CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE VULNERABLE

Whilst the Children’s Trust has produced the Children and Young People's Plan for all children and young people in Sunderland, it also recognises that some children and young people need additional help to see them through difficult periods in their lives. This plan includes references to many of those times and to those particular groups of children and young people.

Some children and young people tell us that racism is a problem that needs tackling, that they want to live at home with their families and feel safe and happy there, and that disabled children and young people should be able to get out and about and do the same things in their leisure time as other children and young people.

The Children’s Trust will speak up for all children and young people in Sunderland and advocate on their
behalf at times when their needs and views may be overlooked, or may not be the main focus of discussion. The ECM agenda is about improving outcomes for all children and young people, whilst acknowledging that some groups will be more vulnerable to poor outcomes than others. It makes specific provision within self assessment and inspection processes to focus upon the needs of these groups.

The Children’s Trust emphasises groups of children and young people who may be more vulnerable to poor outcomes than others. This additional vulnerability may be as a result of a disability or learning difficulty, poverty, where in the city they live, their caring responsibilities, their race or ethnicity, being looked after by the Local Authority or other factors.

The Children’s Trust has signed up to the Every Disabled Child Matters: Local Authority Charter and all partners within the Trust are committed to achieving the Charter’s 9 objectives over the next two years.

By 2009 we will:

• 
  Implement actions to achieve the 9 objectives of the EDCM Charter
• Work through the strategic partnerships to deliver improved outcomes for children and young people who are disabled or have a learning difficulty and children looked after
• Agree the mechanism by which
  work to improve outcomes for children and young people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds will be co-ordinated and driven forward
• Actively engage vulnerable children and young people and their families in consultation and participation
  activity
• Set actions to ensure the needs of vulnerable children and young people are explicit within each priority of CYPP
• Embed the needs of vulnerable children and young people into planning and monitoring processes, including all strategies written to support the implementation of CYPP, all service and team plans and performance monitoring mechanisms

The table below sets out our range of activities to improve the lives of three particular groups of children and
young people to whom the Government asks all councils to give specific attention.

These groups are children and young people who are looked after, children and young people from black and
minority ethnic families, and children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

The following are some of the key actions that will be taken on behalf of these children and young people during 2008 and 2009, the people responsible for those actions, and the relevant plan through which the action will be implemented and outcomes measured. Whilst some actions are contained in this plan, all actions can be found in the referenced implementation plans.

Some children and young people tell us that tackling bullying and racism are priorities for them, and that they want to be able to join in as citizens and feel a valued part of the city.

All public authorities have a duty to promote disability, gender and race equality, and have a responsibility to meet legal requirements in relation to equality around age, sexual orientation
and religion/belief.

The Children’s Trust is committed to promoting equality and diversity so that children and young people:

• Have equality of opportunity to reach their full potential, access similar life opportunities and expect a good quality of life
• Are respected, valued and celebrated
• Feel that they belong to Sunderland and can develop strong and positive relationships within neighbourhoods, and in work, education and leisure
• Feel able to participate in community life, be active citizens and play a positive role in developing Sunderland’s vision for it’s future

Much has already been achieved in the City on equality and diversity:
Sunderland City Council, Schools, Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust, City Hospitals NHS Trust, the South of Tyne and Wear NHS Trust and Northumbria Police have already worked in partnership to develop their gender and disability equality policies.

Over the next 2 years opportunities for children and young people will improve as we get a better understanding and engagement of Sunderland communities, building good community relations, cohesive communities and promoting inclusive notions of citizenship, identity and belonging to
Sunderland; addressing racism and extremism, and all forms of prejudice and discrimination; promoting and managing inward migration and settlement; and challenging existing structures, policy and practice.

By 2009 we will:

• Understand the demographics and needs of our under 18 population and their families (under 25 if disabled), to ensure equality and diversity is explicit within each priority of CYPP, and across services for children and young people
• Remove barriers to accessing services by implementing Impact Need Requirement Assessments (INRAs)
• Actively engage children and young people who may experience inequality or social exclusion and their families in consultation and participation activity
• Promote and respect diversity within all children’s services and challenge prejudice and discrimination