Designing Services Around Children and Young People

Designing services around children and young people
In 2003, the government published Every Child Matters and identified the five positive outcomes (staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, achieving economic well- being, making a positive contribution) for children and young people. This now forms the national framework in designing and delivering the service for children and young people in reaching their full potential in every areas of lives.
This framework ensures that policies and services are designed around children's needs. The government is committed to children's rights and participation. Early Years Foundation strongly believe that children should have the right to participate in decision making   that affects their health, wellbeing and development. This belief is supported by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which states under article 13 children and young people have the right to express their views and for these to be respected by adults when making decision on matters that affect them.
A Framework called Hear By Right gives ideas to adults, young people and children as to how they can be involved in the services provided for them.

The importance of designing a service:
Designing services around children and young people is to improve their outcomes and meet all their needs. We must recognize that every child is unique. Firstly we need to understand what their needs are so as to respond to their needs. This can be done by liaising with parents carers and also by observing the child.
The availability, accessibility and flexibility of services are key components in meeting the needs of children and families.
Children's trusts have been created by local authorities (LAs) to make sure children's services work towards the outcomes of ECM. LAs plan the location and development of centres in local communities working with parents, private sector, primary care trusts, voluntary sector, jobcentre plus,...