YOUNG people across Barnsley have been opening their GCSE results this week and will be thinking long and hard about what comes next as they prepare for adult lives.

As a local Labour council we want all children, young people and families to benefit from the opportunities that a great childhood brings, and that’s why this year we’ve launched our Great Childhoods Ambition.

Securing the best possible GCSE results is a hugely important milestone for many young people and I’m grateful to all our schools for their hard work.

Exam success, however, isn’t the only part of what makes a great childhood.

A range of experiences and learning opportunities can help to give children and young people the best start in life and prepare for adulthood.

The Great Childhoods Ambition is our commitment to improving the lives and futures of our children and young people.

We’ve recently announced some significant investments to help do that, including free bus travel for all under 18s in Barnsley through the Barnsley MiCard.

This is helping young people be more independent, build life skills, and connect with friends, family and access the range of opportunities we have across the borough and beyond.

We’re also providing support of £50 per primary school pupil and £100 for secondary school pupils to help meet the cost of school uniforms this year, and we’re also providing support packs to year 11 students.

These provide equal access to all the resources they need for the important year ahead, giving them the best preparation to hopefully be celebrating when they open their results in a year’s time.

Schools tell us that the cost of uniform and having the right equipment can be a barrier to children being in school and ready to learn, and funding uniforms and the equipment students need is now a greater challenge than ever for many families.

This investment through our Great Childhoods Ambition will make a real difference to thousands of young people across our borough.

By helping to remove financial barriers to education, we’re making sure every child can attend school feeling confident and ready to learn.

We also want them to feel a sense of belonging, and that they’re supported to achieve the very best of their ability and potential.

This significant investment is just the beginning. As part of our Great Childhoods Ambition, we’re:

n Working closely with schools and our family hubs to support parents to give their children the best start in life.

n Developing stronger partnerships between our schools and communities, creating a network of support so no child falls through the gaps.

n Helping to provide activities, opportunities and experiences of interest to children and young people.

n Supporting young people to access and explore what’s on offer, building confidence and boosting their self esteem.

n Working with careers leaders, higher education partners and businesses to inspire and encourage young people to dream big, showing them possibilities in the voluntary, public and private sectors.

n Growing young people’s digital skills to help them prepare for a digital future.

We have a fantastic array of activities across the borough for children, including the world-famous Barnsley Youth Choir and various bands, music, theatre and dance groups, a wide range of sporting opportunities, activities across our libraries and museums.

Through our Great Childhoods Ambition, including free bus travel and growing our strong partnerships with a range of organisations, we’re making sure every child has chance to participate in something that helps make their childhood great.

n You can visit barnsley.gov.uk/GreatChildhoods to find out more.