Following the Children Act 2004 the government initiated a Change for Children Programme that promotes keeping children and young people at the centre of all we do. In South Gloucestershire the locality hubs are designed so that all professionals work to this vision, described in our Children and Young People Plan, to ensure improved outcomes for children and young people.
The locality hubs will provide a central base for the range of professionals who work with children and young people in the three localities of Severnvale, Yate and Kingswood. Services are for children and young people from 0-19 and their families (for very vulnerable young people, some services will be available up to age 24 years). They will create a more localised approach to the way services for children and young people, their families and communities are delivered providing a local gateway to information, advice and services which meet the needs of individuals and families in the community. As a minimum, it should enable children, young people and familes to access streamlined health, learning, social care and advice services. Central to this is the importance of providing an environment that is child and young people oriented, accessible and welcoming. Where possible child and family concerns will be resolved at the point of contact through information, advice and guidance, including signposting to appropriate local resources, such as Sure Start Children’s Centres, voluntary sector providers and schools. Practitioners will work in a co-ordinated way using a common process alongside children, young people and families to assess their needs and plan together. This is called the Common Assessment Framework. A lead professional will also be identified to co-ordinate any agreed action plan and to be the main point of contact for all involved.