What is Colchester's Children and young PEOPLE'S STRATEGIC partnership?
The Colchester Children and Young People's Strategic Partnership is the local partnership covering services to children, young people and their families across the whole of Colchester Borough.  Our responsibility is to co-ordinate planning and services across a whole range of statutory and voluntary agencies.  Each of the district and borough council areas within Essex have now established similar partnership groups, supported by a county-wide strategic group.

Who are we?
The Colchester Children and Young Peoples Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) includes representatives from statutory, educational, voluntary and community groups that work with, or have an impact on, the lives of children, young people and their families in Colchester.

WHY?
The Government has set 5 broad objectives to improve performance and outcomes locally for children, young people and their families as part of the Every Child Matters green paper issued in 2003 and formalised in the Children's Act 2004.

The 5 objectives are:
-        Stay safe
-        Be healthy
-        Enjoy and achieve
-        Achieve economic well-being
-        Make a positive contribution

We have a central strategy group and have set up the three following aged related Stakeholder groups to concentrate on working to achieve these 5 objectives:

-        Early Years (Pre-Birth to 6)                                                                                                                                          -        Childhood (7 - 12)                                                                                                                                                           -        Young People (13-19+)

 
HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER?
We plan to improve current provision by  identifying gaps in services, commissioning research and planning how we should work together to cover these gaps.  Although Government sets the targets we need your involvement and input to plan and improve services for children, young people and their families in Colchester. 

COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES                                                                                  Across Colchester and Essex, children, young people, families and communities will be able to take part in design, development, delivery, governance and evaluation of services. Children, young people, families and the community have said the most important things to consider when involving them are:                                                                                                                                                                                              To be treated with respect, listen to what is said and value individuality                                                                    Offer support to help everyone take part in opportunities                                                                                             Provide clear information about opportunities, what is in it for them and the service they are involved with      Make sure everyone has access for a range of opportunities appropriate to individuals needs                          Receive feedback so everyone is clear about what has happened as a result of individual / group feedback  Work together to provide the widest range and best possible opportunities                                                              

If you have any queries regarding children and young people's participation in Colchester, please contact us.

HOW WILL THE CYPSP INFLUENCE THE IMPENDING DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN'S TRUSTS?
With the first pilot project in Essex of a Children's Trust in Braintree to co-ordinate and deliver services to children and young people, the CYPSP will have a central and vital role to play in considering how to develop a Children's Trust approach in Colchester.  Therefore, your input and support would be a positive step forward for achieving a truly joined up working that can help to meet the aims and objectives of the Colchester CYPSP.

WHEN WILL THE CYPSP MEET?
The Strategy Group meets every two months and has produced a Strategy and Action Plan for Colchester that is updated annually to reflect local needs.  Age related stakeholder groups meet on a similar time frame to monitor service delivery in the action plan and respond to user views in order that services fully meet their needs.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE INVOLVED?
Partners will retain their autonomy and own service planning framework; the CYPSP aims to create opportunities for partners to collaborate so that they can do more with their resources together than they could achieve alone.  We want to make sure that Colchester's children and young people have every opportunity to fulfil their potential.

For more information please contact:

Maureen Hanley - Locality Group Manager
Essex County Council
Tel: 01206 282102
maureen.hanleyt@essexcc.gov.uk

Matt Sterling - Colchester CYPSP Chair                                                                                                                       Colchester Borough Council                                                                                                                                              Tel: 01206 282577                                                                                                             matthew.sterling@colchester.gov.uk

Lynne Hooper
Essex County Council
Tel: 01206 719737
lynne.hooper@essexcc.gov.uk