This is a commitment to work together in partnership to ensure every child has the chance to live a happy, healthy and secure life.

An introduction to Whole System: Whole Heart

Welcome to ‘Whole System: Whole Heart’, our regional strategy to improve outcomes for babies, children, young people and their families living in Cwm Taf Morgannwg.

We recognise that children and young people growing up in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bridgend and Merthyr Tydfil are experiencing poorer outcomes than in many other parts of Wales.

At the core of ‘Whole System: Whole Heart’ is a recognition of the value each individual can bring to transforming lives.

No single person or organisation can tackle the scale of the challenge alone. By recognising ourselves as part of one connected system – spanning health, social care, education, housing, the third sector, the police service and our communities – we’re laying the foundations for a stronger, preventative, and more unified approach to improving outcomes.

Our regional ambitions

We have developed eight ambitions that champion children and young people's rights, respond to their needs, and amplify their voices.

Slide through them below

Ambition one

Enable every family to access high quality early support during the first 1,000 days, giving babies the best possible start in life.

Ambition two

Enable healthy lives and support children to grow up active, well-nourished and at a healthy weight

Ambition three

Create strong, clear and accessible neurodevelopmental support pathways to help children and young people in CTM reach their full potential.

Ambition four

Expand and improve the range of emotional wellbeing support, advice and guidance for babies, children, young people and their families.

Ambition five

Recognise, understand and strengthen the support available to young carers in CTM, empowering them to thrive.

Ambition six

Develop a diverse range of regional, accommodation-based solutions tailored to the needs of children looked after and with complex needs.

Ambition seven

Deliver high quality, person centred transitional care for children, young people and their families across CTM.

Ambition eight

Build seamless integrated partnerships between health, social care and education services to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families.

Our strategy

Read our full strategy here.

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Our Golden Thread framework and resources

Read about our Golden Thread framework and find further resources below.

The Golden Thread

Our framework – ‘The Golden Thread’ – reflects the value of every person’s skill, experience, and knowledge. When woven together, these contributions form a strong, sustainable partnership between professionals and communities, united in support of children, young people, and families.

It is underpinned by three key drivers:

Inform

Ensuring those involved in partnership working are informed of their roles and responsibilities, and have a shared purpose.

Involve

Ensuring babies, children, young people, their families, carers and professionals are meaningfully involved in decisions – this aligns with the core principles of co-production

Inspire

Recognising the value of partnership working and sharing learnings to create a more equitable environment.

Working together to create the conditions for sustainable partnership working and culture change

The diagram below offers a high-level representation of  how accountability, trust, and relationships interact.

Watch our Golden Thread film here. 

Resources

No Wrong Door

Bringing services together to meet children’s needs

Read more

The Right Way Framework

This helps organisations in Wales put those rights into practice by embedding them into everyday decisions, services, and policies.

Read more

Welsh Government’s Transformation of Children’s Services Programme

This is a radical reform approach for children looked after, aiming to reduce profit from children’s residential care and strengthen Local Authorities duties as a corporate parent.

Read more

All Wales Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy

This ensures the right structures are in place to promote positive mental health and wellbeing for children and young people to promote access to support and reduce stigma.

Read more

Welsh Government’s Multi Agency Practice Framework for Children’s Services

This promotes clear leadership, governance and accountability for multi-agency working, between all partners.

Read more

Child Poverty Strategy for Wales

This is a long-term vision to tackle child poverty and its impacts across Wales, aiming to improve outcomes for children and young people regardless of their background or circumstances.

Read more

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

This sets out the rights every child is entitled to.

Read more

NYTH/NEST Framework

The NEST framework is a planning tool for and reflection tool for those working with, and on behalf, of babies, children and young people.

Read more

We are proud to be members of
Co-Production Network for Wales.

We are proud to be members of
Co-Production Network for Wales.