Of these, 39% had developmental disorders (e.g. Attention Deficit Disorder and Autistic Spectrum conditions) and 23% had emotional disorders (e.g. depression and anxiety).

• In 2008 there were 18 hospital admission of young people who self-harmed and 22 in 2009. Of these

90% were for poisoning. Professional opinion indicates that alcohol was a major influence in most incidences. There is nothing to indicate that the prevalence of self harm in Jersey is different to the UK.

3. What we are doing and planning

Early Years

• In Jersey, as in other jurisdictions, a number of babies

are born pre-term (approximately 10 per year are born

at less than 29 weeks). An early intervention service

is currently being piloted to monitor the development

of these very vulnerable babies. The service, which

brings together paediatric physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and a consultant paediatrician, is in-line with best practice clinical guidelines and aims to identify and address development problems at a very early stage. A Paediatric Liaison Health Visitor is to be appointed to provide continuity between the Hospital and Community Care.

• Specific Health Conditions

• The top three reasons for hospital admissions for those

18 years and under include respiratory diseases (most  • commonly asthma and tonsillitis), accidental injury and poisoning, diseases of the ear.

• There are approximately 39,700 attendances at the

Accident and Emergency Department per year in Jersey, compared to 11.9m per year in the UK. This equates

to 432 visits per thousand people in Jersey which is  • significantly higher than the UK's 199 visits per thousand people (NB: caution needs to be applied to these figures

due to some differences in data collection techniques and services provided)

• On average children visit a GP between 1.25 and 3 times

a year. GP's in Jersey are private businesses and people

pay to see them. •

• The total number of children or young people with mental health problems in Jersey is not known. UK estimates

suggest that 1 in 10 children or young people would

require help and support for a mental disorder, which, if

this was correct for Jersey would equate to approximately 1,800 children and young people.

Breast-feeding has a vital role in the health of children. Babies who are not breast fed exclusively to 6 months are at increased risk of a number of poor health outcomes. Breast fed babies are less likely to become overweight or suffer from a whole range of illnesses and allergies.

The health visiting service is working to support more mothers to breast-feed for longer. Activities include encouraging employers and businesses to provide breastfeeding facilities and providing support at two venues known as baby cafes (with breast feeding support groups and professional advice for new parents).

Jersey has the highest percentage of economically active women in the world, yet at present employment legislation does not extend to statutory maternity

pay and/or leave (although a contributory benefit is payable for 18 weeks in additional to a lump sum grant). Proposals for statutory maternity leave and other family friendly rights are planned to go to the States in 2012.

Following the recommendations of the recent Hall Report3, The Healthy Child Programme' has been introduced by the Family Nursing and Home Care organisation. It provides universal support for all families with young children and additional support for those who are most vulnerable.

3The Hall Report (4th Edition)

• All schools currently have access to school nursing. An additional school nurse and school nurse assistant are

being appointed to support children at Mont à L'Abbé and Haut Vallée schools. • School nurses currently carry out the standard height and weight measurements in Reception Year, when children

start primary school. There are plans to extend this routine measurement to include all children in Year 6. This would help improve local data and trends on child health and inform future preventative services for children and families.

General Practice (GPs)

It is widely acknowledged that GPs have an essential role to play in helping parents and carers to look after their children both through medical diagnoses, preventative care and the provision of more general advice and reassurance. GPs are often the first port of call for parents and carers managing a new and unknown situation with their child.

At present, the State subsidises the cost associated with taking a child to the GP and makes an allowance for GP visits when calculating benefits. Anecdotal evidence suggests that cost of GP's visits results in parents attending the Hospital Accident and Emergency Department instead (note: this anecdotal evidence does need to be fully substantiated).

The States Public Health team also subsidies free baby developmental checks and six free immunisation visits for the under-fives at GPs practices. This helps ensure that the cost of GP's visits does not present a potential barrier to children receiving essential immunisations, plus it helps ensure that parents are sent timely, systematic reminders about the need for immunisation.

In addition the Public Health team manages a centralised Child Health Information System that tracks children from birth, through pre-school years and school health careers. It provides a recall service which invites parents, at the relevant time, to visit their GP for baby development checks and immunisations. This helps ensure that the GP is the prime point of contact for a child's early healthcare needs.

Dental services

Being Active

At present 27% of Jersey's five year olds are overweight or obese compared to 23% in the UK. We aim to reduce this by:

• continuing to roll out of the National Healthy Schools Programme. Around seven Jersey primary schools

have achieved National Healthy Schools Status and 10 additional schools are working towards it. Each one has demonstrated a commitment to developing good practice around physical activity, food and nutrition, emotional health and wellbeing, and personal, social and health education.

• continuing targeted work by the Community and School Sports Department (CSSD) who work with

over 800 pupils each week in schools that have been shown to have less access to sports. • build on the Primary After School Physical Activity Programme which ensures increased provision of

physical education for targeted groups. The ECO- Active4 toolkit also supports schools to develop sustainable travel plans that encourage children to walk and cycle.

"Let them wear trainers to school and then they could just run everywhere."

"Cycling to school is the obvious answer, but cars go too fast on narrow roads."

Changes in diet have resulted in children being increasingly

susceptible to dental problems. Decay spreads rapidly  "You can't see a dark school in thinly enamelled milk teeth and can result in life-long

problems. The States currently subsides some of the  uniform beside the road in costs associated with taking children to the dentist  winter. Florescent strips need through the Dental Fitness Scheme and through  to be part of the uniform. " Dentistry Special Payments for those in receipt of income

support, or with an income just above the Income

Support threshold. A review of dental services undertaken

by the Health, Social Security and Housing Scrutiny Panel

during 2010 makes a range of recommendations which

will be assessed during 2011/2012. 4 ECO-Active toolkit is available from: www.gov.je/Environment

Smoking

Fewer Islanders smoke now than 10 years ago but 17% of 14 and 15 year olds still report smoking. The Tobacco Strategy (2010 – 2014) aims to reduce this to 5% over the next 5 years by:

• supporting behaviour change amongst all Islanders, including pregnant women and new parents, so that

babies and children have smoke free homes • ensuring health professionals have the right information to help smokers quit and make it easier for

smokers to access services

• updating legislation to make it harder for young people to access tobacco

• working with children and young people in schools in order to change behaviour.

Sexual Health

Research shows that the age of first sexual intercourse

is decreasing and local service data shows that the demand for sexual health services remains high. Children and young people need age-appropriate information and support to help them make their own positive choices. Jersey students have a similar level of knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases to their UK counterparts but appear better informed about contraceptive services.

A diverse range of services and interventions exist to assist and inform young people as they grow into adults:

• the PHSE curriculum ensures that primary and secondary students receive age appropriate education

and information. This is reinforced through informal education via youth workers, the youth work curriculum and the Youth Enquiry Service (YES)

• "Wouldn't drink as much if  •

there was more to do."

•

"All the adults drink. It is

just hypocritical."

Brook (Jersey) is a bespoke integrated sexual health service which offers advice and guidance as well as contraceptive clinics to young people

the Health Promotion Team provides professional support to those teaching PHSE and co-ordinates the condom distribution scheme.

the Chlamydia Screening Programme targets the testing of young people under 25 year olds for the most common sexually transmitted infection. The programme is offered as part of existing hospital and community sexual health services.

Children and young people's health services

Alcohol

Consuming high levels of alcohol increases the risk of developing liver cirrhosis, cancers and heart disease. Approximately 180 bottles of wine are drunk per person per year in Jersey. The Medical Officer of Health report (2010) identified key actions required to reduce the harm caused by alcohol, including:

• enhancing early preventative interventions for under 18 year olds who are known to be drinking hazardous

amounts

• introducing screening and counselling in primary care services

• ensuring public health is a key objective in the revised Liquor Licensing Law (Jersey 1974)

• establishing an alcohol pricing policy to reduce overall consumption.

Drinking is a major factor in crime and disorder. It also contributes to divorce, domestic violence and poverty. Reducing alcohol consumption across the whole community would deliver a multitude of benefits to children and young people.

The Health and Social Services Department is undertaking

a major review of the Island's future health, community and social care needs. This will include outlining potential options for the future provision of health and primary care services

to all Islanders, including children and young people.

Speech and language

Speech and Language Services are moving to a model of consultative working for children of secondary school age and developing a service for children with English as an additional language through the appointment of a bilingual co-worker.

