York children urge to sign up for 10 minute exercise project

Following the success of last year, City of York Council is again supporting the 10 Minute Shake Up campaign launched by Change4Life and Disney, to help encourage the city’s children to get active.

10 minute shake up

The 10 Minute Shake Up campaign uses a bit of Disney magic to inspire children to reach the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day, with fun, manageable 10 minute bursts of exercise.

This year, 10 Minute Shake Up has lots of new and exciting 10 minute games and activities for children to play as part of four Disney teams: Big Hero 6, Frozen, Monsters and Toy Story. Children can help their chosen Disney team win by taking part in as many Shake Ups as they can each day throughout the summer. Every 10 minute burst of activity can make a real difference and helps towards children getting the 60 minutes they need each day.

Those who sign up for 10 Minute Shake Up will receive a free pack containing inspiration, ideas and tools to help children on their way to achieving their recommended 60 minutes of activity per day.  Packs include a fantastic team wristband* with timer, activity cards, a wild card for children to invent their own Shake Ups, a team poster and stickers.   

*while stocks last

Councillor Carol Runciman, City of York Council’s Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health said: “This is a fantastic initiative to encourage children and families to get active. Increased physical activity can lead to better academic achievement, with improved attention span, behaviour and self-confidence. I would encourage people across the city to sign up”.

City of York Council’s Acting Director of Health and Wellbeing, Julie Hotchkiss said: “In children physical activity is essential for mental and emotional health as well as physical health and a reduced risk of developing chronic conditions in the future.”
To sign up visit Change4Life and register for a free pack which is full of ideas for games and activities to keep your children active this summer.

York Council ask, “Are you privately fostering?”

To coincide with National Private Fostering Week (6-10 July) City of York Council is reminding anyone who’s been caring for a young person – and who is not a close relative – for longer than a month that they must contact the local authority.

Fostering

All private fostering arrangements lasting more than 28 days need to be reported to the local council so the children’s social care team can ensure that the child or young person is safe and that the carers are well supported.

Nik Flavell, Principal Advisor of Children’s Social Care at City of York Council, said:

“We know that there are a number of private care arrangements in place for young people in York, but often neither their parents nor carers realise that there is a legal requirement for them to let the council know. We can then carry out an assessment to make sure that the arrangements are safe and satisfactory for the child or young person and for the carers.”

For more information about private fostering, your rights and responsibilities, or to contact City of York Council’s Referral and Assessment Team, call 01904 551900 or email childrensfrontdoor@york.gov.uk

York Police getting ready for anti social behaviour peak

The media are reporting that the police intend to have a major drive against anti social behaviour during the upcoming school holidays.

It will be the first push of its kind since 2009.

Stats released by the Police confirm that incidents of anti social behaviour peak in July and August (an interesting interactive map can be viewed by clicking here – covers all types of crime giving its location down to local neighbourhoods)

click to access interactive web site

click to access interactive web site

More local information can be found here. It details reported crimes at street level. The latest figures are for April 2015 http://www.police.uk/north-yorkshire/york-west/crime/

We hope that the local Police commanders will ensure that sub-urban areas receive a fair share of enforcement resources and that PCSOs patrols are maintained – as a minimum – at historic levels.

We remain unconvinced that the decision to centralise anti social behaviour work into a “hub” at West Offices has worked

The Councils decision to promote York as a “Party City” has also backfired with rowdy groups producing an intimidating atmosphere in some parts of the City centre even during the day (as well as the evening). That policy needs to be reviewed quickly

The Council must also ensure that its activities programmes for younger people are refreshed. The May  issue of their Shine magazine can be downloaded by clicking here

 The last Council drastically cut Youth Services while at the same time removing subsidies from local community centres. The latter decision means that centres are now dependent entirely on voluntary effort to stay open. With potential volunteers often working themselves during the day, that could mean that valuable community resources could lie unused for much of the summer.

All in all, the York Council and its partners need to rethink their approach to crime and the causes of crime.

Drowning prevention week – activities in York schools

Schools and youth groups across York will be working to keep pupils safe around water during Drowning Prevention Week (June 20-28).

drowning

Using the River Safety Resource pack launched this spring by City of York Council, schools have a wealth of information, ideas and contacts to hand to share the message that taking care near water can save lives.

Developed in consultation with the city’s multi-partner River Safety Group including Safer York Partnership, the Canal and River Trust and emergency services, the pack also supports the National Curriculum’s new requirements for building water safety and aquatic skills.

