LBB Children and Young People Services Portfolio Plan for 2011-12

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Introduction
About this Portfolio Plan
This Portfolio Plan sets out the priorities and key actions for the
Children and Young People Portfolio for the year 2011/12.
It builds on the Borough’s Sustainable Community Strategy, Building
a Better Bromley: 2020 Vision, and it links closely to the Council’s
priorities for 2011/12 (the Building a Better Bromley promises – see
Appendix D) and the emerging Children’s Strategy for the Bromley
Children and Young People Partnership. The Plan informs the
priorities for the Divisional Business Plans and individual staff within
the Portfolio for 2011/12.
About the Portfolio
The Council established the Children and Young People Portfolio in
2002 with a lead Executive Member (the Portfolio Holder)
responsible for Children and Young People Services across the
Council.
The Portfolio Holder is responsible for taking forward the Council’s
strategy for services to children, young people and their families,
including the Council’s responsibilities for:
• Education
Support for maintained schools; coordinated school admissions
and school place planning; standards and achievement within
early years settings and maintained schools; improving
attendance and behaviour, and reducing exclusions
• Children’s social care
Child protection and safeguarding; fostering, adoption and family
support services; early intervention and prevention services;
children in care and care leavers, and support to young carers
• Children with additional needs
Support for children with disabilities and special needs; young
carers; personalised learning
• Positive activities for young people
Involving young people in decision-making; leisure and cultural
opportunities for children and young people; youth offending
service; careers advice and guidance
The Portfolio also works closely with other Council Portfolio’s on a
number of cross cutting issues including: transition of children with
disabilities and special needs into adulthood; community safety,
including road safety; housing; child poverty; and health.
In addition, the Portfolio works in partnership with a number of key
agencies within the Borough (including NHS Bromley and Bromley
Healthcare; Metropolitan Police Service; schools, early years
settings and colleges; and the voluntary and community sector)
through the Bromley Children and Young People Partnership, and
with parents, carers, children and young people, to plan, deliver and
commission services.
About the Department
The Children and Young People Services department was formally
established in May 2006, combining children and families social care
services, children's education services and the Youth Offending
Service.
It provides a range of universal and targeted services for children,
young people and their families through schools, youth services,
specialist support, and a range of social care services.
It works in partnership with other statutory, voluntary and private
sector agencies through the Bromley Children and Young People
Partnership.
The 2010 Annual Performance Assessment of Bromley’s Children’s