Emotional & mental health

Promoting positive emotional health, mental health and well-being requires all services to work together. At present services comprise:

• universal support services provided by school counsellors in all State secondary schools and some

independent fee paying schools

• the Youth Enquiry Service (YES) offers free and  Disability

confidential information, advice and counselling support  Those who have a disability and/or complex needs

to young people aged 14 – 25 and has referrals from  currently receive targeted support from a range of

agencies such as GP's and Social Services, as well as self  services and organisations including, but not limited to: referrals •

• CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)  • the paediatric hethe multi-disciplinaralth ty child deveam elopment service

tYarouth Acgeted and specialistion Team, Mt serulti-agencvices ary Suppore provided byt Teams : the  • the social work team for children with a disability (MAST) operating in schools and Specialist Child and  • sensory needs services including for deaf and hard

Adolescent Mental Health Services of hearing

• the Pathway Plan developed by CAMHS and the  • Eden House and Oakwell, providing respite services General Hospital sets out the process for supporting  • the Youth Inclusion Project

childralso pren and young people who self harm. Supporovided in a co-ordinate manner through school t is  • Jersey Mencap

counsellors. • Autism Jersey

• A new multi-agency CAMHS Strategy is planned. It  • Headway.

will target children and young people with the highest

risk of mental health problems, as well as promoting

positive mental health through prevention and  Work is focused on ensuring the early discharge of

early intervention work. The recent appointment of  children and young people from hospital and developing additional staff, including three psychologists and one  community services through care at home or in clinics. consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, will help  Work is underway to improve services for paediatric improve existing services and reduce waiting times. palliative care and respite for children with a disability. In

addition the Social Security Department is preparing plans for a long-term care benefit that will be available to all

Children's surgery aged 18 years and above.

The UK's Royal College of Surgeons and other professional bodies are driving forward far-reaching recommendations about models of surgical care for children and young people that focus on their specific needs and circumstances. These potentially have far reaching implications for smaller jurisdictions where access to specialist facilities and professional specialisms

is limited by population size.

A review of children's surgery in Jersey will form an important component of the overall strategic review of the Health and Social Services Department and could, potentially, result in significant changes.

There is currently no comprehensive data about the number of children and young people with disabilities in Jersey, nor about the nature of their disability. We do know however that a more coherent and comprehensive support system is required. We are therefore working together to clearly define what we mean by disability, to obtain more comprehensive data and to strategically plan services together to meet need.

Looked After Children

We need to further strengthen our information about the health and wellbeing of Looked After Children in Jersey in order to help ensure that they can lead healthy lives. In addition to work being undertaken by current staff, a new multi-agency liaison group has been established to help improve their health. A Paediatric Liaison Health Visitor is to be appointed together with a dedicated Nurse and Medical Adviser for Looked After Children.

4. Focus for future development

Based on an assessment of the issues affecting the health and wellbeing of children and young people we propose to focus, in the first instance, on the following developments:

Our focus

PensurEnsurimprromooving hee that childre a joint ste prevalth serenttratativen livegic apprvice appre hees falthy livor childroaches toach to es.en and o help young people with high levels of need.

Take positive action to ensure parity

between Looked After Children and

their peers.

We've been told by people and professionals that this could include:

Deliver health promotion programmes shown to improve the health of children, young people and families. Focus on: breast-feeding; alcohol and tobacco use; obesity; protecting young people against sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies.

Improve the integration of children's health services including reviewing: access to GP's services; children's dental services and children's surgery.

Ensure a joined up approach to the development of services for children with disabilities and their families including a register of need.

Ensure a joint strategic approach to improving services for children and young people with mental health problems.

Establish systems to ensure that the health needs of all Looked After Children are fully assessed, prioritised and monitored.

Outcome 2: Be safe

We want to protect children and young people in our community and help keep them safe from harm. We will work to reduce the risks they face and help them develop protective behaviours.

1. What you told us

• Feeling safe is important.

• Most children and young people do feel safe in Jersey and their parent think they are safe. You think the worst things are the fear of crime and too much traffic.

• You are concerned about whether it is safe to cycle and walk on such narrow roads.

• Some parents, particularly those do not have English as a first language, are concerned about bullying and racism towards their children.

Children and young people's voices

"It's important to earn enough money

in an enjoyable job"

"We need fun and more activities: ice skating, a fun fair, open Fort Regent and give us free swimming"

"We feel stuck and under the impression we have to

leave in order to succeed"

Adults' voices "The education is great"

"Activites are quite expensive and families who don't have a great income miss

out on certain things"

"It's a great place to grow up but if the States don't want to loose the workforce they have educated they need to give young people good enough reasons to stay."

2. What the data tells us

Community Safety

• 91% of Jersey residents consider their neighbourhood to be safe.

• 71% of those who visit St Helier, after dark, feel safe.

• 13% of 14-15 year olds felt that safety was poor after dark in the area in which they lived.

• On average there are 4,000 Accident and Emergency (A&E) attendances a year due to an under 17 year old

sustaining an accidental injury, although this figure is reducing as a total proportion of all A&E attendances. • Jersey has a low rate of road traffic accidents involving children. In 2009 there were only 10 who had an

injury serious enough to require hospital admission. Despite this, the public believe children are at high levels of risk on Jersey roads.

• Crime levels in Jersey are significantly lower than the average in England and Wales (roughly half) and

overall recorded crime is the lowest it has been in the last five years.

• Less than 13% of known crime victims in Jersey are children and young people (2009).

• Domestic violence accounted for over 27% of assaults recorded in Jersey. Police were called to 1,046

incidents of domestic violence in 2009. Children were present in 551 of these.

• Men as well as women are victims of domestic abuse. Victim Support provides services to approximately

290 male domestic abuse victims a year • The incidence of bullying decreases from 19% in 12-13 year old to 12% in 14-15year olds. Males

are more likely to report being the victim of bullying then females.

• the average number of new registrations of children on the Child Protection Register has remained

consistent (6 per month) but children are now remaining on the register for longer. The numbers on the register has therefore increased by 100% over a three year period to 73.

• the rapid rise of the internet and other mobile communications has created the potential for associated

on-line abuse, such as bullying or grooming for sexual exploitation. The nature of mass communication means that the numbers of people associated with any one single incident can be high. During the last 2 years in Jersey, an average of 1 in 30 girls aged 8 - 13 years old who use the internet have been a potential target of on-line grooming networks.

• High numbers of children (93%) report having at least one adult they can trust.

3. What we are doing and planning

Community Safety

A significant part of police work involves community safety for children by:

• identifying and detecting offences committed against children

• using problem-solving approaches with neighbourhoods to address safety issues (such

as Hall oween)

• reducing crime and disorder and working with those areas at highest risk

• developing road safety education initiatives.

However ensuring the safety of children and the wider community requires work across all agencies. In Jersey, we have sought to achieve this through the development of a number of successful partnerships, which include:

• the Building a Safer Society partnership

Child Protection •  Community and school sports development Significant improvements in training and awareness  •  Victim Support

amongsthe last ft prew yeofesars, rsionals wesulted in childrorking with children who aren have poe, ovtentially er  •  Prison Me No Way

at risk of neglect or abuse, being more readily identified.  •  Safer St Helier

This incrsuch as the reased awapid rise in intareness, cerneombined with ot use (with the asther fsociatactors ed  •  Crime Stoppers Board

potential for on-line abuse) has resulted in marked  •  People Against Crime

changes to the numbers of children being referred to

services, for example: •  the Road Safety Panel

• reports to the Police concerning child protection issues  •  Street Based Youth Workers

rose by 159% in 2008. This was consolidated by a  •  the Roseneath Committee of Management further 2.4% increase in 2009 when the Police dealt  •  the Youth Action Team

with 421 such referrals.

• the Honorary Police.

Domestic violence

Children who live with domestic violence are at increased risk of behavioural problems, emotional trauma and mental health difficulties in adult life. Breaking the cycle of domestic violence is essential for the wellbeing of children. Over the last two years there has been a 30% increase in the number of recorded incidents of domestic violence. This rise could potentially be attributed to historic under-reporting. The increase in reporting enables more victims to receive support and the behaviour of more offenders to be tackled.

The Jersey Domestic Violence Forum has set up a number of sub-groups to address domestic violence issues. Work includes a new Island policy to address domestic violence and a plan to hold an awareness raising event for young people in 2011.

The Jersey Women's Refuge, which provides a secure place for victims and their children escaping violence at home, also provides training for agencies across Jersey and awareness raising campaigns. The Refuge is working in schools to explore domestic violence issues and provide support for children and teenagers.

Child Accident Prevention

In Jersey, childhood accidents account for approximately 4,000 A&E attendances a year, and in the UK they are known to be a leading cause of child mortality. Reducing the incident and impact of accidental injury is the key aim of the multi-agency Child Accident Prevention group (CAP). In addition to leading ongoing awareness campaigns, such as cycle helmet, seat belt and child car seat use, CAP provides reduced priced safety equipment for families and works directly with schools to help increase children's knowledge and awareness of risk.

In March 2010, the States of Jersey voted in favour

of introducing new legislation making it a requirement for all under 18 year olds to wear cycle helmets.

"Everything is hard. If you don't have the right haircut, or you're too

clever, or you don't listen to the

right music. Everything is hard."

