Item 6 - Integrated Childrens Services Annual Report 24 25
West Dunbartonshire Council · 20 November 2025
Back to Community Planning West Dunbartonshire Management Board — 20 November 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 West Dunbartonshire Children’s Services Plan Annual Report 2024/25 Foreword I am delighted to present the annual report for West Dunbartonshire Children’s Services plan for 2024/25. This report outlines the progress, challenges, and future direction of Children’s Services Planning in West Dunbartonshire for 2024–25. It reflects our commitment to delivering on The Promise, ensuring that children and young people grow up loved, safe, and respected, and has a focus on what collective action partners can take for babies, children, and young people in most need. It provides examples of how the resources allocated to our Children’s services partnership have been maximised to support babies, children, and young people with what they need to thrive in West Dunbartonshire. This annual report is organised by seven priorities and their associated actions/indicators. It follows the Plan’s whole family and early help focus; poverty mitigation; mental health and trauma-informed practice; UNCRC and GIRFEC; and targeted support for neurodiversity/additional needs. Governance and delivery continues through the Nurtured Delivery & Improvement Group (DIG) which reports quarterly to the Community Planning West Dunbartonshire Management Board with partners across Education, HSCP, Housing & Employability, Police Scotland, the third sector, Youth Alliance, Champions Board, SDS, Our Communities and SCRA. Crosscutting themes (from CSP): Promoting the wellbeing and safe care of all babies, children & young people Providing equitable access to appropriate health provision and advice Improving attainment and achievement for all children and young people Ensuring all babies, children and young people have a safe and stable home environment Respecting the voices of all children and young people in their lives Developing the engagement and participation of children and young people in all aspects of their lives Ensuring all children and young people are empowered to overcome barriers to inclusion & have equitable access to opportunities Lesley James Head of Children’s Health Care and Justice and Chief Social Work Officer and Chair of the Children’s Services Planning Partnership. ITEM 6
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2 1) Priority: Promoting the wellbeing and safe care of all children and young people What we set out to do (CSP): Strengthen early help at the front door and codesign sustainable local services with families through multiagency forums. 2024/25 highlights Early help at the front door: Multiagency locality forums met regularly to consider requests for assistance earlier, aligning with Team around the Child (TATC) processes. Example of the early help provided is the Includem edge of care service and the Distress Brief Intervention Service. Includem’s edge of care service aims to prevent the escalation of needs among children and young people, reducing admissions to statutory care and keeping families together. Includem provides whole family support to children, young people, and their families within their communities. Support is available for up to twelve children or young people at a time, aged 10 years and older, over seven days, including evenings and weekends, and is complemented by a free phone 24/7 helpline. Workers offer both planned and unplanned support to build relationships and trust, ensuring a high uptake of support from families. In 2024/25, there were 1041 visits to young people and 598 visits to parents and carers, providing wrap-around support to the entire family. Notably, 31% of all support was delivered out of hours. There were twenty-three calls to the 24/7 helpline, with 39% received out of hours. Additionally, young people and their families can contact their workers directly, with 631 calls and text messages recorded. 11 young people were referred to the service, equating to support for 20 family members, with a focus on whole family support. Fourteen young people have moved on from the service, with nine meeting the primary objective of living safely with their family in their communities. On average, a young person received support for 25 weeks, with a minimum of 2 weeks and a maximum of 56 weeks. Moving forward, nine young people continue to receive support to achieve their agreed outcomes. UNCRC Article 9 - I have a right to live with my family if they can keep me safe.
