Medway’s Children’s Trust is a local partnership that brings together the organisations responsible for services for children, young people and families in a shared commitment to improving children’s lives. It is the local authority – through the Council’s Director and Lead Member for children’s services – which leads the Children’s Trust Board, but they work closely with other local agencies with a legal duty to be part of the Trust: the strategic health authority; NHS Medway (the Primary Care Trust); Kent Police; the police authority; the local probation board; the youth offending team; Medway Youth Trust (Connexions); and the Learning and Skills Council. In addition Medway’s Children’s Trust includes other important partners – some of which will have statutory duties to cooperate under new legislation – like schools, colleges, third sector organisations, Jobcentre Plus, and representatives of parents and of young people.

The Children’s Trust Board  will oversee the delivery of all of the actions and promises in the Children and Young People’s Plan, and the development of future priorities and plans from 2011 onwards.

The group which makes recommendations to the Trust Board is the Joint Commissioning Group made up of key commissioning senior members of staff from the agencies who are able to provide resources (not just financial but also staff and in kind) to the work on behalf of children and young people in Medway.

The key areas for improving children’s outcomes over the next two years have been grouped into six thematic areas, each of which will has a Partnership Group responsible for drawing up an action plan so that progress can be effectively monitored.

Update: From Autumn 2011 the partnership groups will be as follows:

• Vulnerable Children’s Group - covering the needs of disabled children, BME and those living in poverty
• Health and Well Being group - covering all the children’s health agendas including Emotional Well Being/CAMHS, Obesity, Teenage conceptions, Preventing hospital admissions, Smoking, Alcohol and Drug abuse.
• 21st Century schools - covering the new schools agenda and local strategy for school improvement and working in partnership with other schools to achieve success
• Parenting and Family Support – covering support to parents from pregnancy to teenage years including: parenting advice, information and support interventions (including antenatal, maternity and post natal care). Support for vulnerable adults who are parents.
• 14 – 19 /Youth Matters – including training, education and employment opportunities and support for young people to achieve economic independence