Jersey's Children First

About Jersey's Children First: How and why it's been developed

Jersey’s Children First is a standard framework adopted across agencies, services and settings in the public, community and voluntary sectors in Jersey.

A multi-agency group, including parents, has developed a Jersey-specific model based on learning in other places which includes:

• Every Child Matters, in England,
• Getting it Right for Every Child, in Scotland
• the Unified Approach to Assessing Children’s Needs, in Ireland 

It is designed for all those working with children and young people from pre-birth to 19 with emerging or known additional or complex needs/disabilities, including Looked-After Children and those in need of protection. 

The approach has additional responsibilities for young people who have been in the care of the States of Jersey and young people in transition to adult services.

It is the vehicle for delivering the four outcomes of the Children’s Plan for Jersey:

• that all children in Jersey grow up safely
• live healthy lives
• learn and achieve
• are valued and involved

Services and agencies working with children, young people and families are committed to improving outcomes for them, in particular those who are most vulnerable. This shared approach will enable agencies to work together effectively to ensure children, young people and families can access the right help at the right time and from the right service.