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4 The Distress brief intervention support continues to provide fast and effective support to support young people to manage their mental health and wellbeing. The service feedback demonstrates the impact of the service. Poem from young person who used Distress Service in West Dunbartonshire. When tough times hit and darkness seems near, Your gentle advice made things much clearer. You were a ray of light in the gloom, SAMHs help, chasing away the doom. With a listening ear and a caring heart, You eased my worries right from the start. In your safe space, I found my ground, Where peace and quiet can be found. For all you've done, I'm truly thankful, SAMHs work is incredibly impactful. UNCRC Article 24 – I have the right to be as healthy as possible Ongoing challenges & risks The range of complex needs clustered in areas of high deprivation continue to place sustained demand on social work, health visiting and school pastoral support teams. 2025/26 commitments Expand routine use of multiagency chronologies and embed moderation activity; strengthen adults' services participation at Team around the child and child protection meetings and maintain family participation in programmes at the wellbeing hubs. How we will evidence progress (CSP indicators) Fewer children becoming looked after or placed on the Child Protection Register; audit findings and service user feedback demonstrating earlier help and better outcomes. Children and families receiving help at the earliest opportunity to prevent escalation to statutory services 2) Priority: Providing equitable access to appropriate health provision and advice What we set out to do (CSP): Assure universal pathway reviews and provide universal access to health information. 2024/25 Highlights The health visiting universal pathway continues to be delivered and monitored. In 2023/24, local implementation started of the Early Child Development
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5 transformational change programme with a focus on speech, language & communication issues. The Early child development transformational change programme, launched in 2023 is designed to improve early childhood development outcomes for children in Scotland. It emphasises the critical importance of the early years, particularly the period from pre-pregnancy to age three, when experiences and environments significantly shape children's future health, educational attainment, and overall wellbeing. The programme's aim is that the proportion of children with developmental concerns at their 27–30-month review is reduced from 18% to 13.5% by 2030. These reviews are carried out at key milestones and are part of the delivery of the Universal Health Visiting Pathway. West Dunbartonshire had the sixth lowest percentage of children reaching their developmental milestones at 27-30 months in Scotland in 2023/24 at 79.3%. Data on the percentage of children with one or more developmental concern is published quarterly by Public Health Scotland West Dunbartonshire has been consistently higher than the Scotland figure to September 2024 and higher than the health board area for reviews between October 2023 and June 2024. Speech, Language and Communication (SLC) has consistently been a dominant concern for this age group, with 7% of West Dunbartonshire children indicating delay. Early speech, language, and communication development is a critical foundation for better long-term outcomes for children. During 2024/25, we carried out several improvement actions to raise awareness of SLC issues for children and how to support them and to build competence and confidence in the workforce who are supporting children.
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6 These included: Building on Communication and Literacy Practitioners (CLP) for each Early Years establishment. Producing resources and upskilling CLPs on screening and understanding of tools available to assess a child’s level of understanding. Upskilling of parents and other professionals. Development of an advice pack containing helpful information which is given to Health Visiting Teams to share with parents. Developed training sessions/joint working opportunities. Roll out of Up-up-and-away an evidence-based resource, to staff in Early Years establishments. UNCRC Article 24 – I have the right to be as healthy as possible 2024/25 highlights Signposting of access to health information for all including Care experienced people and Young Carers West Dunbartonshire wellbeing site WD Wellbeing has continued to be expanded in 2024/25. Work has been undertaken to ensure the information contained within the site remains relevant and current. A communication campaign encouraged the widest reach of the site. The campaign promotes the site as a stigma free location for universal support in West Dunbartonshire while offering quality assured support to encourage self-management of wellbeing up to resources for those in crisis. Collaboration with the West Dunbartonshire Shameless Youths Campaigners to share their messages about mental health and online safety with those using the site. This led to diversification of the resources to include sections specifically for digital and online safety. UNCRC Article 17 – I have the right to get information in lots of ways as long as it is safe