The Jersey Child Protection Committee

To keep children and young people safe from harm all agencies must work closely together. The Jersey Child Protection Committee (JCPC) was established in 1996 to facilitate a co-ordinated approach to protecting children from harm or maltreatment. It has an independent chair and a committee made up of key partner agencies and a number of sub-groups, including:

1. serious case review
2. communications and planning
3. e-safety
4. procedures and audit
5. safeguarding children living away from home
6. education and training.

Its recent work has included:

• developing multi-agency procedures and protocols

• agreeing thresholds for identifying need

• establishing protocols for professionals working with sexually active children and young people

• developing complaints procedures

• conducting serious case reviews in the event of a child death or a child being subject to serious harm

• working with the Child Exploitation On-Line Protection Centre (CEOPS) to provide e-safety

awareness for retailers, parents, carers and professionals working with children

• auditing of child protection conferences which take place when a child is suspected of being at risk

• the provision of multi-agency training.

Bullying

Partnership working is helping tackle the fear of bullying. All schools now have procedures in place to tackle bullying, supported by awareness raising and curriculum based activities. Data shows that this has resulted in a perceived reduction in bullying.

Vulnerable Children

The States Departments and Third Sector organisations work together to provide intensive support and services

for vulnerable children. These include general family support, preventative work, child protection investigations, care for Looked After Children and those with disabilities and support for foster carers and prospective adopters. New developments for vulnerable children include:

• independent inspection of services for Looked After Children to be conducted in 2011

• an audit of referrals and eligibility criteria of Children's Social Services in order to inform future developments

• the creation of a bespoke Jersey Family Court Advisory Service to provide support to children in court proceedings

• the creation of 4 new social work posts to become part of Multi-Agency Support teams (MAST) in mainstream secondary schools

• the creation of an Offender Management Service to manage risks posed by convicted sex offenders living in the community

• supporting an Independent Board of Visitors to provide oversight of Jersey's Children's Residential Services

• the expansion of the Public Protection Unit to cater for the increasing demand for child protection and domestic violence cases

• work to help reduce the level of unauthorised absences from children's resident care homes, thus helping ensure the safety of the children and limiting opportunities for them to participate in anti-social behaviour.

This includes a joint protocol between Children Social Services and the States of Jersey Police which has had a significant beneficial impact.

New vetting arrangements

Following legislative and associated policy work with UK agencies major changes have been introduced to employment and regulatory vetting procedures within Jersey. Local employers and regulators now have direct

access to the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) in England and Wales, which will have a significant impact on improving measures to support local safeguarding of children. In addition, the Jersey police have established a dedicated CRB Disclosure Unit with responsibility for disclosure of local information and intelligence into the national system.

4. Focus for future development

Based on an assessment of the issues affecting the safety of children and young people we propose to focus, in the first instance, on the following developments:

Our focus

TfTvulnereel and aro ensuro ensurable childre that childre appre safopriate.en paren and young people e supporticularly those at t for all risk of harm.

To work with families to help them to

take informed decisions and actions to

ensure their children's safety.

We've been told by people and professionals that this could include:

Continue to build on existing initiatives to help reduce incidences of domestic violence and minimise impact on children and young people.

Review potential expansion of the JCPC role to a wider "safeguarding" remit.

Review legislation designed to protect children from accidents.

Ongoing development of services for children based on findings of independent inspection and audit of Social Services referrals.

Outcome 3: Achieve and do

We want all children and young people to realise their aspirations and achieve their full potential. We will work to improve the opportunities available for all including those with additional needs.

1. What you told us

• A significant number of you – particularly children at primary school - said that having a good education was the most important thing to them.

• Parents overwhelmingly said that our education system is excellent, but some did express concern about there being fewer opportunities for those who are not academically minded.

• You think that the cost of going to university is high and are concerned that the size and makeup of the Island economy means there are a lack of job opportunities for who stay on the Island and for those who return after university.

• You told us that schools are a vital community resource and we should use them more for after school activities. You think more people should volunteer in schools and pupils should do more volunteering in the community. You recognised that this could not just be bolted onto a teacher existing job but needs planning and resourcing.

• You feel very strongly that achievement is about more than exams and money, it is about being active, getting involved and having fun. Most you said there is lots to do in the summer but not enough during the rest of the year. Many expressed concern about how expensive out of school activities are, and about the problems

of transport to and fro.

Children and young people's voices

"It's important to earn enough money in an enjoyable job"

"We need fun and more activities: ice skating,

a fun fair, open Fort Regent and give us free swimming"

"We feel stuck and under the impression

we have to leave in order to succeed"

Adults' voices "The education is great"

"Activites are quite expensive and families who don't have a great income miss out on certain things"

"It's a great place to grow up but if the States don't want to loose the workforce they have educated they need to give young people good enough reasons to stay."

2. What the data tells us

Learning

• There are just over 12,000 pupils in compulsory education and approximately 1,000 young people in

education aged 16 and over. •  Jersey has a unique education system that comprises 43 primary, secondary and specialist schools. Some

are private, some States fee paying and some non-fee paying States schools.

• A very small number5 of families educate their children at home, monitored by the Education Support Team.

"I know we've got good schools. Better than my

cousins in England"

"Feel under real pressure to do well in exams and

be a success."

School Attendance

• School attendance in Jersey is high with an attendance rate of 95.4% in primary schools and 92.8% in

secondary schools.

• Unauthorised absence levels are lower than the UK (0.26 in primary schools and 0.97 in secondary schools).

• In 2008/9 497 pupils were suspended from school for a fixed term. 104 where given more than one suspension.

Whilst this is a significant number, the overall percentage is very low in comparison with England.

• There have been no permanent exclusions in Jersey for several years.

"It's important to have a good education and believe in yourself"

Achievement

• Jersey children and young people do well when compared to their counterparts in England. In 2009

71% of year 11 students achieved 5 or more A* to C Grades. •  In 2009 of the 1,024 year 11 students, 94% are known to have gone on to further education, training

or employment.

• Only a very small number of young people (0.5%) left school with no qualifications in 20096.

• 81% of A-level entries in Jersey in 2009 achieved grades A to C compared with 75% in the UK.

• 47% of young people go on to university and higher education courses.

Children with Additional Needs

• A Record of Need is issued when a child has special educational needs requiring additional

arrangements to be put in place. There are currently 318 children in Jersey with a Record of Need. 228 of these are placed in special educational settings. Others receive education in mainstream schools with additional support.

• Jersey successfully educates its own pupils with only a very small number of children requiring

specialist provision off the island7. •  164 children in primary schools and 52 in secondary schools require language support.

"We live in a bubble in Jersey. We need help preparing for life."

"We need to know more about what is out there and you need to tell us earlier"

5;6&7The actual number is not given because it is so small it could result in those children or young people potentially being identified.

Employment and training

• 1,026 young people took part in the Trident work experience scheme.

• 55 young people took part in the Institute of Directors Work Shadowing Scheme last year and approximately

1000 per year participate in enterprise activities, using people from local businesses as mentors.

• One in five 14-15 year olds have a regular paid job (mostly babysitting). This has decreased from 39% in

2000. •  Only a small percentage of young people are known to move out of education or training into employment

after GCSE (in 2009 2% moved into employment with an additional 2% seeking employment).

• After A levels only 13% moved into employment with an additional 1% actively seeking employment.

• Approximately 1,200 people in Jersey are unemployed and actively seeking work. About 25% (330 people)

are aged 16 – 19 years of which 100 were on the Advance to Work Scheme. Those aged 16 -19 years form the biggest single cohort of unemployed people actively seeking work.

• 87% of unemployed 16 – 19 year olds, who are actively looking for work, claim income support.

• 67% of 14-15 year olds say they will continue in full time education.

• The finance sector accounts for 53% of economic activity compared to 3% tourism and 1% agriculture.

24% of those in employment work in finance or legal services, 8% in catering or tourism and 2% in manufacturing.

• Transition information for Years 9 – 14 in 2006 indicated that 83 young people are likely to move in to

adult services over the next 5 years. •  120 young people under 25 years received a service from Jersey Employment Trust over the last year.

Getting involved

• Over 400 young people age 14 + are currently doing their Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

• Over 2,500 children and young people belong to a uniformed youth organisation (e.g. Scouts).

• 68% of children participate in after school sports.

• 39% of 15-16 year olds belong to a club of some kind.

• There are 21 children's play areas provided across States Social Housing stock (predominantly 3 and

4 bed family homes) and 4 provided by Housing Trusts (who have a smaller proportion of 3 and 4 bed family homes). Only 7% of complaints received by the Housing Department relate to "youth nuisance". Youth nuisance is sometimes, although not always, an indicator of lack of play space.

• In the 2006 Jersey Annual Social Survey, certain urban parishes felt there was little for young people to

do (66% of the population in St Clement; 61% in St Helier and 60% in St Saviour).

