Wakefield district’s new Children and Young People’s Plan launched
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Wakefield district’s new Children and Young People’s Plan 2025 – 2028 has been formally launched at the tenth Build Our Futures Summit.
The vision for the plan is that all children and young people are happy, healthy, safe, resilient and hopeful for their future.
The voices of children and young people have been at the heart of creating the plan and it will help make sure their ideas and views are at the front and centre of all the Council and its partners’ work and priorities.
“We have incredible, articulate and talented children and young people in our district who have shaped our new Children and Young People’s District Plan 2025-28. And it is something for all to be proud of.
“We have made great progress during the last three years working collectively to improve the lives of children, young people and their families in our district. We want to continue building on this work so that children and young people receive the support they need to achieve their ambitions and reach their goals.
“For the next three years to be a success, it is vital we carry on being guided by our children and young people every step of the way. Listening to their views, ideas and contributions as we look to achieve the ambitions we’ve set out.
“The Build Our Futures Summit was a great start. It was a fantastic opportunity to talk about what else still needs to be done to make Wakefield a brilliant place to grow up in.”
Cllr Margaret Isherwood
Cabinet Member for Children and Young People
Over 400 children and young people of different ages, backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures and also parents, carers and practitioners shared their views to help create the plan.
Its key priority areas include safety and feeling loved, futures, health, and education.
Sharing their thoughts, one child said of their future: “I’ve been supported to make a plan as to what I want to do after finishing school, know who can help me and what steps to take to achieve my goals.”
And another said of their health and wellbeing: “My school has a support hub, where you can go if you need to speak to somebody about your well-being.”
Over 100 young people and professionals took part in the tenth Build Our Futures Summit at CAPA College in Wakefield.
The summits are held twice a year and celebrate young people’s voices, helping to influence change and enhance the experience of growing up in the Wakefield district. It’s a chance for them to talk about the issues they face, and what the Council and its partners can do to support them.
The children and young people in attendance at this year’s event were integral to the launch, with a number of interactive workshops and performances taking place on the day. This showcased their talent, skills, and voices as part of raising awareness of the plan and its priorities.
The Children and Young People Partnership Board will regularly monitor progress on what is being achieved and what still needs to be done.
To find out more about the Children and Young People’s Plan visit https://www.wakefieldfamiliestogether.co.uk/about-us/our-vision/