The council is working with Ebor Lifesaving Club to deliver water safety initiatives during and outside the Royal Lifesaving Society’s annual week of action. Primary schools and youth groups in York have approached the club or are using the packs themselves to raise awareness of the dangers that open water pose.
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Musical organisations and schools invited to bid for funds from York Music Hub

girl-guitar-vector-drawing-girls-singing-street-31430820

York Music Hub is launching its Commissioning Plan and inviting musical organisations in York to apply for funding of up to £2,000 each, and clusters of schools up to £4,000 each, to help support its vision for musical provision in the city.

The commissioning plan seeks to allocate up to £40,000 during the academic year 2015/2016 and commission musical services which help develop sustainable, high quality and diverse musical experiences for local children and young people.

Funding bids should also support the National Plan for Music Education and may reflect the needs and issues identified in research undertaken by York Music Hub in 2012 and York St.John University in 2014.

A wide variety of musical bids are expected which may, for example, develop a range of singing opportunities (particularly for boys), give opportunities for children to become involved in performing and specialist events, commission music specialists or develop opportunities for using music technology.  (more…)

York Children’s Health Profile Data Released

Public Health England has this week released Child Health Profiles for City of York Council, which provide a snapshot of child health in the city.

Child Labour

Fewer children living in poverty

The key findings from the report show that the health and wellbeing of children in York is generally better than the England average and that children and young people under the age of 20 make up 21.7% of the city’s population.

The profiles help City of York Council to work in partnership to improve health in the local area. The profiles contain data on a wide range of issues about and affecting child health, from levels of childhood obesity, MMR immunisation rates, teenage pregnancy and underage drinking, to hospital admissions and levels of child poverty. Each profile provides two types of information: background demographic information about the children in each area; and comparative analysis with other local authorities across the country.

The data shows that in 2013 there were 2045 live births in York, which saw the number of children in the city aged between 0 and 4 remain at 10,700 and the number of children aged 0 to 19 increase to 44,000.  The findings project the number of children in York aged 0 to 19 by 2020 will be 44,900.

According to the child population section the life expectancy at birth of boys and girls in York is 79.4 and 83.5 respectively.   The regional figures for Yorkshire and Humber are 78.5 and 82.2 and nationally 79.4 and 83.1 putting York above the regional and national average.

The level of child poverty in York is better than the England average with 11.7% of children aged under 16 living in poverty, a fall of 1.4% since the last Child Health Profiles data was released.
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New IT system has children at its heart

A new IT system will put children at its heart while freeing social workers to spend even more time with young people and their families.

kids-child-computer-860

The new MOSAIC system for City of York Council’s Children’s Services is a state-of-the-art system which will map the work being done with over 1,000 of the most vulnerable children and their families in the city, to ensure that they are given the right help at the right time to improve their life chances.

It will have a secure online portal which will allow parents, carers and the children and young people themselves to participate in the planning and review of the work being done to support them
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Social media network’s growth hits national interest

fis logo

 Virtual champions in York are inspiring Family Information Services (FIS) across the UK to follow their lead, as more and more social media groups link up locally.

City of York Council’s FIS has rolled out a new idea to work with volunteer parents to share relevant information through social media networks. This pilot has been showcased at the national Parent’s Champions Conference, as well as regional meetings and seminars and has been showcased by the Family and Childcare Trust as part of their social media toolkit. Currently, the idea has generated links between some 26,000 group members in York, significantly extending this statutory service’s reach.

These virtual champions – volunteer facebook group administrators – work with the FIS to get important messages out to the community. This includes news about free childcare for eligible two-year-olds, a new toy library or alerting parents and carers to a new campaign against child sexual exploitation or abuse.
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Grange Lane Park – dog fouling problems

The installation of railings around the play equipment on Grange Lane has not entirely eliminated problems with dog fouling.

Gate being left open at palygorund

Gate being left open at palygorund

Unfortunately the access gate does not have a spring on it and it is often being left open.

We hope to have a spring fitted and a notice erected reminding people to kept the gate closed.

Meanwhile we’ve reported the full poop scoop bin for emptying

Full poop scoop bin on Grange Lane reported for emptying

Full poop scoop bin on Grange Lane reported for emptying

Foster Care Fortnight launches major recruitment shift

People with experience of health, caring and education or youth work are being recruited to a career in fostering with City of York Council.

Interested individuals, couples or those with families are being invited to meet local need for foster care for older children and young people who are unable to live with their own families.

Also, more experienced carers are being recruited to foster children and young people with additional needs such as learning or physical disabilities, for short breaks or the longer term.

Besides ongoing training and support for carers from the council’s team as well as from local foster carers, a financial package is provided that recognises the foster carer’s commitment and care and the level of need they support.
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