• There are approximately 15 parks across Jersey.

• There are 18 major accessible beaches across Jersey.

• The Youth Service run 16 Youth Centres across Jersey which provide access to various activities and

opportunities for young people aged 11-18 years in every Parish.

"Bring back the

trampolines."

3. What we are doing and planning "..need more facilities that are

free and affordable. Feel we're missing out on things they have in the UK and that makes us think Jersey isn't as good and doesn't service us well."

We know that achieving good examination grades helps children and young people have greater opportunities in life and we also know that it is important for children to enjoy learning and to have the opportunity to develop skills and interests, not only in school settings but also in their leisure time. This is at the heart of the work undertaken by the Department for Education, Sport and Culture. Key objectives include:

• continuing to raise standards and improve key outcomes for children and young people

• working with the Skills Executive to ensure that vocational education is available

• developing programmes and initiatives designed to promote social inclusion and equal opportunity

• encouraging widespread participation learning, sport, leisure and cultural activities

• providing targeted support to meet the needs of vulnerable children and families.

Supporting Learning in Schools and Colleges

Schools and colleges receive support, training and services aimed at raising educational attainment from a number of dedicated teams which include: The Professional Partners and Teaching and Learning Advisers; the Education Support Team: educational psychologists; education welfare; early years; speech and language; visually impaired; hearing impaired; English as a second Language specialists; special schools and provisions; the Jersey Instrumental Music Service; and the Jersey Youth Service.

All Looked After Children are identified in schools. Data from this work will help inform future support for these children.

"Are there jobs for people like me who're useless at maths?"

Children with Additional Needs

In addition to special schools, Jersey has developed a range of educational specialist support for children with additional needs. This includes: the Educational Support Team; resourced provisions in mainstream schools to meet physical, hearing, language and social communication needs; and Special Schools for severe learning difficulties, and emotional and behavioural difficulties. An alternative Curriculum is available for some Year 11 students who have not accessed Year 10 successfully.

In 2009-10 a review of Educational Inclusion in Jersey was undertaken. The draft report of this review found that the Island does well to include children with additional needs in mainstream State schools with a lower proportion of children attending specialist schools than in England. However, it also suggested that the combination of a selective system and parents choosing to send their children to fee paying schools could be resulting in a heavy reliance on a small number of non-selective mainstream schools to meet additional needs. Work is now focused on:

• proposals to restructure the school system to improve the vocational choice and the breadth of curriculum

• implementing the recommendations of the Review of Educational Inclusion

• providing early support through a cluster-based approach including a range of agencies

• increasing parenting support

• increasing the proportion of children whose needs are met without the need for a Record of Need

• increasing the proportion of children with high level needs whose needs are met in mainstream school placements

• ensuring support for schools to reduce the need for suspension and increase attendance by better meeting the emotional and learning needs of vulnerable children

• establishing a Kite Mark Standard of Developing Awareness and Communication with Deaf and Blind People.

Employment and Training

Jersey's economy is dominated by the financial and legal services industries. Other traditional industries such as agriculture, manufacturing and tourism are shrinking in comparison. This has an impact on the diversity of employment opportunities for young people leaving education and entering the job market.

The Jersey Skills Board aims to ensure that the Island's population, including young people, have the right skills for employment and for supporting diversification in the Island economy. Activities delivered by the Board and its partner organisation include:

• Advance to Work, which provides unemployed 16 – 19 year olds with three months work experience, work training and a personal mentor

• Enhanced Work Zone, run by Social Security, provides personal advisors to support the young unemployed in their job seeking activities plus a range of training courses

• undergraduate internships providing work placement opportunities for students during the summer holidays. In 2010 over 60 students undertook internships in areas such as civil engineering, marketing, finance, environmental

research and IT

• research and investment in locally delivered higher education schemes in strategically important areas – finance, IT, Childcare studies

• a pilot vocational option for 14+ year olds

• careers advice and guidance to over 4000 young people each year. Services include: school careers sessions for 14

– 18 year olds; the Trident work experience scheme for 15 - 16 year olds and opportunities for final year pupils to participate in schemes such as Young Enterprise, the Institute of Directors and the Chartered Institute of Marketing work shadowing schemes

• the Prince's Trust and the Youth Service provide a 12-week personal development programme every 6 months, for 15 young people aged 16 to 25 years who are unemployed, may not have achieved at school, have been in care or

have been involved with crime and/or drugs. At the end of the programme most participants find a job or access a training course.

Additional activities include:

• School-based youth work which provides creative and alternative ways of learning and supporting social and personal development, such as On-2-wheels, ASDAN, Princes Trust XL 2 year programme and The Duke of

Edinburgh's Award scheme. •  Vocational courses at Highlands College for 14 – 16 year olds. The courses run for a day each week as part of personalised education programmes based in schools.

Employment and training for young People with additional needs

For disabled young people and those with additional needs, the transition into adulthood is far more complex. Not only do they have all the challenges of growing up but also significant changes to their support arrangements, with a whole array of different professionals involved. Jersey's Transition Planning Policy sets out existing processes including early consultation with Adult Social Services to identify those likely to need ongoing support. Work is taking place to support development of clear person-centred transition plans with associated budgets.

A Strategy has been developed to promote choice through the provision of a wider range of employment opportunities. The aim is to ensure that no person with a learning disability or on the autistic spectrum wishing to work is excluded from pursuing employment opportunities.

A number of organisations such as the Jersey Employers Network on Disability and Jersey Employment Trust (JET) work with people, with a disability to maximise their potential to gain and retain paid employment.

In 2009 JET introduced a Transition Service whose remit is to link with young people with disabilities from age 14 onwards. The Team supports young people by working in partnership with them, their school/college, parents/carers, employers and other services in order to help them work towards and realise their future employment opportunities.

A 6 month personal development programme for young people with special needs aged 17-25 years has been developed. Young people develop their social and life skills, gain employment skills and make friends and build self- confidence. As part of the programme they also go on an outward-bound residential course in the UK.

"We got lots of help when she was at Mont l'abbe but then it just stopped. Like her disability was meant to disappear now she'd stopped going to school"

Benefits for young people looking for work or training

16 – 19 year olds are the biggest single group of unemployed people in Jersey, closely followed by 20 – 24 year olds. 87% of young people in these groups are in receipt of income support (either directly or as part of their parent's claim) which provides them with financial assistance whilst they look for employment, or undertake some form of training or education that supports them into employment.

Consultation with young people suggested that some believe that the training and education options are too limited, although additional research would be needed to assess the extent to which this is a problem.

"They said they'd take away my benefits because being a nail technician isn't proper training"

Culture and leisure opportunities

There are a number of cultural organisations in Jersey which offer opportunities to children and young people: the Jersey Arts Centre, the Jersey Opera House, the Jersey Arts Trust and the Jersey Heritage Trust and the Don Balleine (L'Office du Jerriais). These include:

• the Arts Centre Youtheatre', art exhibitions and competitions for young people and courses and workshops

• La Motte Street Youth Centre offers a social space as well as a range of art development facilities for young people. The Centre and staff deliver and host a variety of dance, drama and music workshops, music technology training

courses, rock and gig schools, music tuition and coordinates external events such Junior Battle of the Bands and other live performance stages for young people.

• opportunities for children to hear music, from cultures around the world (developed in conjunction with the Instrumental Music Service)

• the Jersey Eisteddfod which involves large numbers of young people in both the Autumn (stage-based) and Spring (creative arts) festivals

• young people participating in events hosted by the Jersey Opera House

• a membership scheme which provides free access to sites for Jersey school children provided by the Jersey Heritage Trust

• a programme of visits to young people within the curriculum to museums and castles and hosted activities for families with children outside of the school day

• Jerriais teaching to around 200 primary school children each year outside the school curriculum. A new component, part

of citizenship, will provide a taster' for all primary children. A GCSE equivalent is also being developed for secondary schools

• Jersey's annual Battle of the Flowers parade is a major community project involving hundreds of children and young people from across the Island Parishes and community groups.

"There is loads to do but as a parent I'm just a taxi

service"

"I want to do things with my mates but I can't get

anywhere."

4. Focus for future development

Based on an assessment of the issues affecting the ability of children and young people to achieve their full potential we propose to focus, in the first instance, on the following developments:

Our focus

Cachievpeople.Narontinue trow the gap beement of all childro raise the eductween children and young ational en who underachieve and their peers.

Ensure that all children have the

necessary skills to thrive and make a

positive contribution to society.

Ensure that our schools are fully inclusive and supportive of all students.

Promote vocational and employment opportunities for all young people, including those with a disability.

We've been told by people and professionals that this could include:

Review the curriculum at each stage of education to ensure that it meet the needs of all children and young people.

Provide more vocational opportunities for young people to choose from.

Continue to implement the evaluation framework for schools to ensure high standards.