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7 2025/26 commitments Keep a strong focus on mental health and counselling access for P6–S6; and continue Planet Youth (Icelandic Prevention Model) across secondary schools. How we will evidence progress (CSP indicators) Child Health Dashboard trends (developmental assessments) and uptake of counselling/Child and Young People Mental Health and Wellbeing supports. 3) Priority: Improving attainment and achievement for all children and young people What we set out to do (CSP): Strengthen multiagency planning in schools; widen alternative and flexible pathways for interrupted/disengaged learners; deliver Scottish attainment challenge Care Experienced grant actions. 2024/25 highlights Multiagency planning: Broadening access to Family Group Decision making. Family Group Decision making (FGDM) has been funded via the Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund and is a rights-based approach which supports children and families to have their voices heard and take ownership of decision making in matters affecting their family. It draws on strengths and resources from within the wider family group. Family plans are focussed on ensuring that children remain safe and home within their families, and that the rights of the children and families are upheld. In 2024/25 FGDM worked alongside twenty-five families with most family plans deemed successful and the child remained cared for within the family. Two children were unborn at the point of referral. Eight children were 0-5 years. Two children were 6-10. Fifteen children were 11-17 years. Fourteen family plans were developed that allowed the child to remain at home with their parents. Three children were able to return to their family having been accommodated with the support of a family plan. Family plans prevented the breakdown of 4 Kinship placements ensuring the child remained with family and within their own community, One family plan ensured that a child could have safe contact with the parent they could no longer live with. There was one child where no extended family was identified, therefore the FGDM workers linked the parent with support services. In 5 of 6 plans the feedback from families is that they feel empowered by the model in that their strengths are acknowledged and built upon.
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8 Feedback from Families "Even though it was hard, talking helped.” "Having a clear plan made us feel less overwhelmed." "We were nervous at first but so glad we did it." "It gave us time to think things through." "Found both G and S easy to talk to and could contact them anytime if needed." UNCRC Article 12 - I have the right to be listened to and taken seriously Equity programmes: mentoring support expanded for care experienced and young carers through education–third sector partnerships. The key role of mentoring to support individual development particularly for our young people who are looked after at home continues to be valued. Y Sort it locally co-ordinates Intandem, Scotland’s mentoring programme for young people, which brings together vulnerable young people with a volunteer mentor to build a consistent and trusting relationship and improve their chances in life. Intandem aims to promote the wellbeing of every child who is matched with a mentor. All the young people who are referred into the service are between the ages of 8 and 14 and on a Compulsory Supervision Order, i.e. looked after at home and living with parent(s) or legal guardian. The focus in every mentoring relationship is on developing the child or young person, recognising, and building their strengths, and providing support and encouragement to deal with difficult and challenging situations. The key outcomes that are looked for are: Increased self-confidence Increase self-esteem. Broader social networks / more positive social relationships More engaged with the local community Reduced isolation UNCRC Article 6 – I have the right to live and grow as a person
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9 2025/26 commitments Consolidate data led narrowing of gaps; scale mentoring; extend flexible pathways; continue Speech & language programmes & parental learning offers. How we will evidence progress (CSP indicators) Reduced attainment gaps; improved attendance and destinations for priority cohorts; participation/uptake of alternative pathways; parental feedback and attainment milestones for early language development. 4) Priority: Ensuring all children and young people have a safe and stable home environment What we set out to do (CSP prioritise prevention and permanence (including permanence at home); strengthen kinship support; embed whole family wellbeing strategy (“Right help, at the Right time by the Right people”); ensure placement sufficiency, stability, and continuing care. 2024/25 highlights Development of Whole Family Wellbeing: The 3 WD for Families Hub Sites across our communities continue to support our approaches to Tests of Change for Family Help; improving family support tailored to their needs, in dignified ways. Site location was informed by scoping exercises, community consultations and professional knowledge and dialogue of the Strategic Group. Support is easily accessible, stigma free and 3 located in places that work for children and families. Our WD for Families website is updated regularly and shared across services and with parents, carers and community organisations. WD For Families Hubs are staffed and operate on a ‘chatty cafe’ style approach, where families can drop in for help and or plan a visit to attend 1-1 or group sessions. Families can be helped by; outreach workers, signposting, on site welfare support workers and specialist providers. 