The focus of this update is the regional Children and Young People’s programme, which has seen some significant progress in the following areas:

Implementation of the ‘No Wrong Door’ project:

The ‘No Wrong Door’ project is designed to create a single point of access for children and young people seeking emotional well-being and mental health support. Its vision is to deliver a “First Contact, Right Response” approach, focusing on what matters to the child or young person. This initiative aims to simplify access to emotional well-being and mental health services by improving referral pathways and coordination between agencies. This means families no longer have to navigate complex systems, which reduces delays and confusion, ensuring that needs are met quickly and appropriately.

A dedicated project coordinator will lead this work, bringing together health, education, social care, and community services. This multi-agency collaboration ensures that children and young people will receive holistic, timely, joined-up support.

Regional Accommodation Provision for Complex Needs:

We are currently exploring options for developing a new specialist residential service for children with complex disabilities in the West Glamorgan region. This approach proposes to improve outcomes by providing early intervention and wraparound support, enabling children to receive specialist care closer to home.

The aim will be to offer more suitable and sufficient placements, reducing the need for crisis or out-of-area arrangements. Early identification of accommodation needs, especially for young people transitioning to adult services, supports continuity of care and better long-term planning. Ultimately, this initiative will help more young people remain in local care settings, improve their outcomes, and aligns with the Welsh Government’s goal to eliminate profit from children’s care services.

The next steps include a collaborative mapping exercise of regional services and continued alignment with national strategies. 

These initiatives reflect a strong commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people across West Glamorgan – we look forward to updating you on their progress in a future journal entry.