Provide more opportunities for all students to participate in community development initiatives.

Ensure that targeted support is provided to help vulnerable children and young people achieve as they go through the education system.

Continue to deliver targeted training programmes such as Prince's Trust Team and Youth Steps.

Evaluate how to improve access to activities for all children. Consider safe routes.

Outcome 4: Grow confidently

We want all children and young people to grow into confident fulfilled adults who feel cared for and inspired by their families and the community around them. We will work to support families and others to enable this to happen.

1. What you told us

You think Jersey is a great place to grow up but you are concerned about the high cost of living and a range of other issues:

• You think childcare it too expensive - as a result you sometimes use unregistered child minders or choose not to return to work. Some of you think childcare benefits are too rigid and do not allow sufficient opportunities to work or train. Others want more choice of childcare.

• You think that parenting support is important and that we should continue to do more, particularly for new parents. You recognise that helping families at the outset can prevent problems from occurring or getting worse.

• You think there such be more facilities like the Bridge Community Centre.

• You are concerned that family breakdown happens more in Jersey than the UK because of the pressure on families to work and earn money and, when it does happen, you are concerned our housing policies might make it worst for children.

• Housing is a real concern on a number of levels including the quality of unqualified accommodation; potential overcrowding, the impact that the loss of housing qualifications has on children and a lack of affordable housing for young people.

Children and young people's voices

"We need love"

"I want a nice house"

Adults' voices

"Jersey is great for the kids. Its safe and happy."

"You worry that if its cheap childcare it won't be any good..and they spend hours there."

"I have two young boys stuck in a flat with nowhere to play, so they tend to go and

cause mischief somewhere."

"We all need help at times – whether financial or just someone to talk to."

2. What the data tells us

Children's Environments

• 86% of the housing market is A-H category owner occupied, rented or social housing. 12% is non-

qualified accommodation and 2% is J category accommodation. A-H category social housing accounts for 14%.

• Social Housing waiting lists show greater demand for one and two bedroom homes (77%) as opposed to

larger three bedroom or more family homes (23 %). •  2.8% of private households with children under 18 years were classified as overcrowded.

• 59% of households have a private garden.

• 8% of households with children aged 0 to 5 years have no private or communal green space.

• 7% of households with children aged 5 to 10 years have no private or communal green space.

Early Years Provision

• 47% of children under 3 yrs and 90% of those 3 years and above spend time in a registered childcare setting

(numbers of children being cared for in unregistered settings is not known). •  There are currently 96 Registered Family Child Carers (previously known as child minders) caring

for between one and six children each. This is approximately the same per capita as the UK.

• There are 18 Accredited Nannies (numbers of unaccredited nannies is not known).

• 17 States primary schools have nurseries which provide places free of charge.

Parenting

• Jersey has the highest percentage of economically active women in the world (82%). It also has a high

proportion of working mothers, 75% of women with children under the age of 16 in employment, compared to 68%in the UK. •  Divorce rates in Jersey are higher than the UK. In 2008 there were 2.8 divorces per 1,000 people in

Jersey compared to 2.2 in the UK. This equates to 27% more divorces in 2008.

• There are only a very small number of children born to mothers under 18 years of age8 in Jersey.

• 9% of those caring for a relative or friend are under

16 years of age.

• Approximately 300 parents/carers and 380 children participated in parenting courses per year in Jersey.

• Users of existing parent support services have stated they need additional help with:

• discipline and limit setting (56% of families)

• emotion and affection (40% of families)

• play and engagement (32% of families)

• empathy and understanding (26% of families).

"it is always okay if there is

someone to talk to."

"Divorce is tough enough on kids, but even harder here because of housing"

Household Income

• The average household income for a couple with at least one child aged under 16 is £1,145 per week.

For a lone parent the average is £613 per week. This compares with an average household income for all Jersey households of £860 per week. •  The proportion of households with children falling into the "relative low income" category has fallen

since 2002. Taking household income after housing costs have been deducted, 41% of single parents were in the relative low income category in 2009. This compares with 64% in 2002. For couples with children, the proportion has fallen from 28% in 2002 to 19% in 2009.

• In 2002 33% of all children in Jersey lived in relative low income households. By 2009 this proportion had

fallen to 24%.

Looked After Children

• There are 84 Looked After Children in care in Jersey in 2010. There has been an increase of 10% since 2008.

• Children in care have a variety of placements according to their needs:

• around 40% will be placed in foster care

• around 30% will live with family and friends carers

• others will live in residential children's homes or

other settings (including secure accommodation or residential schools or other placements outside Jersey).

• A very small number9 of Jersey children are adopted

by Jersey families on the Island every year. In addition, a small number of children from other countries are adopted by Jersey families.

8&9The actual number is not given because it is so small it could result in those children or young people potentially being identified.

3. What we are doing and planning

Housing

Decent, affordable housing contributes to the well-being of parents and children. Children in stable housing, where there is no overcrowding, do better in school and have reduced exposure to stress, infections and health and safety hazards that affect their physical and mental health.

In Jersey, the system of housing qualifications and the high cost of housing can bring particular challenges. Work to address this includes:

• The Lodging House registration law, and associated order, sets out minimum standards for occupancy levels and facilities relating to registered lodging houses (4% of Island residents). It does not however cover other non-

qualified accommodation, such as lodgers in private houses, or non-qualified tied housing (8% of Island residents). The numbers of children and young people living in this accommodation is unknown.

• Social Housing provision, which accounts for approximately 14% of Island residents, has been reviewed. Proposals are being developed to address the recommendations of this review. This will include revising the access criteria for

both affordable housing and social housing. •  The States works to support home ownership through its Property Plan Scheme which enables social housing tenants to purchase States rental property and through Home Buy, which supports low income first-time buyers

with children to purchase homes at discounted rates.

• The Population Office's Relationship Breakdown Policy was developed in recognition of the harm that can be caused by forcing children to move if the breakdown of their parent's relationship results in loss of housing qualifications.

The qualifying criteria, which include length of relationship, period of residency and residential qualifications means that protection is only provided to some children.

"Stop pretending that unqualified accomodation is a home."

Supported Housing

The Supported Housing Group works to provide social housing with wrap around support packages for vulnerable people, including young people leaving care and those with mental health, addiction or other problems. It aims to help them live more independent lives. The Group has supported 52 young people, aged 18 – 25 over the last five years. The Housing Department's Assisted Living Team also supports young people to obtain bed-sit accommodation or take over tenancy of a family home in the event of their parents leaving or dying.

At present young people who wish, or need, to live independently of their parents or carers cannot access Housing Department social housing on the grounds that they have a low income, or that they are in receipt of income support. Under existing criteria they would only be housed if they are 18 years old and over and:

• had a dependent child or a sibling for whom they are responsible or

• were referred via the Supported Housing Group.

The access criteria for social housing are to be revised which potentially make it more readily available to young people who are not currently eligible.

At present some vulnerable 16 – 18 year olds, when it is deemed that they should live independently, are housed in hostel accommodation by Social Services, whilst the Causeway Association provides sheltered accommodation for woman who have unplanned pregnancies or single mothers with children aged 2 or under.

"My children are very stiffled, they are not allowed to play on the estate and there's nowhere for them to go in town.

They end up sitting in a room being aggressive because they can't get rid of their energy."

Benefits

Income Support is available to people aged 16 or over (either directly or as part of their parents' claim) and who satisfy income and residency conditions. It includes a number of components and/or eligibility criteria that impact on children and young people, both as claimants or as children supported by claimants, including:

• the prime carers of pre-school aged children are exempt from work and are eligible to receive income support if they choose to stay at home to look after their child.

• prime carers who are in employment, or are in some forms of education and training, can receive a higher rate of income support which takes account of their childcare costs.

• support for living and rental costs for adults aged under 25 if they are responsible for, and living with, a child. This helps ensure that young parents can live independently.

• medical costs are covered by three different income support components. The clinical cost competent helps with the cost of GP visits, whilst the personal care and mobility components provide additional financial support to those

with long-term medical conditions and disabilities.

• whilst eligible 16 - 25 years can claim income support for day-to-day expenses, most are not entitled to the accommodation component which makes a contribution towards the cost of rent. In some cases the cost of rent

is provided. These include:

• a young adult who is responsible for and living with a child

• a care leaver

• a young person who has been financially independent for at least a year previously

• other young adults who are unable to remain in the family home.

Young people with disabilities can make their own Income Support claim when they reach school leaving age. This ensures that they can receive financial support in their own right.

A thorough review of Income Support will be combined with the results of the Income Distribution Survey to identify the support that is needed for particular household groups, including families with children and young people.

Early Years Provision

In April 2009 the Early Years and Childcare Partnership, (EYCP), was established as a multi-agency group, in response to a States Scrutiny Report. The group has agreed an EYCP Strategic Plan, which focuses on early years and childcare for children up to the age of 12 years. The plan comprises a number of work streams.

