Targeted youth support: analysis of young people's services
Contact
Alison Webster, acting manager of Gateshead Children's Trust
alisonwebster@gateshead.gov.uk
| Provider | Gateshead Children's Trust |
|---|---|
| Topics | Children's trusts; Youth Matters; Targeted youth support |
| Type | Emerging practice |
| Date | May 2006 |
| Region | North East |
Gateshead's Children's Trust, in partnership with the local primary care trust (PCT) and the Children's Fund, has conducted a survey to map all local services on a central database. The survey has been used to inform the Children and Young People's plan and to improve the local commissioning strategy. The distribution and analysis of the material was led by the PCT and the Children's Fund.
Why change was needed
There was a patchy understanding of what was available and being delivered for children and young people in the area. No one knew the complete picture, so the needs and the gaps in services were not clear. This meant, among other things, commissioning was not informed across all the partner agencies.
It's giving us an overview of what services are out there for children
and young people and, as we also asked about outcomes in our survey, an
understanding of the outcomes and aims services are working towards. It's
not perfect, but it's a great improvement on before and as we get more
information we get more and more understanding of our local situation.
Alison Webster, acting project manager of Gateshead Children's
Trust
Action taken
The Children's Trust agreed to carry out the survey and organised a short survey to find out what agencies and services for children and young people were operating in the local area. The PCT and Children's Fund let the analysis and distribution of the survey to ensure it reached as many relevant organisations as possible (particularly voluntary organisations, as these were most hidden). This action required negligible financial investment.
Results
Gateshead now has a developing database of local services for children and young people. The database includes an understanding of the outcomes and aims these services are working towards. The database allows users to filter out unwanted information and isolate specific information.
The database has already helped Gateshead put together a thorough and
well-researched Children's and Young People's Plan. A number of project
workers used the database to support the writing of the plan around the five
ECM outcomes.
As a result of the information gathered, it has been decided to do the service
mapping on an annual basis. This will continuously raise the level of accuracy
and quality of the data to support future decisions around the commissioning of
children's services.
Click to read more good practice case studies related to the targeted youth support change process.
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