5 Outreach Workers currently staff the Hubs and have 71 Families active across caseloads. Currently 140 children are being supported via family support. Since August they have worked in partnership and discharged 63 families following a period of intervention: thus impacting directly on 129 children. Families on caseload are those not yet ready
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10 to engage in group work and they receive intensive support via 1-1 sessions either in the home setting or hubs when appropriate. To date our cyclical programme of group sessions has focussed on themes such as Supporting Sleep, Supporting Behaviour, Supporting Toileting and Supporting Emotional Regulation. From August to March 2025 the Outreach Team has delivered 18 Groups, within these themes, with 100 families engaging. This has led to 135 children being supported through parent/carer learning opportunities. Feedback tells us that all feel the support they have received has helped their own wellbeing, their child/children’s wellbeing and the wellbeing of their family. To further support wellbeing and provide relaxation opportunities an Outreach worker provided Knit and Natter sessions. These sessions provide an opportunity for social connection and relaxation, fostering improved mental wellbeing through shared activity and conversation. The group has asked to self facilitate and continue the sessions creating their own sustainable support network. In December, 32 Families attended the Family Festive Film Sessions delivered by the Outreach Workers in partnership with a local cinema group, with opportunities for families to participate together in Christmas film activities as well as eat together within the Hub setting. Feedback from the Festive Fun
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11 Sessions was very positive and families have asked for similar family opportunities to be provided. In partnership with the (Trauma Informed Parenting (TIPS) Charity, two parents/carers workshops on how to manage children's challenging behaviours by applying a trauma- informed approach were delivered and supported 14 families. Feedback was very positive with parents / carers commenting they felt seen, validated and less alone. Further sessions have been planned for the next session. . Recognising the need to develop pro-active approaches to family wellbeing opportunities, informed by parents / carers and pupil voice consultation, we worked collaboratively with partners in Active Schools, Health Improvement and Y Sort It to deliver Free Family Fun sessions that included opportunities for Family
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12 Physical Fun as well as Family Creative and Music Fun. 33 Families engaged across 5 sessions with 52 children participating in free, planned family sessions and shared dining experiences with family members. Taking cognisance of consultation, quieter low sensory sessions were also facilitated to provide opportunities for families with members with additional support needs to participate in free experiences within their local Hub. 9 parents/carers have been supported via core Incredible Years (IY) Groups which have involved 14 weeks of support and learning. In response to needs identified, professional learning has been undertaken by our teams in order to develop this offer to support parents/carers of children with Autism and/or Language Delay. An Autism and Language Delay IY Pilot group is currently underway supporting 10 families with a further pilot group planned for January 2026. This pilot model has been supported in partnership with Psychology of Parenting Programme (PoPP) and is being collaboratively delivered by HSCP and Education staff in West Dunbartonshire. The family hubs also provide a shared professional learning offer for staff working with all aspects of children’s services. It is recognised that the added value of attendance and support in the Hubs has ensured opportunities for cross fertilisation to take place, where families can be signposted and supported to access a range of additional supports and opportunities. Feedback tells us this is welcomed and impactful. In recognition that our workforce are our greatest assets and will have the biggest impact on change and improvement, we have delivered multi-agency professional learning to a variety of staff across a range of topics. This has helped develop a shared language and approach to family help. Our partnership with NHS Neurodevelopmental Team had continued to develop throughout shared Whole Family Wellbeing shared vision. Throughout session 2024-2025 the ND Team offered Cuppa and Connect Sessions within Educational Establishments. The sessions are aimed at carers of CYP with neurodivergent profiles to offer support and advice around a range of topics.
