York Council says, “Please help to shape a new plan for young people”

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A new Children and Young People’s Plan is currently being developed by City of York Council for 2016-2019 to set the direction for everyone working to improve the lives of children and young people.

As with previous Plans – the most recent was launched in 2013 – the views of children, young people, families and people working with and for children are a crucial element in deciding the new Plan’s priorities.

The council is asking all those affected by the new Plan to share their thoughts. This can be done via a 10-minute, anonymous online survey atwww.yor-ok.org.uk/haveyoursay.  At the end of the survey, participants can choose to enter into a prize draw for one of two £50 high street vouchers as thanks for taking part.

Young people are also invited to get involved by applying to join a group of young researchers. These young people aged16 years old and over are being recruited for six to eight weeks from the beginning of July. The young researchers will be trained, rewarded for their attendance and learn valuable skills. Please contact Tess Ellis on 01904 551249 or email: tess.ellis@york.gov.uk for more details.

Cllr Jenny Brooks, Executive Member for Education, Children and Young People, said: ““The success of previous Plans has lain in part in having been shaped by the people it will affect. I’d urge all children and young people and those who care for or work with them to have their say now about what matters to them and how we can make York the best place in which to live and grow up.”

The consultation will be open until 31 August and the new Children and Young People’s Plan it will help draw up will be launched in the new year.

York parents to get child sexual abuse and exploitation information

Parents and carers of children in York will get information and advice about how to spot signs of child sexual exploitation and abuse this month as part of a citywide awareness raising campaign.

Parents of pupils in year 6 (10-11 years old) will receive a letter and wallet-sized information card about the It’s not ok campaign, which was launched in May.

The campaign, which is run by City of York Safeguarding Children Board (a group of organisations in York which help support children and young people, including City of York Council, North Yorkshire Police and health partners) and the NSPCC, aims to raise awareness of child sexual abuse and exploitation amongst young people, parents and carers, childcare and safeguarding professionals, and the general public.

The year-long campaign, the first of its type for the NSPCC in England, has four distinct phases, with each targeting a different audience. Information, resources and campaign materials will all be available in one place – the new sexual abuse and sexual exploitation website for York: www.itsnotokay-york.org.uk

Simon Westwood, Chair of the CYSCB/Dot Evansfrom the City of York Safeguarding Children Board, said: “Unfortunately sexual abuse and exploitation can happen anywhere and to anyone. By writing directly to parents and carers we hope that we can raise awareness about the issue, helping to protect their child or children. The website has a wide range of resources to help parents spot the signs of potential abuse, as well as providing support to anyone who has been abused.”

Helen Westerman, NSPCC campaigns manager, said: “It’s great to be working with City of York Safeguarding Children Board on this campaign. We know how difficult it can be to speak out about sexual abuse and exploitation and we hope that this campaign provides a voice to children and young people living in abusive situations.”

Lifestyle 2015 – launched by Police today!

North Yorkshire Police have officially launched the Lifestyle Challenge 2015.

North Yorkshire Police Lifestyle Challenge Awards 2014

Now in its third year, the competition runs over the summer holidays and aims to give young people aged 10 – 17 a positive project to do over the long break, giving them the opportunity to improve the quality of life in their community.

The teams have to think of a project that they can carry out over the summer holidays that is of benefit to someone or something in the community. They then have until the start of September to work on their project, recording all they do in a log book provided by the police. The log books are then submitted for judging, with the winners attending a glittering awards ceremony in November to receive their prizes, which include PGL adventure holidays, mountain bikes and Kindle Fires.

Projects carried out in previous years include “5ICE” from Selby who cleared gardens in sheltered accommodation and then made and cited nesting boxes; “The Yorkies” who created an outside relaxation area at a local club for disabled youngsters and then raised funds to buy sports equipment; and “Bogus Babes” from Stokesley who launched an anti-crime initiative to warn people about bogus doorstep callers.

Teams wanting to take part can register online at www.northyorkshire.police.uk/lifestyle. They will be sent a registration pack, including a log book to record all their work, a handbook with lots of help and advice, and Company Challenges. These are sponsored by local businesses and agencies and are full of ideas for projects in case the teams are a bit stuck. The first 100 young people to register also receive a limited edition Lifestyle 2015 t-shirt.

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PC Suzanne Asquith, Youth Engagement Officer at North Yorkshire Police, said: “2015 is going to be a fantastic year for Lifestyle. We have got a lot of exciting challenges from our community safety partners and local NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups as well as Hiscox, Shepherd Group and Virgin Trains East Coast. I am also very pleased that this year York City Football Club Foundation have joined us with a brilliant sporting challenge.”

