South Gloucestershire Council

Published: 22/03/2012

The first of six consultation events will be held this Monday 19 March at Filton Community Centre in Elm Park, Filton from 7pm and council officers will be on hand to tell people about the proposals and answer questions

The council is currently reviewing the services it provides for children, young people and families, especially those who are disadvantaged in any way and at risk of not achieving their potential or the best quality of life.

At present these services do not always reach the people who need them most. For example, last year only 9 per cent of lone parents with children aged 0-4 used South Gloucestershire’s children’s centres and only around 20 per cent of young people regularly visited the district’s youth centres.

In response, the council is proposing to shift its focus towards supporting those who are most in need – and from reacting to problems towards preventing problems from happening.

The council also wants to work more closely with local partners like town and parish councils, charities and schools to ensure that there is a wide range of opportunities for young people to take part in positive activities locally. This means, in particular, a changed approach to children’s centres and youth services.

The consultation focuses on three key proposals:

Developing an enhanced Children’s Centre programme in those parts of South Gloucestershire where there is the highest concentration of disadvantaged families

Creating an integrated Family Solutions Service to provide targeted support to parents and carers and their families to enable them to become more effective as a family unit

Establishing an Integrated Targeted Youth Support Service to meet the needs of those teenagers who are most at risk of not achieving their potential or the best quality of life, whilst working with partner organisations to enable all young people to access a wide range of positive activities.

Further details will be available at the consultation events and the full consultation documents can also be viewed online at www.southglos.gov.uk/consultation

The consultation began on 1 March and ends on 25 May, and the council is expected to make a decision on the proposals in July 2012.

Consultation events

19 March (7-9pm) Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, Filton

21 March (10am-12pm) Kingswood Civic Centre

22 March (2-4pm) Turnberries Community Centre, Thornbury

27 March (7-9pm) The Grange School, Warmley

29 March (7-9pm) The Ridings International Winterbourne Academy

2nd April 7pm to 9pm Shireway Community Centre, Yate