Ensure all children and young people achieve their full potential

There are 51,889 children and young people (aged 0 to 19 years) living in Wandsworth, who make up over 18% of the total population. In 2006, 84.7% of Wandsworth resident children and young people attended local schools.

The most common family type in Wandsworth is families with 2 or more dependent children aged between 0 and 4 years. Approximately 28% of all dependent children and young people are cared for by single parents.

Services for children and young people are a priority in Wandsworth. The comprehensive Children and Young people's Plan sets out a detailed picture of need in the borough and the plans of the Council, schools and partners for improving the quality of life for all children against the five Every Child Matters outcomes.

The Council has received a written report on the third Annual Performance Assessment (APA) of children's services which was conducted by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). On the key judgement "overall effectiveness of Children's Services" the Council has achieved the top grade. Five of the six remaining scores are also graded 4 (best) with the sixth achieving a grade 3.

Successful partnership working has ensured that children and young people are generally healthy. Excellent multi-disciplinary work undertaken in children's centres is improving health outcomes. Although immunisation rates and teenage conceptions are still an area of concern.

Overall levels of crime in Wandsworth remain low compared with other inner-London authorities, however, young people continue to tell us that fear of crime is one of their top concerns. Children and young people have raised concerns in relation to bullying, gang culture and safety on transport.

Pupils make good progress at all stages of their compulsory education and there is a strong commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable groups, in particular BME groups. The attainment and attendance of looked after children has improved significantly. The Council has the lowest level of young people aged 16 to 18 not in education, employment or training (NEET) in central London. However, permanent exclusions have risen in both primary and secondary schools, particularly from BME groups.

The planning and delivery of services for children is well coordinated and increasingly integrated across agencies. The development of Children's Trust arrangements together with improved information sharing is contributing to improved outcomes overall.

We want children and young people in Wandsworth to achieve their full potential and enjoy a healthy, safe, stable and happy life.  In addition, we want them to be active citizens who take responsibility for their action and who respect others. To help achieve this we want to deliver accessible, responsive and integrated services for high quality. There should also be well-targeted early intervention and support for all those who need it.

To find out more about ensuring all children and young people achieve their full potential in Wandsworth look at the Profile of Wandsworth. This will also give you a picture of the practical steps we want to take. Tell us what you think by completing the online questions.