Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills, reflects on delivering ‘Outstanding’ services and enhancing opportunities for our young people during 2025:
This has been a tremendously busy year, as we’ve continued delivering on our promise to ensure every child in our city has the opportunity to thrive.
This year has been one of exceptional achievement for Derby’s children’s and youth services. In July, Derby City Council’s Children’s Services received its second consecutive ‘Outstanding’ rating from Ofsted. Inspectors praised the service as ‘responsive and effective’, noting the high-quality social work and extensive support provided to children in care and care leavers.
This success was followed in September by an ‘Outstanding’ rating across the board for the Derby Youth Justice Service (YJS) from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation. The report highlighted our personalised support for victims and our success in helping young people make positive life changes, contributing to the overall safety of our community.
We have been working with families, schools, and health services to build an ambitious and inclusive city where every child can flourish, which is reflected in our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) programme. We are actively expanding educational opportunities by creating more specialist places within mainstream schools and enhancing existing facilities.
In our Family Hubs, we have partnered with health colleagues to launch the Neuro Development Pathway for children under five. This initiative provides earlier support for those waiting for assessments and has already successfully reduced waiting lists.
Furthering our support for young adults with SEND, last month marked the official launch of the Friar Gate Studios Skills Centre. This facility is vital in empowering young people to gain the skills necessary for independent living and the transition into employment.
Additionally, I’m incredibly proud of the collaborative package of support developed alongside Derby Homes and our voluntary sector partners to assist families currently living in temporary accommodation.
We also continue to build on the success of existing projects. The Derby Promise is thriving, aiming to help every child flourish through high-profile events like the Festival of Ideas, the Festival of Sport, and Derby DreamFest.
Our regional collaboration, Foster for East Midlands Councils, has also seen significant growth. The recruitment team has processed over 600 enquiries, which is crucial for ensuring local children can remain within their communities.
Looking ahead, we are currently consulting on the Families First Partnership Programme. This government-led initiative aims to create a seamless support system for families, and we encourage as many residents as possible to share their views to help shape a service that truly works for Derby.
The progress made this year demonstrates our unwavering commitment to our children and young people, and we look forward to carrying this momentum into the new year.