Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills, looks back on the year and ahead to 2025
My role in the Children and Young People's portfolio builds on my previous work in equalities, cost of living, and customer inclusion, particularly in alleviating child poverty. My educational background provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing our schools.
A key focus is the Derby Promise. Recent highlights include the Festival of Sport, where over 600 pupils from mainstream and special schools enjoyed diverse sports, embodying the Promise's focus on inspiring young people. We had a school design competition linked to the new Becketwell venue, while the Festival of Ideas engaged children in climate action, providing interactive workshops with world-class businesses and national agencies.
The Derby Jobs, Skills and Employment Hub, launched as part of the Derby Promise, offering personalised careers advice, training programmes and employment support. By helping residents find the employment and training opportunities that are right for them, we're strengthening Derby's economy and building a stronger community for everyone.
Another huge project for DCC has been the new Foster for East Midlands regional fostering hub. The partnership between Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire councils has streamlined the fostering process and the dedicated recruitment team has already helped three individuals become foster carers, ready to provide a loving and stable home to children that need it – and more will follow in the new year.
The Mockingbird programme, launched in September, provides community-based support for foster families and has already seen positive outcomes. Our foster carers feel better supported, and our young people are making friends and building relationships with trusted adults outside their fostering families.
Foster for East Midlands has also hosted a ministerial visit, collaborated on the release of a film, celebrated long-term foster carers and welcomed foster families to enjoy pantos across the region. I look forward to seeing what the partnership can achieve over the coming year.
Our Family Hubs have gone from strength to strength, expanding the groups, activities and advice available to all Derby families. In July, we welcomed the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson MP, to Derby’s Family Hubs. She had a busy morning session at Becket Family Hub and saw what a difference the hubs are making to the lives of children and families.
We also worked with partners to offer a free online parenting programme and we know from parents what a positive impact the programme, and the hubs in general, are having on families’ lives.
One example of our work has been helping parents identify and address early speech and language delays in young children. We provide tips and guidance on working with professionals, and offer age-appropriate books which parents can read with their children, encouraging early literacy and language development.
Derby's Holiday Activities and Food Programme continues to provide free meals and activities for eligible children during school holidays. In partnership with Community Action Derby, the program funded 86 clubs over the Easter and summer breaks, offering over 3,500 places. This vital initiative ensures children stay active, learn and build friendships, and I'm delighted it's returning for the winter break.
Derby’s Childcare and Family Information Service continues to support families to access free childcare for two and three-year-olds. I’m delighted that so many families are supported to access free childcare, which is so important for early years development and school readiness. It’s wonderful to see that take up of provision is really high in Derby.
Looking ahead, I’m particularly excited about the government's plans for universal free school meals in primary schools. We'll work with health and breakfast providers to ensure meals are wholesome and balanced, to help us ensure all our children are a healthy weight.
There are lot of opportunities in the children and young people's sector and I’ll work with my fantastic team of officers, and partners, to grasp them and implement new initiatives to benefit our teachers, young people, and their families.