Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust will be outlining a new strategy for its children’s services for 2018/19, at its monthly Board meeting on Thursday 22 February at New Mill, Saltaire.

The strategy sets out seven priorities which have been developed based on feedback from children and young people about the care they receive and the way it is delivered. These include providing the right support at the right time, and involving children and their families in decisions about their own care. The new strategy spans across seven specialist children’s services that come together to build a team around the family.

Seven pledges set out expectations for how young people and their families will be treated to support delivery. The Trust is also scoping plans to explore how technology can be used to provide 24/7 support.

The strategy is based on national and local priorities, and discussions with other organisations, partners and young people, to identify the most important aspects of caring for children and young people, and how this care can be delivered.

The Trust’s Interim Deputy Director of Adult and Children’s Services, Phil Hubbard, said: “Our teams cover all aspects of a child’s care, including health visiting, family nursing, mental health and school nursing, and we are always looking for ways to help the children and young people in our communities to have the best start in life. The new strategy aims to ensure our children’s services provide the right level of support that individuals need.”

At the Board meeting, attendees will also have the opportunity to get an update from the Trust’s safer space, which is run in partnership Creative Support, a charitable organisation that provides services for people of all ages with additional physical or mental support needs.

The safer space has been offering a night-time service for young people in emotional or mental health crisis since October 2016. The service can be accessed by calling the Trust’s urgent care mental health service, First Response, on 01274 221181, and offers a homely and welcoming environment for vulnerable children and young people aged under 18 emotional distress or crisis, 10pm to 10am.

Staff from the safer space will be at the Board meeting and members of the public will hear first-hand of how the service has provided valuable support to young people across the district.

The meeting is open to all members of the public and will take place on Thursday 22 January, 1:30pm to 4:00pm, in New Mill, Victoria Road, Saltaire, BD18 3LD. For more details about the Board meeting, please call Ritta Harrison on 01274 363430 or email rita.harrison@bdct.nhs.uk.