NFER's study of 75 CYPPs builds a national picture of the content of the plans and how they contribute to the five outcomes of Every Child Matters (ECM). It is intended to inform future approaches to planning and highlight areas of support which will be useful to LAs. The analysis covers 11 themes and includes examples from the plans.

Key findings

• The importance of developing local partnerships and responding to local needs is recognised, overall, across the plans
• there is a marked diversity in the coverage of the different themes across the plans
• the ECM outcomes framework is used in a variety of ways, suggesting that LAs work with it as a conceptual tool rather than adhering to it as a blueprint formula
• many LAs produced additional material written specifically for children and young people, reflecting an intention to be accessible and to engage young people
• there is scope for future guidance on identification and allocation of resources, performance management arrangements and commissioning strategies.

Recommendations

The analysis suggests three particular avenues for development of further guidance:

• future plans to define clearly the LA's intentions regarding the next stages in planning and/or implementation
• an agreed glossary of definitions; clarification and further examples of terminology relating to priorities, actions and targets in the ECM planning process
• plans to demonstrate clear and specific links between actions and targets.

Each section of Analysis of Children and Young People's Plans can be downloaded individually by clicking on the titles below (PDF format).

• Introduction and overview
• The plans: a comparative review of content
• Commissioning and Resourcing in Children and Young People's Plans
• Performance Management and Partnership Arrangements in Children and Young People's Plans
• Consultation with Children and Young People and Needs Analysis in Children and Young People's Plans
• Targets within the Children and Young People's Plans
• Every Child Matters: Be Healthy
• Every Child Matters: Stay Safe
• Every Child Matters: Enjoy and Achieve
• Every Child Matters: Make a Positive Contribution
• Every Child Matters: Achieve Economic Wellbeing
• Youth Work Themes in Children and Young People's Plans

Lord, P., Wilkin, A., Kinder, K., Murfield, J., Jones, M., Chamberlain, T., Easton, C., Martin, K., Gulliver, C., Paterson, C., Ries, J., Moor, H., Stott, A., Wilkin, C. and Stoney, S. (2006). Analysis of Children and Young People's Plans 2006. Slough: NFER.