Orkney Children and Young People's Partnership

Orkney Children and Young People's Partnership

Formed in July 2015, this partnership brings together everyone working with or providing services for children and young people in Orkney. It grew out of the Childcare Partnership and the Services for Children and Young People Development Group, and oversees Orkney's Integrated Children's Services Plan. It acts as an advisory, stakeholder, and consultation group.

The priorities and actions in our current plan reflect these ambitions, focusing on projects where joint working between agencies is essential. The plan doesn't capture every piece of work carried out by the wider children's services workforce and community provision in Orkney; please see "Related Downloads" for our full plans, reviews, and performance indicators.

New childminders planning to work full time may be eligible for funding through Business Gateway. 

Vision

We want all of Scotland's children and young people to be successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors, and responsible citizens. To achieve this, every child needs to be safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible, and included.

In Orkney, services for children and young people are planned and developed using a "growing up" model, focused on building stronger partnerships, developing community capacity, and investing in early intervention and prevention.

Values

We want Orkney to be a place where services and communities work together so that children and young people get the right help, at the right time, in the right way, as they grow up.

Aims

In practice, this means:

• Children and young people have the best start in life and are ready to succeed
• They become successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors, and responsible citizens
• They are better educated, more skilled, and more successful
• Life chances improve for children, young people, and families at risk

The current plan focuses on priorities where collaboration between agencies is essential. It doesn't represent every piece of work carried out across the wider children's services workforce and community provision in Orkney.

Partnership Membership

Anyone with a role or relationship involving children and young people can join the Orkney Children and Young People's Partnership, including statutory and non-statutory service providers, volunteers, and parents. Members receive a circulation of news and publications, minutes from meetings, and invitations to all partnership events, such as learning opportunities and consultations.

Steering Group Membership

The partnership's work is overseen by a steering group, made up of professional, political, and community representatives. Members are expected to have strategic, management, or frontline roles, but above all should be people who lead, make a difference, and get things done within their own context.

Membership can be changed at any steering group meeting, as long as the change is supported by a majority and at least 10 votes are cast.

Sub-groups and Working Groups

The partnership may set up sub-groups or working groups, which should report back at each meeting to keep all members informed of progress and any targets set.

Engagement with Parents, Children, and Young People

There's no formal representation for these groups on the steering group or partnership, but the partnership's work should be underpinned by good quality consultation and engagement, to make sure their voices are heard and decisions are well informed.

Meetings

The steering group meets at least quarterly, and there is at least one full partnership meeting each year.

Chair and Vice-Chair

A chair and vice-chair are elected by secret ballot at the first meeting of each calendar year, with enough members present to cast at least 10 votes.

Budget

Members contribute directly and indirectly to the partnership's aims, including through in-kind contributions. The core purpose of the partnership budget is to support the themes set out in the Orkney Children's Services Plan.

Childminder enquiries:

Grants for new childminder registration costs or equipment for existing childminders: