Children and Young People's Trust

We believe that working together is the best way to make a positive difference to the lives of children and young people. First and foremost, that means creating a real partnership between all of the different agencies in the city and with children and young people, their parents, carers and families.

Our big idea is the creation of one organisation that brings together the different agencies and involves children and young people and their families - not only in planning the care and support that they may need themselves, but also in saying how they think services should be developed and improved in the future. This is called the Children and Young People's Trust.

This is the merger of the Council's Children, Families and Schools Directorate with South Downs NHS Trust Children and Families Directorate. It has nearly 5,000 staff providing education, health and social care for all our 52,000 children, young people and their families. It also co-ordinates how services are commissioned from the voluntary, community and independent sectors. We have brought together different professionals to work in multi-disciplinary teams. We believe this improves our services, and also helps make sure they are better focused on needs. Wherever possible we deliver services locally, and tailor provision to meet the needs of local areas. We have set up children's centres and area based teams, building local school partnerships and establishing area based youth work to provide better and more immediate support.

Brighton & Hove

Situated between the sea and the beautiful South Downs, Brighton & Hove is one of the most attractive cities on the south coast.

In addition to the obvious appeal of the sea and the beach, the city also boasts superb shopping facilities, including the world-famous Lanes, as well as a colourful and vibrant nightlife. It is features like these that draw in-excess of 8 million visitors every year from all over the globe, giving the city a cosmopolitan feel, akin to places such as Edinburgh, Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona and London.

There are also excellent road, rail and air links with London, Gatwick and Heathrow all within easy reach, while nearby ports of Newhaven and Folkestone offer easy access to France.