Councillors have been told about what the council is doing to ensure we’re supporting children, young people and families throughout the city who face barriers.
The Fairer Brighton & Hove framework provides a ‘lens’ through which families, councillors, council officers and partners have oversight on the work in the city supporting those at risk of disadvantage.
Although Brighton & Hove is often looked upon as a well-off city, we still have too many families who do not have access to the same opportunities as others.
We’ve consulted families, community groups & professionals
The Framework has been developed after we consulted families, community groups and professionals to ask their views on how it can best support families and children.
The council says the city already has an extensive range of services and support available, delivered by a wide variety of partners. But despite this there are still too many families, children and young people who need help, especially those who have been badly affected by the cost-of-living crisis.
The framework will deliver:
- direct feedback from families and those who work with them about their experiences
- Work together to agree a citywide definition of what is meant by children, young people and families “being at risk of disadvantage”
- a vision and ambition for those who face barriers in the city
- a set of principles through which to identify, respond to and support those who need our help – now and in the future
The council was recently awarded up to £1 million of government funding to develop family hubs and was one of only seven local councils in the country to be given the money. The family hubs project will include more engagement with communities over the next 18 months.
At a meeting on Monday of the council’s Children, Young People & Skills committee, councillors heard the latest development in how we are aiming to tackling disadvantage even further.
This included recommendations to:
- return to the communities that provided feedback earlier in 2022 and check the framework is aligned to their views and experiences
- continue to explore and expand new and different ways to hear from families
- fund engagement work with young people around school attendance to fully understand the barriers that young people and their families face in attending school
- explore mentoring opportunities for young people who face barriers
- make further connections between ‘A Fairer Brighton & Hove’ and anti-poverty work in the city especially within children’s social work
‘Cost of living crisis hitting home’
Councillor Hannah Allbrooke, chair of the CYPS committee, said: “We want to do all we can to make the city a fairer place for everyone to live. As the cost-of-living crisis and fuel poverty really starts to hit home, it’s more important now than ever.
“I’m really pleased we are working with communities and bringing together lots of work on this issue. If we are to address poverty in the city, we need to continue to work together.
“In the last six months since agreeing the framework, lots of progress has been made. There is more to do. I look forward to hearing about more in the next sixth months about the progress being made.”