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13 This replaces the drop-in sessions previously run within the WFW Hubs as attendance in the hubs was lower than the need for support informed us. Since moving into the primary schools there has been a tenfold increase in families attending the sessions. We plan to expand this next session to encompass more establishments including an earlier intervention approach in ELCC. In addition, again in partnership with the NHS ND Team we recognised a recurring and increasing area of challenge for families remains supporting parents and their children who are neurodiverse. To provide early and effective practical support which does not rely on Specialist Children’s Services waiting lists or appointments, we continue to employ an external trainer to deliver awareness raising and solution focused training for both carers and multi- agency professionals. The trainer (Tanya Tennant) is neurodivergent herself and has lived experience of parenting neurodivergent CYP. 3 sessions are offered to parents following their child’s diagnosis to increase understanding and provide management strategies addressing the areas of behavioural differences and sensory sensitivities. Additional sensitivities. Additional sessions are offered to education, health, Social work and third sector staff looking at executive function, managing differences and supportive strategies. The Health Improvement Team delivered 2 ‘Ask, Tell, Save a Life’ Children and Young People Suicide Prevention sessions utilising animations created by NHS Education Scotland to support discussions and raise awareness about mental health, self-harm and suicide prevention. These sessions aimed to address some of the barriers to talking about these issues to enable participants to provide support and have compassionate conversations with children and young people who are struggling and help them to access further support. Twenty nine people from
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14 four different workforce groups attended over the 2 Ask, Tell, Save a Life sessions. UNCRC Article 18 - I have the right to support from both parents, if possible 2024/25 Highlights Shifting the Balance of Care The HSCP board approved the Children’s Health and Care strategy “Improving Lives with Children and Young People in West Dunbartonshire, What Would It Take? 2024 – 2029” The strategy presented a road map to deliver sustainable services, aligned to the Promise, and shift the balance of care. The aim is to ensure children and young people, where possible, can remain supported at home with the necessary scaffolding of support, with family or in a community setting. This requires a resource shift over time to reduce expenditure on care services and reinvest in community-based supports in order for children and young people to be safely supported in their communities where risks and needs of young people are met out with a care environment if safe to do so. Importantly the strategy recognises that all children need the same things to thrive: a stable home, strong support and steady, loving relationship in line with the Promise. The six workstreams are. Best Practice in Child Protection and Safeguarding- Assessment and Planning, Implementation of Access Help and Support Team, Implementation of Signs of Safety Accredited model, Updated Secure Procedures, and resource screening. Supported Accommodation for Care Leavers- developing of accommodation options for care leavers with housing colleagues, commissioning of supported accommodation, and development of support workers within a revised Leaving Care Service. Foster Care Recruitment - recruitment videos, carers’ testimonials and local campaigning, streamlining access and enquiry pathways to fostering to WDC and development of Foster Care liaison Role to recruit and support local carers. Permanence and Care Excellence - improving timescales & permanence planning for children, working in partnership with the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS) with the development of a permanence team with the fostering and adoption service, and independent reviewing officers to ensure child centred & independent scrutiny. Commissioning Children’s Services - development of local commissioning frameworks for fostering and residential care to enable WDC negotiations of pricing and terms and conditions. Strengthened contract monitoring with this being built into key roles within the service. Family Support Services- redesign of family support within Children and Families Services informed by voices of children and families to ensure that
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15 services are strength based on what families tells us they need to help prevent children entering or remaining out with their care where possible. What would it take 2024-29 Plan on a page UNCRC Article 20 – I have the right to be looked after if I can’t live with my own family 2025/26 commitments Expand parent programmes and kinship supports; maintain local placement sufficiency; continue ELC uptake drives. How we will evidence progress (CSP indicators) Fewer Children and Young People entering the CP Register; more achieved permanence within timeframes; reduced placement breakdown; increased kinship stability; rising referrals/uptake for family wellbeing supports; increased Early learning uptake. 5) Priority: Respecting the voices of all children and young people in their lives. What we set out to do (CSP): Implement the Promise recommendations on rights & participation; grow Champions Board and progress Bairns Hoose
