In Cardiff we are committed to ensuring all children and young people are safe happy and thrive.
We recognise that a bespoke approach is required to ensure the safety of adolescent young people in our City. It is crucial that we work collaboratively with a range of partners to ensure young people living in Cardiff will feel safe and will be safe. Watch the video below, click on the goals above or read the full plan by clicking on the link below.
Young people feel safe.
Young people feel safe, understand how to keep safe and how to assess risk. Increased cultural awareness and professional understanding of a young person’s life history Improved information sharing between professionals, utilising existing tools (i.e. My Concern) to share concerns, collate and map ‘collective risk’ and reduce the number of times young people need to ‘tell their story’ Reviewed policies relating to safeguarding adolescents and redeveloped process and procedures linked to extra-familial risks. Established opportunities for multiagency partners to discuss and share information and intelligence relating extra-familial contexts and overlapping vulnerabilities. Increased peer led support work for young people- a lived experience can be more valuable than professional expertise.
Young people have improved health and wellbeing.
Staff have the skills to recognise and respond effectively and appropriately to young people’s mental and physical health needs. Practitioners are aware of the services available to young people and support young people to access what they need. Staff remain involved as a supportive factor throughout. Staff are aware of relational and trauma informed approach to practice. Develop support for young people and their families who are living with substance misuse (CRAFT Programme) Young carers feel they are supported and have access to opportunities and respite.
Young people and families can understand and assess risk.
Professionals, family carers and young people themselves have a sound understanding of contextual safeguarding and associated risk factors Young people are supported and know how to stay safe online, increased awareness of cybercrime, grooming and mate crime Improved and adapted risk assessments and interventions to routinely provide opportunities for adolescents’ own views and perspectives to be reflected. Improved mechanisms and processes developed to better work with parents / caregivers as partners in order to safeguard adolescents
All young people will have access to education and activities that will help them prepare for their future.
Increasing access to meaningful social, non-formal, informal learning via youth services for young people in their communities. An embedded prevention and ‘place-based’ system that ensures key ‘adolescent services’ are collaborating in order to target services to the right person at the right place and at the right time. Improved governance and alignment of adolescent services – Pulling together all key services working with young people across the City including voluntary and third sector organisations. Enhanced education, support and mentoring for young people, with particular reference to good sex and relationship education, employability skills and education which is directly linked to an offer of employment, including young people who may be excluded from education/on reduced timetable. Enhance the Into Work offer to provide support. Increased coordinated services for supporting young people in to work. Improved connections with employment services to support young people who are not wishing to transition into further education
All young people have a stable home and support from a community.
Better accommodation options for young people, situated in areas that they know, close to the centre of networks and support. Practical, ongoing tenancy support Development of preventative programmes and Improving early identification and intervention in order to prevent young people becoming homeless. Increased mediation with families at the right time to avoid crisis. Young people are supported to feel confident and emotionally prepared to live independently if required.
Young People have Positive Transitions, They will receive guidance to overcome their struggles and help to adapt to change.
Better transition, with specific reference to transitions for care leavers and young people after the age of 18 Improved services to support young adults 18+ who are or have been exploited. Extended support beyond 21 years into adulthood if needed. Improved transition and transfer of cases to adult safeguarding. Improved working between ‘youth / Children’s services and adult services to share best practice. Improved transition support and support for the needs of young people involved in the Criminal Justice System, including prisons, secure homes and under probation/YOS supervision. Improved package of support for young people as young parents.