A vision of a city where children and young people are valued

We aim to improve quality of life in Salford for all children and young people. We will narrow the inequalities gap and reduce child poverty to ensure that all children are given the best start in life.

We will promote the health and wellbeing of children throughout their young lives and we will empower all children and young people to seek their own solutions. We aim to create opportunities and chances for all children, young people and families to live their dreams.

Why it’s important

Achieving our long-term vision for the city depends on our children and young people having high aspirations and being equipped to achieve them. In order to create vibrant neighbourhoods children and young people must be active and empowered to improve their environment. We cannot break the cycle of deprivation in our most vulnerable communities unless children and young people are valued and have accurate self-esteem which enables them to develop positive aspirations and make use of their individual talents.

We must have high expectations for families in Salford and provide the right support and interventions to enable good parenting and to safeguard all children and young people. Families must be supported to provide secure, happy environments. Where that family support does not exist, particularly for children who are looked after by the local authority, the partnership must provide other structures to support the dreams and ambitions of children and young people.

Where we are now

There are more than 52,000 children and young people aged under 19 living in Salford. When developing the Children and Young People’s Plan, the partnership looked at the needs of those children and young people in each area of the city and highlighted key challenges which impact on the wellbeing of children and young people and their ability to progress.

These include obesity, teenage pregnancy, child protection issues, school attendance, engagement and involvement and homelessness. The Children and Young People’s Plan and the Sustainable Community Strategy will take a holistic view of the wellbeing of children, young people and families in order to address these challenges. The statistics below highlight some of the specific challenges that face children, young people and families in Salford, and which the partnership must therefore tackle:

The overall level of deprivation affecting children and young people is highlighted by the fact that in 2007 there were 12,005 children in Salford living within families in receipt of Department for Work and Pensions workless benefits. This equates to 27.8% of the child population, significantly higher than the North West rate of 22.2% and national rate of 19.7%.
In particular, Salford must address the key challenges surrounding the safeguarding of children. In February 2009, 482 children in the city were looked after by the local authority, either with foster parents, in residential homes or with parents or other relatives. At the same time, 206 children had a Child Protection Plan.
In Salford between 2005 and 2007, 769 teenagers aged between 15 and 17 became pregnant, equalling a rate of 60.8 per 1,000 of the female population aged between 15 and 17. That was the second highest rate in Greater Manchester.
In 2007, 11.7% of receptionaged children in the city were classed as obese.
In 2009, 67.3% of young people surveyed said that they had good friends and could talk to their parents, a friend or another adult if they were worried about something. That’s better than the national average but still means that approximately a third of young people don’t have someone they can confide in.

Our approach to creating a city where children and young people are valued will be to empower and engage with children and young people, and as service deliverers to view young people as part of the solution, not part of the problem. We will remove barriers to accessing and engaging with services and we will support those structures which are valued by young people, such as neighbourhood youth forums, the youth council and shadowing and mentoring opportunities. We will make use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) wherever it is helpful to create a culture of open and transparent communication with and between young people.

In order to improve quality of life for the most vulnerable children and young people, including those who are looked after by the local authority, we will develop an approach which supports the whole family throughout the life of the child and seeks to sustain and maintain children within the family environment.

We will structure our partnership support for children and young people around children’s centres, extended schools and facilities within neighbourhoods, working with the whole community to raise aspirations for all individuals and families.

Local Development Framework

Through the Local Development Framework we will support the development of planning policies which deliver recreation facilities for children and young people, promote school and college improvements and university expansion, support the improvement of health facilities both within neighbourhoods and at a citywide level and which create family housing to meet the needs of children and young people across the city.