Children and Young People's Needs Analysis 2009

The full report is available to download at the bottom of this page.

Foreword

We want to make sure we provide appropriate services to children and young people. Every year the Strategic Information Team (within the Children and Young People's Directorate, GCC) undertake a needs analysis which, in turn, informs the priority actions on the Children and Young People's Plan (CYPP). In 2008, the Needs Analysis informed the development of the new CYPP 2009-12. This year's Needs Analysis will inform the refresh of the CYPP for 2010-11.

It follows the established successful methodology of individual reports focussing on the five Every Child Matters outcomes, with an additional themed report on issues affecting parents and parenting.

Attention is given wherever possible to specific issues affecting geographical localities or particular vulnerable groups.

The report incorporates information from a range of sources, with the addition this year of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) e-tool and the results from the Audit Commission's first ever Place Survey, which collected citizens' views and perspectives on life in Gloucestershire.

We hope that this wealth of information will be used extensively by our colleagues within the County Council and our partners to support the commissioning and providing of services and to ensure accurate evidence is available to support bids for financial support.

The Needs Analysis has been praised by Ofsted as part of the inspection process for the last two years and we are rightly proud of this in helping us to continually improve outcomes for children and young people.

Jo Davidson

Group Director – Children and Young People

Introduction

While the county as a whole is relatively affluent, with above average educational attainment and relatively good health, we know that the same is not true in every part of the county. There are areas with high levels of deprivation, mainly in the urban centres of Gloucester and Cheltenham, but also in smaller and more dispersed pockets in rural areas. One of our challenges is to improve outcomes in these areas whilst maintaining already high performance as a whole.

Each year, a new needs analysis is carried out to ensure that our priorities have remained relevant and to identify any new emerging needs for children and young people and their families and carers. Last year's Needs Analysis underpinned the setting of priorities for the three-year CYPP 2009-12 which was published in April 2009. This year, the report will contribute to the refresh of that plan.

There is some reflection on relevant demographics, in particular the nine proposed locality hub areas. However, due to the current market conditions and financial constraints, the proposal may be to reduce to seven hubs some time in the future. The report includes a focus on parents and parenting issues which cut across all outcomes. This analysis forms part of the wider Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) of the health and well being of the whole local community, which the Government now requires Primary Care Trusts (PCT) and local authorities to undertake in partnership. In each report you will find a wide range of data and information from a variety of sources, with the analysis that will offer essential customer intelligence to inform service planning and delivery and effective commissioning.

For an explanation of statistical analysis techniques and how to interpret data clearly and reliably, please refer to the Statistical Validity document link at the bottom of this page.

Last updated on 30th September 2009

The Report

The full report available to download below includes:

• ­ An Executive Summary
• ­ A county wide profile of demographics concerning children and young people and their families;
• ­ Five individual reports focusing on the Every Child Matters outcomes;
• ­ A themed report on parents and parenting.

Further Information

If you have any queries concerning the Needs Analysis, please contact our Office Manager in the first instance by e-mailing imsp_officemanager@gloucestershire.gov.uk, or by telephone on 01452 425329.