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16 2024/25 highlights Voice & rights: Champions Board participation broadened via commissioning of Action for Children for the Voices of The Promise engagement project with direct feedback loops into the Nurtured DIG strengthened. The Promise and Voice: Children and young people must be listened to and involved in decisions about their care. West Dunbartonshire HSCP was awarded £160,000 of Corra Promise Partnership Funding to create a participation project for children, young people, and families around the Promise, as well as creating a data project to ensure we are gathering and measuring data that is important to children, young people, and families. We have commissioned these projects to Action for Children and the Children and Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ). A Family Fun Day was held as the launch event of our participation project, Voices of the Promise, in October 2024 as part of Care Experience Week. This was held in one of the West Dunbartonshire for Families Hubs and hosted stalls and activities for families from a wide variety of West Dunbartonshire services. The event attracted over one hundred people and received considerable positive feedback, while raising awareness about care experience and family supports available. The Participation workers have been working alongside young people in our Children's Houses to co-design Promise workshops for children and young people, which are activity-based and support young people to learn more about what the Promise is, as well as helping them explore what is most important to them within this. The workshops will be rolled out initially within youth groups in West Dunbartonshire, with wider plans to be used within schools. They have created an Experts by Experience group, which is for adults with experience of care, family support, or justice. This group help steer the work of 'The Promise' within West Dunbartonshire. An issue-based group has also been created around Brothers and Sisters, and the ambition within the Promise that brothers and sisters should stay together in care whenever it is safe to do so, and if not together, should have their relationships supported. The young people are keen to influence change in this area and will be supported by Voices of the Promise and Routes staff. Independent Advocacy is an important way we make sure children and young people’s views are shared and heard within care planning and decision making. We have seen a significant increase and development of independent advocacy provided by Who Cares Scotland? and Partners in Advocacy over the past year for our care experienced children and young people. Feedback from Who Cares? Scotland about what has supported this increase in advocacy uptake was positive around the introduction of our Independent Reviewing Coordinators (IROs), who now consider advocacy at every review meeting, and
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17 make referrals themselves when appropriate. It was also noted that there has been a shift in relation to understanding and support. Article 25 - If I am not living with my family, people should keep checking I am safe and happy 2025/26 commitments Progress Bairns Hoose design. How we will evidence progress (CSP indicators) Implementation plan milestones for The Promise. 6) Priority: Developing the engagement and participation of children and young people in all aspects of their lives What we set out to do (CSP; strengthen transitions into adult services /FE/HE/employment; implement the UNCRC Act plan; evaluate the CSP with children, young people, & families; deliver locality training on the Child’s Plan. 2024/25 highlights UNCRC & participation A stronger understanding of Children's Rights has been developed, ensuring services strategically consider the UNCRC in their work and prioritise the voices of children in all relevant decisions, by bolstering advocacy and integrating children's perspectives into policy. Professional learning sessions have involved a range of staff groups across the Council such as newly qualified teachers (NQTs), WD Leisure Active Schools team, Modern Apprentices, and the Alternatives to Care Team alongside the development of self-learning via WDC Employee Training The Rights Advisory Board, consisting of a representative group of young people from across the Council, has worked in collaboration with a range of WDC Officers, gaining insight into areas of responsibility, giving feedback, and contributing to surveys providing views on the places they live in and steps for improvement. Rights Board members have produced an Introductory Video entitled ‘We are the Rights Advisory Board.’ The Our Voices, Our Stories pilot programme has started working with an S1 class to tackle poverty and anti-stigma through the power of lived experiences. This collaborative project, involving multiple partnerships, innovatively used
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18 comic book creation to help young people explore themes of empathy and inclusion. Article 42 – Everyone should know about children’s rights Planet Youth Planet Youth in Scotland is a national pilot based on the Icelandic Prevention Model, aiming to reduce substance use by adopting a whole-system approach to reduce risk and increase protective factors in young people's lives. In 2024/25, participating schools in West Dunbartonshire developed action plans based on locality-wide data and individual school reports to improve young people's wellbeing and environment. Y Sort It supported schools and partners by increasing activities informed by Planet Youth data, sharing themes with over five hundred stakeholders locally, nationally, and internationally. Y Sort It extended their reach, delivering sixty-eight activity sessions to over 8,500 young people. Additionally, all secondary schools experienced the Daniel Spargo- Mabbs Foundation play 'I Love You, Mum – I Promise I Won’t Die', accompanied by workshops to equip students with essential knowledge, life skills, and resilience to make informed and safer choices regarding substances.683 S3 pupils attended the play.
