Children and young people across North Yorkshire could soon benefit from a new 3 year strategy aimed at offering family support much earlier and helping more children thrive in their local communities.
Called “Little Steps to Big Futures: With You. Your Place. When it Matters”, the proposed plan sets out how North Yorkshire Council intends to reshape its support services between now and 2029.
Senior councillors will meet on Tuesday 27 October to consider the proposal, which focuses heavily on early intervention, inclusion, and helping children stay safely with their families whenever possible.
The strategy has been shaped by local data showing that while many young people in the county do well, others face growing hurdles around poverty, health, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and the unique isolation that can come with living in a large rural area.
To tackle this, the council has built the plan around 5 core priorities:
- Helping families earlier before problems grow
- Promoting inclusion, belonging, and learning
- Strengthening family and community support networks
- Improving stability for vulnerable children
- Giving young people the skills and confidence needed for adulthood
“Every child deserves the opportunity to enjoy a happy, healthy and fulfilling childhood, regardless of their background or circumstances,” said Cllr Janet Sanderson, executive member for children and families. “By intervening earlier and working more closely with our partners, we want more children to remain safely with their families wherever possible and more children and young people to achieve, thrive and feel that they belong within their local schools and communities.”
If approved by the executive next week, council services will shift more resources towards joined-up working with local schools and health partners to deliver support closer to home.
