Council and democracy

Hertfordshire Preventative Strategy

The Preventative Strategy aims to intervene at the earliest stage in a child’s life to prevent the child failing at school or living in an unsupportive family or community environment. It is about changing the way we work together, joining up what we do and being quick to respond to local problems.

During 2002/3 the strategy, led by Children, Schools and Families (CSF), was developed across a number of local communities following wide consultation, which included a series of workshops attended by people drawn from CSF staff, schools, health, police, the voluntary sector and other public agencies. Locality Groups reviewed local needs and identified priorities for action, set out in Locality Action Plans (LAP's) which were implemented in 2003/4. The Hertfordshire Children and Young People's Strategic Partnership (HCYPSP) has adopted the Preventative Strategy and is co-ordinating the strategy throughout the County.

The Strategy means that more children and families will be responded to within universal services, with the aim of reducing the numbers of children at risk, and thus fewer children and families will need to use targeted and specialist casework services. Outcomes should include improvements in achievement and skill levels, school attendance and children's physical and emotional health, and a decrease in young people offending, teenage pregnancy, and drug and alcohol abuse.

Children and young people have identified issues, which include:

• After school and lunch time clubs, and things to keep young people out of trouble
• Stricter punishment for bullies
• More and better quality leisure activities for teenagers

The action plans add value to and support, the priorities and targets of partners, including:

• District Local Strategic Partnerships'
• Primary Care Trust Health Improvement and Development Plans
• Early Years Development and Childcare Plans
• Children, Schools and Families Plan

For details please use the link below or contact Dorothy Blatcher

Contact: Dorothy Blatcher, Strategic Partnership Manager, CSF, Hertfordshire County Council. 01992 588762 dorothy.blatcher@hertscc.gov.uk