1. Getting the quality right – an under 3s Quality Framework and a Pre-school Quality Framework that aim to set out clear standards for the care of children. Will include promoting community care for babies and mothers before the child is born and establishing agreed standards for the kind of education provided in nurseries.
2. Staff qualifications - producing a framework of qualifications designed specifically for Jersey to enable the Island to maintain a high quality children's workforce.
3. Social Inclusion - to help achieve a socially inclusive society, by ensuring equity of opportunity in accessing Early Years and Childcare and all workings of the EYCP.
4. Play and Care - to determine what Jersey's under 12s need for quality play and care, and to produce a Play Strategy for the Island.

5 Monitoring the impact of the new Nursery Education Fund - introduced in 2009 which provides 20 hours

free nursery education to all qualifying three and four year olds.

Parenting and Family Support

Parents play a fundamental role in their children's lives. Evidence shows that when parenting goes wrong there is increased potential for children to be disaffected, to engage in criminal and offending behaviour, to experience mental health or behavioural problems and under achieve, both academically and economically. Investing in multi-agency, seamless services is essential ensuring that parents receive the support they need.

Targeted parenting support is currently provided in a number of ways, as set out in Stronger Foundations, the Island's multi-agency parenting support strategy. The parenting strategy helps support and further delivery of a range of Jersey-based initiatives.

• The NSPCC Pathways Centre offers a family support service predominantly for pre-birth through to pre-school age children, including group work, drop-in activities and parenting and pre-school programmes.

• The Young Mums Group is a project which the Youth Service runs in partnership with Family Nursing and Home Care using the NSPCC Pathways facility at Le Squez. It targets young women 21 years old and under who are pregnant

or are already a young mother. The Young Mum's project focuses on supporting the young women by meeting on a weekly basis with others going through the same experience, and to get information and advice in a warm, friendly and safe environment.

• Brighter Futures works with families who have a high level of need. Work focuses on relationships and self- management of stress and anxiety. The aim is to help parents develop effective strategies for achieving family

change. In 2009 Brighter Futures supported over 180 families and there is growing demand for the service. Future developments include: •  extending outreach support to hard-to-reach parents •  extending provision for attachment work for older children •  providing training and supervision for the delivery of Journey into Well-Being programmes in schools

and other settings.

• The CAMHS service working with Brighter Futures, have introduced "mellow parenting groups" that support vulnerable families with children under the age of five.

• The Parenting Support Team offers a range of services including:

• Universal parenting courses and JELLY clubs (Jersey Early Learning Literacy Years)

• Troubled Teens courses

• Family problem solving

• Courses for separating/divorced parents

• Support to families who have children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

• Therapeutic work 1:1 with parents

• E-Safety advice and guidance.

The Parenting Support Team is also working to develop a network of family-school link workers, whose role is to engage with, and provide information and support to families. A new forum bringing this network together began in September 2010

"Its tiny here. You'd think it would be easy to find out what's doing on and who can help but it isn't"

" There is support but it is not advertised widely enough"

Early support

Providing early support to children, young people and families who require it helps prevent family crises. This reduces the need and cost of more targeted intervention and ultimately results in better outcomes for children and young people.

The JCPC is working to explore the introduction of a common approach to identifying needs, ensuring a consistent approach to assessment across all agencies and providing support earlier. This is based on the Common Assessment Framework used in England.

Projects designed to provide early support to children and young people who are considered as potentially in need include:

• the mainstream nursery project and the Assisted Nursery Places Scheme, which helps ensure that young children (under

5) who are in need, often as a result of family difficulties, can attend Island nurseries. The project provides the children with access to a positive, stimulating environment whilst enabling their parents' to engage with other services.

• the Preventative Focus Work Project, which provides individually tailored support on a one-to-one or small group basis to young people considered in need. Issues include anger management, keeping safe and self esteem. Follow

on work can include engaging the young people in main stream activities or learning (for example, football skills and cooking skills). This provides a positive focus for the individual and essential respite for the family. During a 15 month period in which 82 children participated, only a very small number10 were placed in care whilst on the project, indicating the role that such projects can have in early intervention.

"We don't expect parents to cut their children adrift at aged 18 or 21, so why do it to children in care?

Shouldn't it be the other way round? Shouldn't vulnerable children be able to stay at home for longer?'

Looked After Children

For some children and young people living at home is not an option and they are cared for by Children's Social Services. Children and young people are supported by social workers and placed with families through foster care, family and friends placements, adoption or in one of the five residential children's homes in Jersey. If the child has a disability and appropriate family based placements are not available, consideration may be given to placing them in the hospital or another residential care setting.

Whilst the numbers of children and young people in the care system has risen in the last three years, a large number are older teenagers who will leave the care system in due course. It is therefore estimated that the numbers in care will reduce to 60 by 2013.

The fostering and adoption team have greatly improved placement choice and availability for children and young people of all ages and reduced the previous dependency on residential children's homes. More children than ever before are accommodated in family placements.

We know from research in the UK and elsewhere that outcomes for Looked After Children are not as good as their counterparts. There is a growing body of evidence which suggests that Looked After Children, as a whole, do better if they remain beyond the age of 16 in their care environment, as opposed to living independently.

Developments to improve services for Looked After Children in Jersey include:

• the development of a new management structure for Children's Social Services

• the development of a new Intensive Support Team, supporting children, young people and their families at times of crisis and providing support for those returning home after a period in care

• a review of provision for children with a disability and those with complex needs, to include residential care provision over the short, medium and long term

• the appointment of an independent reviewing officer to ensure that all Looked After Children have appropriate care plans and support

• the refurbishment of Brig-y-Don children's home

• the further development of the emergency duty system

• upgrading the case management database

• the appointment of an external inspection agency.

10The actual number is not given because it is so small it could result in those children or young people potentially being identified.

[1]"... not just like oh yeah you're an adult now, see ya."

Looked After Children leaving care

There is an average of eight young people leaving care each year on their eighteenth birthday. A dedicated leaving care team assists care leavers in their transition to independence. The team works with between 30 to 50 young people at any one time providing personal, practical, social and emotional support, advice and guidance. Care leavers moving into adulthood face a number of challenges and are at high risk of homelessness, unemployment, substance misuse and mental health problems.

• A project aimed at designing a blueprint for future service delivery for these young people and other vulnerable 16 to 25 year olds has been set up as part of the response to the Williamson report[2].

• Refurbishment of a local farmhouse building will provide six bed-sitting units to accommodate young people leaving care.

Young Carers

The States of Jersey, together with the Jersey Association of Carers, launched a carers' strategy in 2010. This included a commitment to invest in improving support for young carers to ensure that they fulfil their potential and aspirations. A young carers' group has been set up at Le Rocquier School for young carers and further work is taking place to establish groups in the other secondary schools in Jersey over the next couple of years.

4. Focus for future development

Based on an assessment of the issues that can support, or hinder, children and young people to grow in confident adults and feel inspired and fulfilled, we propose to focus, in the first instance, on the following developments:

Our focus

Ensure children benefit from quality provision in their early years.

Ensure the early identification of support

Minimise impacon families and young people.t of inadequate housing  needed for potentially vulnerable children

and families.

Ensure services and policies minimise

the impact of breakdown of family

relationships.

Ensure appropriate support for all

young people in transition, including

children with disabilities and those

with particular needs.

Ensure people know where to go for help.

We've been told by people and professionals that this could include:

Implement the Early Years Quality Standards. Improve access to parenting support. Introduce a common assessment framework.

Support review of access criteria to social and affordable housing and support increased housing options for young people with

particular needs.

Investigate issues relating to children in non- registered lodging accommodation.

Ensure housing and population policies support health and wellbeing of all children

and young people.

Explore options to ensure Looked After Children can either remain in their care setting for longer and can access suitable, supported accommodation.

Ensure appropriate support to young people in

Outcome 5: Be responsible and respected

We want children and young people to act responsibly and to be respected

by others. We will work with them and the wider community, including those involved in youth justice, to help engender mutual respect and understanding.

1.What you told us

• You think the public are generally quite negative about young people in Jersey and that this public concern is partly fuelled by the media.

• You worry that this could lead to some intolerance of young people.

• You think more should be done to engage young people in volunteering and community activities. We should listen to young people about the activities they want and help them to set up peer-led projects.

Children and young people's voices

"Everyone should have respect – if they do bad things they should be forgiven and have a chance to put it right".

 "Young people suffer prejudice because of people's previous

experience of young people".

"There is not as much respect shown to young people,

our opinions are pushed aside".

"The way youths are treated make it harder to become a

responsible member of society".

Adults' voices

"They did build a skate park but some

children won't let others in there."

"Don't treat them like morons. Give them freedom."

