Joint area review

Joint area review of Report for children and young people Manchester

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Report for children and young people about the services they receive in Manchester

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• Being healthy • Staying safe • Enjoying and doing well at school and as they grow up • Making a positive contribution to society • Being successful in whatever they choose to do when they are adults Manchester children and young people’s report 2

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Why should I read this?

The law says that inspectors must look at and then report on how well local services serve children and young people in an area. This is called a “review”. Inspectors visited your area recently. You might like to read this, or the full report which you can find on Ofsted’s website, to find out what they had to say.

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What did the inspectors do?

Thirteen inspectors visited Manchester in March-May 2006 so that they could find out what life is like for children and young people in the area. They:

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What did the inspectors do?

™ talked with children and young people ™ talked with lots of adults working with children and young people (like social workers, teachers, youth workers, nurses, doctors, police officers and councillors) ™ spoke to parents and other people caring for children ™ heard from the council and other agencies about what it thinks about the services it provides for children ™ read lots of reports, and visited one neighbourhood to see things for themselves.

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What did the inspectors do?

The inspectors also looked at how well particular children are doing, like those children in the council’s care or those who have a learning difficulty and/or disability. They know that elsewhere these groups of children often do not get a good service and needed to check up on this locally.

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How well are children and young people doing in Manchester?

™ They are generally less healthy than those in the rest of the country. ™ They appear safe, but too many are involved in road accidents. ™ Results in schools are improving, but they are generally lower than in other parts of the country. ™ Many enjoy a wide range of learning and recreation activities outside school. ™ Many make contributions to their schools and communities but there are too many instances of anti-social behaviour. ™ More young people over 16 are in education or training than is often the case in other parts of the country. Manchester children and young people’s report 3

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your area?

™ They feel generally healthy. ™ They feel safe in and out of school. More children and young people in Manchester say they feel safe than is usual in other parts of the country. They are satisfied with the way schools deal with bullying. ™ They think they are doing well in school. ™ They like the way they have a say in decisions in schools but do not think they have much influence on decisions made by the council about the services provided for them.

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in my area?

™ Services for children and young people are adequate. The council is very ambitious to make Manchester an excellent place to live and work. There have been many improvements in the city. Inspectors think that services for children and young people will continue to get better. ™ There many examples of ways in which services are working to help children and young people to be healthy, but some problems are proving difficult to solve, such as the number of teenage pregnancies. ™ Agencies work together satisfactorily to help children who are thought to be at risk of serious harm. ™ The council has made big improvements in making sure children and young people do not go missing from schools or care. ™ There are good arrangements for the education and care of children under five-years-old. ™ The work to help children and young people do their best at school has helped more of them to reach higher standards.

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in my area?

™ Children from black and minority ethnic backgrounds generally do as well at school as other children. ™ There are many learning and leisure opportunities outside of school for children and young people. ™ Fewer young people who have been in trouble with the law are getting into trouble again. ™ Young people who have left the care of the council are given good support to help them with there lives and education. Manchester children and young people’s report 4

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What things are not so good for children and young people?

™ The dental health of children is poor. ™ Too many teenagers are getting pregnant. ™ Parents and carers of children with severe needs need more help to get the services they require. ™ Not all children looked after by the council get their health checks. ™ Not all children looked after by the council have an up to date personal education plan which they have been involved in writing. These children and young people need more help to do well at school. ™ Some children and young people who need it do not always get the same level of support as others from social services. ™ Children and young people who have to care for other members of their families need more support. ™ Children who are new to Manchester or need to change schools do not always get a place at a new school quickly enough. ™ There is still too much anti-social behaviour.

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