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19 This visual summary was funded by the NIHR ARC North Thames via the MH-ALL programme. This visual summary was created by Sandra Howgate using insights on Planet Youth in Scotland presented by Zahra Hedges, CEO of Winning Scotland. About | Planet Youth Scotland UNCRC Article 33 – I have the right to be protected from dangerous drugs 2025/26 commitments Deepen co evaluation of the Children’s service plan with children, young people, and families; continue locality Child’s Plan training and moderation. How we will evidence progress (CSP indicators) Audit of plans for “voice and impact;” improved positive destinations; training coverage and satisfaction. 7) Priority: Empowering all children and young people to overcome barriers to inclusion and have equitable access to opportunities What we set out to do (CSP): Maintain a multiagency approach to child poverty (housing, debt, employability, income maximisation); ensure care experienced access to clubs/facilities; increase leisure, sport and arts options and uptake; continue SHINE holiday programme (targeting care experienced and ASN); deliver Young Carers actions and supports. 2024/25 highlights the Family Prosperity Network and Child poverty action with the combination of Family Opportunity Hubs, working 4 U & school based offers reduced barriers to engagement in learning and community life. The Family Prosperity Network is focused on addressing economic challenges faced by families, with the following objectives. Alleviate immediate hardship by providing support for families in need. Reduce the cost of living through targeted interventions. Maximise income from benefits & employment to improve financial stability. West Dunbartonshire Council's Working 4 U Team work in partnership with the HSCP's Throughcare Team to ensure that care-experienced individuals can access support through a multi-faceted approach, integrating employability, learning, financial assistance, and social support. Community drop-ins, self-referrals, and partner referrals ensure young people can easily engage with services. Their Thrive Youth Employability Programme also supports care-experienced individuals with financial assistance for expenses such as work uniforms, travel, and training costs while the Foundation Apprentice Team encourages young people to register for employability support before leaving school.
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20 Apprenticeship opportunities are directly communicated to the Throughcare Team to ensure care-experienced applicants receive the necessary support. UNCRC Article 26 –If my family need it, they should get money to help bring me up. UNCRC Article 27 - I have the right to have a proper home, food, and clothing 2024/25 highlights Participation & belonging: Targeted funding removed cost barriers for care experienced children and those with Additional support needs to join clubs and holiday programmes (School Holidays Involve, Nurture and Engage (SHINE). Young people across West Dunbartonshire benefited from free summer holiday camps offering fun and friendship over the school holidays. The Council invested £100k this year along with £19,993 from the Scottish Government to support new and existing groups to provide a range of activity sessions during the school holidays. The popular events were very well attended, including places for children with additional support needs. This year’s programme, with the support from twenty-two community partners, provided a range of sessions to families, with targeted support for those who needed it most. West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare supported 700 children by provided 350 brunch bags consisting of five days' worth of breakfast, lunches, snacks, and packed lunches across every week of the summer break supported by their combined SHINE and Cash for Kids funding. Along with local providers, the Council also supported individual families with young people with an additional support need. Fun and engaging activities were offered to 133 children with 383-day sessions provided by specialist settings. This extensive support ensured continuity of care and social opportunities for pupils with complex additional support needs. UNCRC Article 23 - If I am disabled, I have the right to special care and education. Young Carers: Increased Young Carer Statements, staff training, and group/1 21 sessions, with feedback indicating improved confidence and wellbeing. 2025/26 commitments
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21 Sustain SHINE reach; sustain YC pathways to counselling, respite, and attainment support. How we will evidence progress (CSP indicators) Progress against the Local Child Poverty Action Report measures; participation rates and range of offers; SHINE participation/lunches/benefit feedback; Young Carers Statements, sessions delivered, and outcomes. Governance, participation, and assurance The Nurtured DIG continues to oversee delivery and self-evaluation, ensuring alignment with the Local Outcome Improvement Plan and the wider CPP framework. Young people (Youth Alliance, Champions Board) participate in evaluation and decision making, family voice remains central to service design. The Subgroups are listed below. Nurtured Delivery and Improvement Group Family Prosperity Network GIRFEC Mental health Support and Service Early Years communication and Language The Promise Whole Family Wellbeing
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22 Data profile The Nurtured DIG has started to review available data profiles to help consider what the emerging issues are to help develop the next three-year plan. This includes the Scotpho West Dunbartonshire Child and Young People Mental health profile.
