InfoIslington - Islington Reference Library

Child Protection and Safeguarding Annual Report

The number of children subject to a child protection plan in Islington was 115 in February 2013 (latest report to the Islington Safeguarding Children Board). This reflects a rate of 34 per 10,000 (0-17 years population) which is below the average England rate (37.8 per 10,000 in March 2012) and the average London rate (35.7 per 10,000 in March 2012). Since April 2012 the number of children subject to Child protection plans in Islington has fluctuated each month but overall there has been a decrease from 136 (April 2012).

The relatively low numbers of children subject to a Child protection plan in Islington are in part attributed to the local development of early intervention strategies and services for vulnerable families. It is also note-worthy that the England and London rates (as at March 2012) have fallen since March 2011.

Islington Plan for Looked After Children and Care Leavers 2011-14

The Islington Plan for Looked After Children and Care Leavers 2011-2014 follows on from the first plan for looked after children. This outlines the vision and actions to ensure that looked after children grow up to be happy, healthy and safe, and care leavers have the support they need to be great young adults.

City Safe Havens

Islington is now part of the CitySafe Havens campaign which offers young people a place to go, a Safe Haven, when they are feeling threatened. The CitySafe Havens are local businesses or organisations with especially trained staff who can help young people when they are in a difficult situation. CitySafe Havens is a part of City Safe that was designed and created by young people to tackle the issue of knife crime on the streets of London. It is a way for young people to work together with shopkeepers, the police and local authorities to reclaim the streets and to reconnect and build relationships across the community.Through the CitySafe campaign young people and adults work together to:

• Encourage local businesses and organisations to offer their premises as CitySafe Havens and pledge to report 100% of crime
• Build stronger relationships with their peers, the police and neighbourhood organisations, strengthening their CitySafe Zone
• Organise events that facilitate dialogue between police and young people, led by CitySafe Champions.

A Safe Haven is a public place where young people can seek refuge in a difficult situation.  Safe Havens sign a charter committing them to:

• Pledge to report 100% of crime to the Police
• Offer their premises as a safe haven for any young person in danger
• Maintain a relationship with neighbours, police and the local community
• Encourage their staff to attend CitySafe training
• Refuse to sell alcohol, knives or other dangerous items to underage or drunk customers.
• Islington Town Hall and the council building in Newington Barrow Way are council buildings that are part of the scheme.

To find out where all of the Safe Havens in Islington are please visit City Safe Havens Islington.

 

CitySafe Havens' buildings display the poster shown in the top right hand corner of this page. The campaign in Islington is dedicated to Martin Dinnegan who was tragically murdered in 2007.If your organisation would like to become a CitySafe Haven please email Promise Campbell at Promise.Campbell@cof.org.uk

Islington Adventure Play Review

 This review set out recommendations on the future delivery of adventure play in Islington.

 

Islington Strategy for Tackling Youth Unemployment

 On 28 February Islington Council passed the report: A Fair Chance for Young People: Islington Strategy for Tckling Youth Unemployment. View it here.

 The cover report includes:

At the heart of the council’s commitment to making Islington a fairer place is making sure that young people have the best start in life. Our draft Youth Pledge therefore gives young people real decision-making powers, protects funding for things like core youth services, and invests new money in things that will help them become happy and successful adults.

1.2 Youth unemployment is recognised as one of the greatest challenges facing the country. The economic downturn is making it more difficult for young people to get jobs, with the risk that many will experience long term unemployment. There is also a persistent structural problem so that even when the economy was growing there was a core of young people, generally from less well off and less well educated families, who were not in education, employment or training (NEET). The scrapping of the education maintenance allowance (EMA) and increase in tuition fees exacerbate the problem for this group of young people.

1.3 The council is determined to support young people through what is an increasingly complex and uncertain transition to adulthood.

　

1.4 This report recommends a strategy for tackling youth unemployment in Islington whereby we will:

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Get the basics right for young people under 16 years old and signposting to further study or the world of work.

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Build on the support for 16 -19 year olds by working with partners to improve the vocational and academic educational offer in the borough, and provide practical and financial assistance to those that need it most.

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Support the transition of 19 to 25 year olds into employment by increasing the number and range of apprenticeships and providing better pathways to entry level jobs.

Ensure that no young person who has specific or multiple barriers to employment is left behind.

Provide leadership on making the vision of tackling youth unemployment a reality by working with the public, private and voluntary sector to improve the co-ordination of services and resources and find innovative ways to meet the needs of young people.

Islington Council  has just launched the new youth website for Islington young people - www.izzy-info.com.

The site is full of useful advice such as career choices, safer sex and relationships and staying healthy. Young people can also find services where they can get advice and support.

 The design of the site is based on ideas gathered following consultation with young people, who also helped come up with the name ‘izzy’.

Heatwave - Summer activities for Children and Young People

There are hundreds of activities for children and young people this summer, many of them free. Access the programme here.

Islington Youth Council

On Thursday 9 February, 3, 207 young people from across Islington turned out in polling stations in schools and youth hubs to vote for the first ever youth council.

Young people aged 11-17 who go to secondary school or live in Islington, or are looked after by Islington Council, were eligible to vote in this historic election. They voted for the one youth councillor who they feel will best represent them and other young people, and the eight with the most votes have formed the youth council.

Connexions

If you are aged between 13 and 19 (or 25 with learning difficulties/disabilities), you can come for information, advice or guidance throughout the year – about anything from career choices and college courses, to health, to housing and benefits, to activities in the area.

Qualified Connexions personal advisers (PAs) can talk to you about your options and give you information, advice and guidance about jobs and training. They can also put you in touch with specialist agencies that can help you with other issues.

Details of drop in sessions can be found here.

Islington Youth Council

Election campaigning for the youth council begins on Saturday 14 January 2012 and will end on Wednesday 8 February with elections on Thursday 9 February.

The youth council will have up to eight elected youth councillors, who will be able to stay in their role for up to two years. Together, they will work to:

• represent the views of children and young people in Islington
• help determine how money is spent on services for children and young people
• share their views with the council and its partners on issues affecting children and young people
• help make decisions about issues that affect young people
• improve the range and quality of activities and places to go for young people in Islington
• fundraise for local charities and causes for young people.