About the Children and Young People's Plan 2025 to 2028 consultation
Consultation closes: Monday 17 February 2025
Consultation opened: Wednesday 18 December 2024
Every local authority is required by law to create and publish a Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP), which explains how they will work with other organisations, including health, parent carer forum and the police, to support the wellbeing, growth and success of children and young people. The CYPP sets out a clear plan for providing services for children and young people, to make sure they get the help, opportunities, and resources they need to do well.
Our current plan runs from 2022 to 2025. It outlines 5 main priorities aimed at supporting every child in Central Bedfordshire to have the best possible start in life. We are now updating the plan for 2025 to 2028 and are launching a consultation so our children and young people can help shape it, including members of the public.
The background
To develop the draft plan, we undertook a range of activities between July and September 2024, asking children and young people, parents and carers and professionals who work with children and young people to find out what they thought the 2025 to 2028 plan should include.
Children’s centres had ‘wish trees’, designed to ask children and young people and their families what they wanted for their futures. This generated over 350 pieces of feedback which told us what was most important to them.
We reviewed data from existing engagement work, utilising responses from the Schools Health Education Unit (SHEU) survey, the Youth Parliament’s ‘Make Your Mark’ survey and the Family Plan questions to help shape the plan.
Partner organisations included the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (BLMK ICB), Public Health, Bedfordshire Police, SNAP Parent Carer Forum, a number of voluntary organisations, including Home Start and Bedford Open Door. Although this plan outlines how we will support children and young people, it is designed to be a shared plan and has been developed in association with these other organisations.
We have 5 long-standing, agreed priorities, which are integral to our work, and are embedded throughout everything we do. As such, the Children and Young People’s Plan will support these priorities, which are the foundation for the 12 wishes listed in our plan. Each wish builds on these priorities, turning them into specific, actionable goals that reflect the needs and aspirations of our communities.
They are:
- Respond early to the needs of our children and families
- Provide effective help, as locally as possible
- Raise attendance and attainment of all children
- Love and care for our children
- Prepare our children to live independent, fulfilling lives