City News

The future prospects of children and young people in Birmingham are looking brighter thanks to early progress made on a £41.7 million portfolio of projects, Cabinet members will be told on October 13.

Work on pilot schemes being delivered through the Birmingham Children, Young People and Families Business Transformation programme, has begun with the training of staff who will help deliver a number of early years and preventative programmes.

Amongst the new initiatives, covered in the annual report to Cabinet, are Family Nurse Partnerships pilots, and Incredible Years - a parenting programme for young children with behaviour difficulties – as well as programmes for schools to increase social aspects of learning and programmes to prevent children coming into care.

All of the projects in the programme have been selected because they are supported by detailed evidence of success from research obtained around the world.

Councillor Les Lawrence, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, said: “Birmingham Europe’s youngest population, which means we need to ensure the services that we provide are relevant to families in the 21st Century.

“The early progress we have made on our ambitious transformation programme is most encouraging and will enable us to improve outcomes for children, young people and families in Birmingham. The programme is based on major research done with Birmingham school pupils and the carers of pre-school children to ensure what we offer is exactly what residents of Birmingham need.”

A strong focus is being placed on improving outcomes for children and young people that include improved health, behaviour, emotional well being and greater literacy and numeracy skills.

Rigorous research into the chosen portfolio of programmes has been conducted and the evaluation of all initiatives within the programme will ensure that the desired impact is being delivered to all those people who use these services.

Cheryl Hopkins, Birmingham City Council’s Children, Young People and Families service director for strategy and commissioning, added: “We are on the cusp of delivering a broad programme that is supported by Dartington-i , a national research organisation, and we have evidence from this country and around the world on what works to improve the lives of children and young people.

“The investment that we have committed to transforming children’s services means we will now be able to focus our energies into early years and preventative services, as evidence shows support given to young children is very effective in reducing the need for more intensive services as they move through school and become the adults of the future.”

Professor Michael Little, Director of the Dartington Social Research Unit, said: “It has been a privilege to work with Birmingham on this major development in children's services.

“The way the agencies have worked together, carefully analysed data on the well-being of children and considered evidence about what works from around the world has been exemplary.

“But these new investments in prevention programmes calculated to improve child well being and reduce the burden treatment services in future years puts Birmingham at the cutting edge of children's services in Europe.

“Dartington-i's role has been to provide a way of thinking that demands evidence and logic. Birmingham has made the most of these resources by seeking the very best for the City's children. The £41.7 million investment is a clear indication that Birmingham means what it says about improving outcomes for its children.”

Also due for discussion at Cabinet will be Excellence in Information Management (EIM), another of the nine Business Transformation workstreams being delivered by the council.

EIM, which is yet to have its Full Business Case approved, is in the earlier stages of its development and will overhaul the way in which the council manages data and information.