2. What the data tells us

Citizenship

• Between 20% and 30% of young people participate in some form of volunteering.

• A total of 533 children and young people took part in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme in 2009.

• Approximately 1,000 Year Five pupils each year take part in a programme of visits and debates in the

States Chamber.

"We are responsible. We could easily say "how we can ensure that adults act responsibly?""

Youth offending

• The proportion of known offenders who are under 18 year old is currently around 23% (2009 figures)

• Offending rates by 10 – 13 year olds in Jersey are very low and have not changed significantly in the last

five years. Offending rates by 14 – 17 year olds show a downward trend over the last five years.

• Less than 35 persistent offenders were responsible for nearly half of the 660 recorded crimes committed by

young people in 2009. •  The Youth Action Team provides trained appropriate adults to attend police stations whenever a young

person is in custody and requires support. Between January and September 2010 there were 54 of these requests and 7 requests to provide an appropriate adult in youth Court.

3. What we are doing and planning

Children's Rights

The Human Rights (Jersey) Law 2000 was brought

into forces in 2006. This law implements the Council of Europe's Convention on the Protection of Human Rights. In addition, the States of Jersey has committed to work towards compliance with United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989.

Citizenship

Young people are given a number of opportunities to participate in citizenship activities both through the schools' curriculum, the Youth Service and organised community activities such as Scouting, Brownies and Guides. The Education, Sport and Culture Department works with the States Greffe to deliver a programme of visits for children to the States Chamber each year where they are given the opportunity to participate in a debate.

The Jersey Youth Service has a pivotal role to play in enabling young people to gain the skills and confidence to become active citizens and involve them in various projects including:

• young worker training. Over 60 young people aged 14 -17 years have undertaken training and are now

volunteering regularly in their local Youth Centre •  the Youth Bank Jersey, where 12 young people age 12 – 18 years have trained to be Grant makers' and

are responsible for agreeing grants of up to £500 for other groups of young people in Jersey

• the Duke of Edinburgh's Award which has over 400 young people currently involved

• On 2 Wheels', an accredited course run by the Youth Service in schools, with riding skills, road safety

and maintenance as part of the course content to encourage young people to be more responsible when riding motor bikes and scooters.

"Learnt loads as a volunteer but was embarrased to tell

people. Makes me sounds like an old lady."

Youth Offending

Offending by children and young people is no more prevalent in Jersey than elsewhere and it is not increasing. Very few commit serious offences, and the majority who commit minor offences grow out of offending very quickly.

Offending behaviour is, however, more obvious on a small Island, more likely to attract an official response or sanction and more likely to generate public and political disquiet.

Many of the issues affecting young people in our

society, such as the use and availability of alcohol, impact disproportionately on young offenders. Recent analysis

of known persistent young offenders in Jersey highlights the disadvantages they face:

• all came from problematic family environments. Domestic violence was widespread; alcohol abuse

was common; parenting was inconsistent with limited positive involvement from fathers, and mothers were often under stress

• all had histories of suspension or truancy from school; had been in contact with social services and been in

residential care at some point •  some self-harmed and many had mental health problems, anger issues or abused alcohol.

The opportunity for these children and young people to have a positive life experience is compromised by their circumstances and their needs. To be effective our youth justice system requires all services and agencies to work together to provide effective solutions for children with high levels of social need.

A comprehensive review of youth justice12 has been undertaken as part of this Strategic Framework. The review team included academics and practitioners from Jersey and other jurisdictions to ensure local knowledge whilst also providing strong external scrutiny. The review highlighted a number of key issues:

• There are many strengths in the ways that Jersey already responds to children who break the law

including: Parish Hall enquiries; restorative justice; effective supervision by the Probation Service; the Youth Service and the emerging problem-solving focus of our Youth Court

• The small number of children and young people who cause our courts the most concern have complex

needs. Whilst their offending is persistent it is not necessarily always serious and can result from their existing involvement in the "system" (for example, relatively minor misbehaviour resulting in prosecution because it takes place in a residential children's home rather than a private home)

• The Howard League for Penal Reform concluded

in 2007 that, whilst levels of offending are no

higher in Jersey than elsewhere our use of custodial remand13 is. It is important to note however that the remand situation in Jersey is not necessary directly comparable with the UK

• The availability of secure facilities in the Island creates particular pressures including: mixing children

and young people on remand with those who are sentenced; mixing those held for their own welfare and safety with those held because they committed an offence; the Young Offenders Institution being an inappropriate environment for 15 year olds; female young offenders serving custodial sentences in the adult female prison.

The review makes a number of far reaching recommendations. Central to these is the recognition that the Island's youth offenders are "children first and offenders second". The complex needs of these children must be

met by the community if offending behaviours are to be successfully addressed. Key recommendations include:

• raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 years

• ensuring that alternatives to custodial remand are supportive and realistic

• the Youth Court, as opposed to Royal Court, to deal with all offenders under 17 years old with the

exception of those who have committed a grave crime. No public access to be permitted to the Royal Court when a young person stands accused

• broadening youth detention options to include using secure children's accommodation in the place of the

Young Offenders Institution if appropriate •  using voluntary methods, such as restorative justice and cautioning wherever possible.

"People get into trouble with

"Stop wrapping us in the police when they come from

safety blankets. Let us a c*** home."

make mistakes and learn."

"They are children first and offenders second."

12Youth Justice in Jersey: Options for Change: August 2010.

13Custodial remand is when a child or young person is deprived of their liberty pending appearance at court.

4. Focus for future development

We propose, in the first instance, to focus on the following developments. We believe these will help ensure that children and young people act, and are perceived to act, in a responsible manner.

Our focus

Work toward compliance with the United

Nations Convention on the Rights of the

Eavin the cxailable ttend the rommunito young people tange of oppory. tunities o be inv olved Child 1989.

Promote prevention, early intervention and

diversion services to help stop children and

young people committing offences and

entering the court system.

Agree and implement changes to the youth justice system and, where necessary, ensure they are supported by legislative amendments.

We've been told by people and professionals that this could include:

Work with Third Sector agencies to support community involvement.

Reduce use of the criminal justice system for very young offenders and ensure appropriate provisions for those in the system.

Provide effective alternatives to custodial remand.

Where appropriate, use secure accommodation as an alternative to the Young Offenders Institution for those sentenced to youth custody.

Outcome 6: Have a voice and be heard

We value the contribution that children and young people make. We will work to support them as active citizens and provide opportunities for them to be involved in the development of services or issues that affect their lives.

1. What you told us

Approximate 40% of young people want more of a say in services that affected them, and in changing the law.

You think the development of this Framework is an important step in helping ensure children and young

people are heard.

Children and young people's voices

"We feel like a little echo in the background because nobody seems to listen".

"Children in care need a spokesperson".

"There should be a young peoples' forum so we can have a voice in a calm way".

Adults' voices

"I tell them to be themselves and to make sure they have a voice – they do at home but not sure they do at school."

"Managers of services need to listen to young people directly."

1. What the data tells us

Whilst a number of services have their own data providing feedback about their service, we have little baseline data about children's and young people's voices.

57% of 15-16 year olds believe that their parents

like to hear their ideas.

51% of children and young people believe

their teachers listen to them at school as part of their learning.

"Include childrens' views and parents' views. Government

and professionals don't know

everything."

3. What we are doing and planning

In 2007 Jersey lowered the age of electoral voting to 16 years old (which was passed by a narrow majority in the States). It is now one of few jurisdictions (including Brazil and the Isle of Man) that has a voting age of less than 18 years of age. Jersey's voting age offers

16 – 18 years an opportunity to participate in the democratic process and potentially influence factors that affect them. Other existing forms of youth participation include:

• schools councils and groups linked to specific services

• the Virtual Learning Environment and regular questionnaires, which have enabled consultation

with school age children on a range of issues

• Island-wide surveys such as the Jersey Annual Social Survey and the Health Related Behaviours

Questionnaire.

In addition the Jersey Youth Service, which has an island wide network of 16 youth projects, has a clear and demonstrable role in enabling young people to have a voice and influence their local communities. It actively encourages young people to become involved in shaping and developing their Youth Project by encouraging young people to:

• train as Young Workers' and volunteers at their local Youth Project

• take part in peer reviews of other Youth Projects

• undertake the Brighter Buildings survey' of their Youth Project, suggesting what improvements could be made

• take part in the Connect Survey to say what they think of their local Youth Project and of the Youth

Service as a whole •  become committee members of their local

youth project.

The Youth Service has also developed various projects which target hard-to-reach, vulnerable or disadvantaged young people:

• The Street Based Youth Work team works with

young people who are not attracted to existing

youth provision.

• The Youth Service works with lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender young people in Jersey, offering support

and promoting wider understanding and awareness. •  The Youth Inclusion Project provides access to youth service provision for young people with a disability.

