The Children, Youth & Families Collaborative Commission (CYFCC) developed the Children and Youth Master Plan (CYMP) as the basis for the coordination, alignment and delivery of effective services to all city children and youth from birth to 21 years-old and their families. The Plan is the result of hundreds of hours of discussion, debate and problem-solving that began with public forums of youth and adults and continued with a Design Team that was comprised of community, school, faith-based, and parent and youth representation, and is aligned with several existing plans in Alexandria, including the City’s Strategic Plan, the Alexandria City Public Schools Strategic Plan and the Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria Strategic Plan. 

Adopted by City Council ACPS School Board in 2014, the plan establishes long-term, community-wide priorities for youth as well as the specific action steps necessary to realize those priorities. The goals of the plan are to ensure that all children and youth are healthy and safe, academically and vocationally prepared, and socially and civically connected.

Goals and Strategies

Goal 1: Every Child will be physically safe and healthy

• Support the related efforts of public and private entities to improve the health, wellness and safety of children, youth and families
• Increase access to services that support the health, wellness and safety of children, youth and families, particularly those most vulnerable
• Advocate for and endorse policies that promote the health, wellness and safety of children, youth and families

Goal 2: Every child will be academically successful and career ready

• Support the development and alignment of, and access to, an early care and education system that prepares young children to enter Kindergarten
• Provide every child access to consistent, high-quality K-12 learning experiences
• Ensure all youth have access to the resources they need for educational and career success
• Advocate for and endorse public policies that promote high-quality learning experiences across the age continuum

Goal 3: Every child will be socially connected, emotionally secure and culturally competent

• Support the development and alignment of programs that foster social-emotional development of children and youth in and out of school
• Increase access to opportunities for social emotional development, particularly for the most vulnerable children and youth
• Advocate for and endorse public policies that promote the social-emotional development of children and youth
• Cultivate cultural competence and connections among children and youth and those that serve them

Goal 4: Every family will be equipped and empowered to effectively support the well-being of their children

• Support high-quality, coordinated services for parents and guardians to be leaders in the learning and development of their children
• Increase awareness of and access to programs and services for families
• Advocate for and endorse public policies that promote the social-emotional development of children and youth
• Ensure that services and programs for families are client-centered, culturally responsive, and welcoming to all families.

Goal 5: Alexandria’s systems and institutions will be responsive, coordinated, efficient and effective in service to children and families

• The City Council and ACPS school board, by approving and adopting this Children and Youth Master Plan, takes responsibility for its timely implementation and the positive outcomes for children, youth and families
• Utilize incentives and build capacity for alignment and collaboration among public and private organizations and systems serving children, youth and families in Alexandria.
• Develop and use a common system of measurement to improve the delivery of services
• Engage with the public to ensure long-term successful implementation of this Children and Youth Master Plan
• Provide effective, equitable, understandable and respectful quality care and services that are responsive to diverse cultural beliefs and practices, preferred languages, levels of literacy and other communication needs
  
  

For action steps, please see the Children and Youth Master Plan Overview.

Related Documents

• Alexandria Children and Youth Well-Being Profile 
• Children and Youth Master Plan Overview
• Approved Children and Youth Master Plan
• 2015 Legislative Support Agenda