Children's services
Portfolio Holder outlines key successes and future priorities to Walsall’s children’s services
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A portfolio briefing about children’s services will take place at a council meeting in Walsall on Monday 4 November 2024.
Councillor Stacie Elson, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services at Walsall Council, will present a report which outlines recent key successes in children’s services, and priorities for the future.
The report outlines how the views of children, young people and their families have helped influence the newly adopted We Are Walsall 2040 children and young people’s strategy.
Several key achievements over the last 12 months have been included, such as:
- Celebrating the first anniversary of four Family Hubs in the borough and extending the offer of services within Hubs, such as birth registrations
- Establishing a dedicated young carers team
- Coordinating approx. 22,000 healthy lunches for 8053 children and young people during summer 2024 as part of the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme
- Becoming one of seven local authorities in England to reform family help and test the Families’ First for Children programme
- Calling upon full council to treat care leavers and those with care experience as a local protected characteristic
- Hosting the first ever Youth Summit, attended by approximately 100 young people aged 9-25
Councillor Elson also outlines three priorities in the report, which are to establish a Youth Council, implementing the Families First for Children model of practice, and to continue valuing and maintaining a stable workforce.
“ It’s not an easy job to condense all the achievements of children’s services into one report, some of which truly are invaluable.
Our children and young people's 2040 strategy is all about keeping them happy, healthy and well, hopeful and excited for the future, safe in all spaces, and demonstrating to them that their views are listened to.
Their voices truly have influence and are making things happen, we’re launching a Youth Council next year as a direct outcome from feedback from our young people.
Behind all of this, is our workforce. And I am so impressed by the unwavering dedication, commitment and skill of our teams, it is a great privilege to witness just some of the amazing work they do.
I look forward to discussing the report and its content with members at council. “
This council meeting takes place on Monday 4 November 2024 and starts at 6pm. It is a public meeting.
Details about how the public can access the meeting and associated papers can be found at: https://cmispublic.walsall.gov.uk/cmis/Meetings/tabid/70/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/397/Meeting/3959/Committee/513/Default.aspx
To view the meeting online, visit:
http://www.walsallcouncilwebcasts.com/