This year a new category has been introduced so entire youth groups or uniformed organisations such as Guides or Scouts can take part. Teams in the Youth Group Division can win a monetary prize to be spent by the group on whatever equipment or activities they like.

PC Asquith added: “The Lifestyle Challenge benefits so many people. Young people can be recognised as having made a positive contribution to their neighbourhood, while the community benefits from new play equipment, cleaner green spaces, conservation areas, family fun days or crime reduction projects.

“It’s a great way to spend the summer and can bring some amazing results. We are very fortunate in being able to hold our awards ceremony once again at York Racecourse and I am looking forward to seeing what the teams come up with this year!”

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

School pupils encouraged to become Modeshift STARS

STAR

 City of York Council has introduced the new Modeshift STARS (Sustainable Travel Accreditation and Roadsafety for Schools) scheme.

The scheme aims to encourage pupils, parents and staff to travel to and from school using sustainable travel.

The Modeshift STARS scheme is an on-line tool showcasing green travel options that also recognises schools that are working hard not only to encourage parents and staff  to travel to school more sustainably but use sustainable transport as part of their curriculum activities.

The aim of the project is to increase the number of people walking and cycling to school, and reducing congestion during the school run making it safer for everyone.

Mode shift starsSchools taking part in Modeshift STARS work towards a national award which recognises the continuing efforts a school makes to increase sustainable travel by the whole school community.

Jonathan Green, Head Teacher for Archbishop of York Junior school said: “Modeshift STARS has brought our whole school community together. It is a brilliant scheme that has encourages us to really look positively at how we travel to school and how we take responsibility for our village.”

For more information on Modeshift STARS visit http://www.itravelyork.info/for-schools/travel-planning/stars. For more information on sustainable travel in York visit www.itravelyork.info

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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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.

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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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Parents in York urged to have children vaccinated

City of York Council is calling on parents to ensure their children get all the appropriate vaccinations and is highlighting the potential risks being placed on children who are not vaccinated.

flu shotAlthough immunisation rates are generally good in York (92.3% had their full MMR vaccines – data: NHS England) recent research shows that “letting nature run its course” by allowing childhood infections to build immunity is a poor, and possibly unsafe choice.

Recent research has shown that a natural infection by measles in a child has the effect of resetting the immunity of the child back to that of a newborn infant.  All the immune memory, which we rely on to protect us, is destroyed.  The measles virus kills white blood cells that have a “memory” of past infections and therefore provide immunity to them.  It had been thought that these cells bounce back because new ones appear following recovery.  However, recent research in monkeys has shown that these new memory cells only remember measles itself.

In other research, a team analysed child mortality records from the UK, America and Denmark before and after the measles vaccination was available.  The data showed that the number of children who died of infectious diseases was linked to the number of measles cases there had been in the two or three years previously.  The duration of the so called “immune amnesia” is similar to the time it takes for new born babies to build up a natural immunity; this suggests that measles resets children’s immunity to that of a newborn.

City of York Council’s Interim Consultant in Public Health, Dr Sohail Bhatti said: “This research shows the importance of getting our children vaccinated and the implications if we don’t.  I would urge parents in York to do the best by their children and ensure they receive the MMR vaccine to protect them against measles, as well as mumps and rubella.

“If children are not vaccinated against measles they run a much higher chance of getting the disease which means their immune memory could be destroyed.  They are then more likely to get other diseases when the symptoms and consequences can be much more severe.”

For more information about measles and the MMR vaccine visit www.nhs.uk

York Music Centre expands

A new weekend session for children and young people has been added by York Music Centre to its programme at Millthorpe School.

York Music Centre, run by York Arts Education and part of City of York Council, will offer a variety of choirs, ensembles, orchestras and tuition sessions each Saturday morning.

The session has moved from Canon Lee School and allows York Music Centre to consolidate provision with its Wednesday evening session at Millthorpe School from the end of February.

From Saturday 28 February, from 9.15am, York Music Centre will offer group music-making opportunities to children and young people aged 3 to 18 of all abilities.
These include top level ensembles such as Concert Band, Big Band and the Symphony Orchestra, entry level groups like Overture (for 3-5 year olds), WOW Band (for any instrumental beginners), Young Voices which helps develop singing and listening skills and World of Rhythm, run by Billy Hickling from the internationally acclaimed STOMP!
An adult choir is also available for parents and friends who don’t want to miss out on the fun.
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