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23 Resources The main financial resources which are provided to support the work of children’s services are included below. WDC Education delivery plan 2025/26 WDHSCP Children’s Residential Care and Community Services has an annual budget of £31, 985 million in 2025/26. This is broken down as follows. 1. Children's Community Placements 8,097 2. Childcare operations 6,169 3. Children's Residential Schools 5,659 4. Children’s Services – Community (NHSGGC) 4,431 5. Other Services – Young People 3,664 6. Residential Accommodation for Young People 3,119 7. Children's Supported Accommodation 846 This incorporates the specific resources intended for Children’s services partnership Whole Family Wellbeing Funding coordinated by WDC education of 621K Care Experienced Children & Young People Fund: co-ordinated by WDC Education of 375k Community mental health and wellbeing supports & services co-ordinated by WDHSCP of 237k NHSGGC provides local services including maternity, family nurse partnership, Specialist children’s health services and Sexual health services.
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24 Strategic connections The children’s services plan connects to several related strategies and plans Strategy/Plan Relevance to Children’s Services Plan West Dunbartonshire Local Housing Strategy 2022-27 Commitment to Young Care Leavers housing protocol with focused action on homes affected by domestic abuse & action on fuel poverty West Dunbartonshire HSCP Engagement Strategy 2024-27 Highlights the role of engagement in children’s services West Dunbartonshire HSCP Strategic Plan 2023-26 Supports the development of delegated children’s health and care services West Dunbartonshire Violence against Women Strategy 2025 Specifically highlights need for greater understanding of healthy and positive relationships from an early age. West Dunbartonshire Trauma and Responsive strategy 2025-28 Aims to embed Trauma-Informed Principles across area via Staff Support and Wellbeing, Systems & Policies: & Leadership & Culture. West Dunbartonshire Carers Strategy 2024-26 Focuses on the needs of young carers in line with GIRFEC West Dunbartonshire Education Delivery Plan 2024-25 Provides strategic improvement approach across all educational establishments. West Dunbartonshire Community Learning and Development Plan 2024-27 Includes actions related to children, young people & family learning through CLD activity. NHSGGC Annual Report 2024/25 Includes actions on delivery of antenatal & postnatal care to support continuity of care & completion of health visiting assessments. West Dunbartonshire Housing Solutions Strategy 2025-28 Includes action to explore support & accommodation for young people aged 16-21 West Dunbartonshire Council Equality Scheme 2025-29 and outcomes Young women, disabled and Black and minority ethnic young people are supported and leave school with positive destinations. Raise attainment in male pupils in literacy and numeracy. Increased participation of younger people in participative processes in West Dunbartonshire. West Dunbartonshire Promise Plan 2024- 25 Provides focus across all promise themes e.g. voice, family support, Brothers and sisters, & language to improve outcomes for care experienced babies, children, & young people West Dunbartonshire Local Child Poverty Action Report 2024/2025 Outlines the collaborative efforts to reduce child poverty and to improve the lives of families across West Dunbartonshire