How we’re performing so far
We have successfully launched a Mental Health Outreach Service in response to high demand. The team provides tailored support to Global Majority communities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and young people transitioning from Children’s to Adult Social Care, helping to promote independence and autonomy.
We also launched our Carers Strategy and a Learning Disability Plan, both developed through extensive co-design and engagement with key groups and stakeholders in those communities.
We have secured funding to address serious violence and robberies over the next two years, enhancing efforts to combat criminal behaviour and expanding the successful Helping Hands programme.
A £5 million programme to reduce Westminster’s health inequality gap has also gotten underway, with 42 local organisations being funded to run free community-led activities especially for diverse groups to enable them to live a healthier lifestyle.
We have invested nearly £4 million in facilities for children with special educational needs, including new sites for Short Breaks and College Park Special School. Youth justice services were rated "Good," with praise for partnership efforts. Auto-enrolment for Free School Meals continues, providing vital support and additional funding.
Below we have highlighted some of the other ways we have delivered throughout the 2023/24 financial year. Although progress continues to be made, we know there is still work to do as we deliver our Fairer Westminster strategy.
Health and Wellbeing
Our aim is to improve people’s health and wellbeing, make physical activity more accessible and reduce health inequalities throughout the city...
During April to June this year, 1,577 hours were volunteered by Community and Maternity Champions. Community Champions recruit and upskill local resident volunteers (the Champions) to work with families, friends, neighbours and wider communities to increase health and wellbeing, address health inequalities and help communities thrive.
They work in partnership with a myriad of local services including the voluntary and charity sector (VCS), the council and the NHS. A key part of their role is to signpost residents as needed, collect insight from their local communities and improve access to other services. Maternity Champions specifically support expectant and new parents and encourage healthy lifestyle choices for parents and babies up to age one.
Education
Our aim is to support our schools to be more inclusive for young people and to help more young people into further education and training...
We have continued to support to families to ensure they understand the eligibility requirements and accessibility of the new Free Early Education Entitlement programme for children aged from nine months to four years. A new communications campaign, featuring leaflets, posters and displays in GP surgeries, parks and council buildings, has been launched to highlight new offers and the Family Information Hub. The Family Information website has also been revamped to be more accessible, having been co-designed with families. Additionally, an outreach strategy is in place to promote these offerings widely.
Young People
Our aim is to support our young people into prosperous futures...
We have been reviewing our accommodation options for Care Leavers to ensure that accommodation is local and high-quality. We have been working collaboratively with our Housing team to understand and improve our Young People’s pathway.
72 young people being supported by our specialist team, 12 through Blue Light for change resistant drinkers. We have now recruited to the Artemis role to start the pilot with prison leavers. We are evaluating the impact of the Commissioning for Complexity pilot which has completed and the impacted of work of the specialist team. Change Makers mk.2 is also in development.
We are committed to being open and transparent and making information on our progress more accessible to everyone. This way you can always see how we're doing on delivering a Fairer Westminster. The above are just a few of the ways we're measuring how we're building Fairer Communities. You can also find out more at our Open Data page and by reading our Fairer Westminster Delivery Plan:
