Barnsley Children and Young People's Trust

The council's Executive Director for Children Young People and Families, Edna Sutton, has overall responsibility for safeguarding and securing the wellbeing of children and young people in Barnsley, and for helping them achieve their full potential, as expressed through the five outcomes of Every Child Matters.  Edna is accountable for the services provided by Barnsley Children and Young People’s Trust and Lead Member for Children and Young People’s Services, Councillor Linda Burgess, is politically accountable.

Barnsley Children and Young People’s Trust was established in 2009, replacing the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership - a delivery partnership of One Barnsley. 

The new partnership arrangements for the Trust set out the relationship with the council as the statutory Children's Services Authority.  The Trust also continues to perform the role of a delivery partnership of One Barnsley, the local strategic partnership.

Within the new Trust arrangements, a smaller executive group has been set up - the Trust Executive Group (TEG) - chaired by the Executive Director for Children, Young People and Families.  Through the TEG, we have a strong, integrated governing board representing all key delivery partners at senior level.

A wide group of stakeholders and partners working and caring for children and young people is reflected in the Trust membership and in the meetings of the Trust Forum which is chaired by the Lead Elected Member for Children, Young People and Families.

Children, young people, their parents/carers and their representatives are actively engaged with the Trust and have opportunities through a variety of arenas to influence all aspects of the planning, commissioning and delivery of services.

Many other organisations in the statutory, voluntary, independent, community and faith sectors are also strongly associated with the strategic planning arrangements for children and young people’s services through the locality based wellbeing partnerships and teams, and expert groups associated with the Children and Young People’s Trust.

Overall the Trust and its members have a responsibility to understand the particular needs of children and young people and how well services are meeting those needs. They use this information to develop children’s services through the Children and Young People’s Plan, co-ordinating work across the five Every Child Matters outcomes, and promoting and developing integrated working practices. 

Key priorities for the Trust, which are informed by the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, include:

• identifying children and young people at risk of failure or harm, and intervening early to make sure they are safe and can thrive
• narrowing the gap - especially in educational attainment - between vulnerable children and young people, such as those in care, and others, whilst also improving the lives of all children
• reducing child poverty.

The Trust is also accountable for:

• leading and co-ordinating the strategic development of a fully comprehensive and integrated Children and Young People's Service
• developing the children’s workforce
• promoting strong joint planning and commissioning of services
• using resources flexibly and creatively, for example by aligning or pooling budgets
• listening to the views of children and young people and their families and giving them the opportunity to influence the way services are delivered
• undertaking a needs analysis and developing and publishing the Children and Young People's Plan, which underpins the work of the Trust. 

For more information, please contact:

Trust Governance Support on 01226 772620 or email cyptrust@barnsley.gov.uk.