Children's Trust

The aim of Bury Children's trust is to promote cooperation between partner organisations to improve children's well-being.

Team Bury - Working Together For A Better Bury

What is the national context for Children's Trusts?

Children's Trust arrangements were introduced in the Children's Act 2004. The principle behind these arrangements was that stronger partnerships, greater integration of services and a shared purpose for all those working with children, young people and families would lead to better services. Under the Act, Children's Trust Boards were required to publish Children & Young People's Plans setting out their common strategy for improving outcomes for children and young people.

The Coalition Government believes that the Children's Trust core principle of shared commitment to improve the lives of children, young people and families remains as important as it ever was. They believe that the way to achieve this is by allowing local professionals to come together in the way that best fits local circumstances and needs; and that a central approach requiring Children's Trusts to follow statutory guidance hampers creativity and innovation.

The removal of statutory guidance has given partners in Bury the freedom to agree a Plan and Children's Trust arrangements that are right for Bury. These arrangements will be reviewed regularly in the light of a changing national and local picture, for example Health & Well-being Boards will eventually set the priorities and strategies to improve health and well-being across all ages.

Bury Children & Young People's Plan 2011 - 14

The new Bury Children & Young People's Plan focuses on a very small number of priorities where partners agree that they need to work together in order to make progress. The priorities are underpinned by a comprehensive assessment of the needs of children and young people in Bury, which forms part of the 'joint strategic needs assessment' of the population of Bury.

Bury Children's Trust arrangements

Bury Children's Trust Board is an executive group with overall responsibility for developing and delivering the Children & Young People's Plan and ensuring that all necessary arrangements are in place for this purpose. The Board is chaired by the Executive Director of Children's Services. Membership includes the key people who are able to make strategic decisions on behalf of the main local agencies and sectors that are key to delivering the Children & Young People's Plan.

Bury Children's Trust Network is the means by which the Board involves and communicates with staff across a broad range of agencies that work with children, young people and families. This includes holding large network events, smaller more focused workshops and a regular newsletter.

Bury Children's Trust Participation Strategy sets out the commitment of the Children's Trust to ensuring that children, young people and families can participate in decision-making that affects them, and this principle runs through all the work of the Children's Trust.

Task and Finish Groups are set up by the Children's Trust Board from time to time to carry out time-limited, outcome-focused tasks.