This week started with our Children and Young People Partnership (CYPSA) meeting where partners discussed the significant reforms emerging from central government focused on children and young people. These are building on previous policy developments last year including revisions to 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' and the National Framework for Children's Social Care published at the end of 2023. Recent policy statements such as 'Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive', the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, Early Years reforms, English Devolution and Local Government Reform, the refreshed NHS 10 Year Plan and a focus on building neighbourhood health approaches, and the Crime and Policing Bill, all have a common thread focused on multi-agency, multi-disciplinary working at a local level. Over the coming months, CYPSA will continue to explore how these significant policy reforms align with our commitment to taking a whole children's system approach, our focus on wrapping support around schools and local communities, and of course, our shared Flourish ambition. Further significant reforms are expected including a SEND Reform White Paper expected before the summer.
One example of how CYPSA is building a collaborative approach and bringing tools and resources together is the CYPSA Insight Library. This is a large and regularly updated collection of recent local and national children, young people and family voice-led findings, available to all professionals working with children and young people in Norfolk. It's free and simple to sign up for your 'library card', just email cypsa.participation@norfolk.gov.uk and our team will take you through a quick and easy authentication process.
It follows last month's invitation from the Government to the county's local authorities to develop a proposal for LGR which would see "two tier" areas like Norfolk - where responsibility for services is split between county and seven district councils - replaced with one or more unitary authorities, which run all services in their area.
The interim plan sets out our guiding principles for our approach and the initial estimates of the benefits, savings and costs associated with having one, two or three unitary authorities in Norfolk. It's still early days in the process but I will keep you updated on what this means for those of you working across education, as further details develop.
Thanks
Sara Tough OBE
Executive Director of Children's Services Norfolk County Council Chair of the Children and Young People Strategic Alliance
A welcome to the new look e-courier / Together blog. Including updates on Local Government Reorganisation, SEND Survey and Local First Inclusion including Element 3 funding guidance
Including an Introduction to Jane Hayman, Joint Targeted Area Inspection entering final week, Local First Inclusion update, Inclusion Summit, SEND Bulletin update and School and community teams - supporting inclusion
