Warwickshire will be the best place for children and young people to grow up in – that’s the aim of a new initiative which has been given the green light by the county council’s cabinet.
The wide-ranging aims of Child Friendly Warwickshire, as it is to be known, includes engaging business and community groups as well as council services to work together to enrich opportunities for children and young people.
As part of the bold new plan, the council is seeking to involve children and young people from the very beginning - and is currently running a survey to ensure inclusion of their views and opinions.
Child Friendly Warwickshire will be formally launched in the coming months and will be an open invitation to organisations of all kinds to ensure it is a safe place full of great opportunities for children.
The project forms part of a wider £12 million programme of change in the way the Children’s and Families Services work, partly funded by the Department for Education. The service provides support for children and young people up 25-years-old and under the changes it will invest in and strengthen relationships, invest in early intervention, target resources to areas of high need to support children and families affected by domestic abuse, mental health and substance misuse and invest in improving outcomes for children in care and young people who have experience of care.
Under the plan, the voices and influence of children will be integrated in shaping services with ambitions to increase health and happiness, ensure stability with their families and communities and that they are able to enjoy learning and have strong employment opportunities. Warwickshire already has an active Youth Council made up of passionate young people, which will play a key role.
As a first step the council is asking as many children and young people as possible to complete a short, anonymous survey. All views shared will help understanding of what Child-Friendly Warwickshire could look and feel like and the council’s work to deliver it. Children and young people can access the survey here.
For more information please email childfriendly@warwickshire.gov.uk