This work has led to the Youth Service taking a lead in establishing a Youth Forum for Jersey, which will provide a voice' for all young people.

"Big people should come and talk to us."

"We should protest"

Initiatives such as these provide a springboard on which to develop a coherent approach, based on the "Hear by Right"[1] and "You're Welcome"[2] standards for the participation of children and young people in services and policies that affect their lives. We plan to develop a joint participation strategy, which will enable children and young people to participate at a number of levels:

The ladder of participation

Empowering children and young people to design and deliver their own services.

Working in partnership with children and young people to develop and improve services.

Involving children and young people in the design and delivery of services.

Consulting with children and young people about things which may impact on them.

Regularly informing children and young people.

4. Focus for future development

We propose, in the first instance, to focus on the following developments. We believe these will help children and young people to have a voice and be heard.

Our focus We've been told by people and

people'enable them tthat affs parect them.ticipation acro have a say in the seross Jersey and vices Espeople a vImplement a joint parfor vulnertablish fable, disabled and oorums toice. o givticipation se childrther minoriten and young trategy and y Establish a system of children and young  professionals that this could include:

protocol for all services working with children and young people.

Increase access to services and participation groups of children and young people including

non-English speaking.

Section 3: Making it happen

Planning services

We want children and young people to benefit from affordable, effective services that deliver the best outcomes for them. We will work together, across organisational boundaries, to identity priorities and commission and monitor services that are best able to meet need.

1. What you told us

We should avoid duplication of services – one of everything is enough on a small Island.

Only spend money on things that we can prove are effective.

Invest in early intervention - don't wait for something to go wrong and then have to spend more to fix it. Let families get involved in planning services.

2. How we will plan

The Strategic Framework identifies six key outcomes and a proposed future development focus for each. The work

that needs to be done will be outlined in a series of six delivery plans, one plan per outcome. The plans will be developed using an evidence-based planning and monitoring process of Understand, Plan, Do and Review.

The plans will sit alongside existing planning structures in order to ensure resources and operating priorities are co-ordinated.

Governance, monitoring, delivery

A new governance, monitoring and delivery structure will be established to oversee delivery of the Strategic Framework. Its function will be to:

• develop implementation plans for each of the six outcomes

• commission and decommission services

• identify and commit resources (people; time; knowledge; money) from existing individual budgets and staffing contingents

• establish robust data sets for benchmarking and comparative purposes

• drive forward changes in policies, practices and legislation.

Partners will include:

• Third Sector representatives

• States Departments and officials

• service providers including GP's and private sector companies

• young people

The delivery structure: overview

The delivery structure: detail

Children's Policy Group (CPG)

Who?: Ministers for Health & Social Services, Home Affairs, Education, Sports & Culture with support from Departmental Chief Officers, Chief Probation Officer and Chief of Police.

What?: Ensure delivery of the Framework across all States' Departments, providing political leadership and representing the needs and interests of all Jersey's children and young people.

Corporate Management Group (CMG)

Who?: Departmental Chief Officers and Directors of Finance with budgetary responsibly for services for children and young people, including services delivered by States Departments and services commissioned from external suppliers.

What?: Review and assess the Performance and Planning Group's commissioning and delivery proposals. Ensure alignment of objectives and spending priorities prior to framing joint recommendations for adoption by the CPG.

Performance and Planning Group

Who?: Will include representatives of key agencies (e.g. States Departments, charities, the legal profession, schools and GPs). The Performance and Planning Group will be supported by:

• a data and performance monitoring group who will develop a common data set

• a legislation review group who will work to ensure that existing legislation, and the legislative review and updating process, provides adequate timely protection to children and young people.

What?: Ensure delivery of the implementation plans - analyse what is needed; agree plans; ensure the right organisation is able to deliver the right service; review the effectiveness of services; report progress.

Outcome Work Groups

Who?: 6 work groups based around the 6 outcomes. Will include representatives of all of the partner agencies delivering the services and actions outlined in the Framework. The Have a Voice and be Heard Group will include children and young people and will link across other children and young people's groups and councils to ensure a representative voice.

What?: They are responsible for producing and delivering detailed annual implementation plans and focusing on the development areas identified in the Framework. Each agency member represented will ensure that their organisation delivers their agreed tasks.

Community & Third Sector Group

Who?: An independent group of voluntary sector organisations that:

• represent the interests of the sector

• provides developmental support and advice to organisations operating in the sector

• links to emerging regulatory work and/or forum

• has a special interest in the delivery of services to children and young people.

What?: Provide information, advice and ideas to the Performance and Planning Group and Outcome Work groups. As direct service providers they will contribute to the range of services delivered in our community.

Focus for future development

We propose, in the first instance, to focus on the following developments:

Our focus

Implement joint govmonitwThirorking td Secoring arto supporor umbrrangements including ella grt devernancelopment of a oup.e and Develop and publish detailed annual

implementation plans for each

outcome area.

We've been told by people and professionals that this could include:

Extend membership of Children's Policy Group to include Ministers for Housing and Social Security.

Explore options for establishing a dedicated ministerial lead across issues relating to all children and young people.

Link Children's Policy Group to the Social Policy Steering Group to ensure collaborative development of social policy issues.

Establish an agreed data set against which to monitor outcomes for children and young people.

Develop a children's services directory for the community.

Agree and implement an information- sharing protocol across all agencies.

Clearly identify current spending on children and young people services and develop commissioning arrangements.

Instigate a review of current legislation practices that impact on children. Develop a mechanism to ensure legislative updates are timely and are in accordance with emerging good practice.

Appendix

Appendix 1: How the Framework was developed

Appendix 2: Glossary of terms and words

A-H Housing categories: A-H housing is housing that  Jersey Skills Board: The Jersey Skills Board advises Ministers can be leased or purchased by residents with A-H housing  and oversees the development of skills related initiatives. It qualifications. To gain A-H housing qualifications people must  includes representatives of Jersey industries and States

have been resident on the Island for a set number of years (10  Departments.

– 11 depending on circumstances).

JCPC: Jersey Child Protection Committee. A multi- agency A&E: Accident and Emergency Department. forum that brings together the main agencies and professionals

responsible for helping to protect children from abuse or ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. A diagnosis for  neglect.

serious and persistent inattentiveness and / or over-activity

and impulsiveness. JFCAS (Jersey Family Court Advisory Service): Provides

reports to the Royal Court on the best interests of the child CAMHS: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. These  in private law proceedings when parents cannot agree on

include all services contributing to mental health care of children  arrangements; acts as Guardian ad Litem in adoption matters; and young people. acts as Guardian of children subject to proceedings brought by

CAP: Child Accident Prevention. the Minister in public law proceedings.

Common Assessment Framework (CAF): CAF is a single  Looked After Children (LAC):  Any child who is in the care of assessment used by all practitioners working with children. It is  the States of Jersey.

a mechanism to identify needs and obtain support. MAST: MAST (multi-agency support teams) are teams of social Commissioning: The process of meeting identified needs in the  workers providing support services in secondary schools.

most effective and efficient way. Offender Management Service: A service responsible for CEOPS: Child Exploitation On-Line Protection Centre (CEOPS).  commissioning and delivering offender management services.

A UK centre dedicated to eradicating sexual abuse of children.  Record of Need:  This record sets out in detail the pupil's special CPG: Children's Policy Group. Comprising the Ministers and  educational needs and the provision to meet those needs.

Chief Officers for Health and Social Care, Education and Home  PHSE: Personal, Health and Social Education equips children Affairs. and young people with the knowledge and skills to deal with a

CRB: Criminal Records Bureau. Undertaking checks to ensure  range issues they face as they grow up eg: careers; finance; sex; that workers do not have offences which would preclude them  drugs; nutrition etc.

from working with children. Public Protection Unit:  The Public Protection Unit's work

GP: General practitioner - community doctor. includes: a child protection team (dealing with concerns;

investigating and prosecuting offenders); a domestic violence ECHR: European Convention on Human Rights unit (working to prevent and reduce domestic abuse); an

offender management unit (identification, assessment and EYCP: Early Years and Childcare Partnership. A multi-agency  management of sex offenders).

group set up to improve early years services.

Income Distribution survey: The Jersey Income Distribution Survey is a survey undertaken by the States Statistic Unit. It describes the average household income and explores inequality indicators for Jersey.

Independent Board of Visitors: Independent members of the public who regularly visit Jersey children's home.

JELLY Clubs: Jersey Early Learning Literacy Years clubs for parents of young children.

Third Sector: Third sector organisations are generally defined as charities, the voluntary sector, the community sector, not for profit organisations and non governmental organisations.

YES: Youth Enquiry Service - an advice and counselling service provided by the Jersey Youth Service.

Youth Justice: The organisations and processes involved in tackling youth offending. The principal aim of the youth justice system is to prevent the offending of children and young people.

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Children and Young People

A strategic framework for Jersey

November 2011