Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Commission Panel Enquiry into Youth Services June, 2008 Scrutiny Report No # Chair’s Foreword This enquiry was undertaken after members of the former Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Commission expressed concern regarding the impact the Youth Matters Green Paper would have on the provision of existing youth provision in the City. In particular we felt that historically, the move to a curriculum based youth service had led to a significant drop in the number of young people accessing youth services in the City. We realised that there were a significant number of current and emerging issues at a national level which would impact on the future delivery of youth services, across all sectors, at a local level. For these reasons we have made a number of strategic recommendations which should be taken into consideration as part of any future service reconfiguration and future commissioning of services for young people. During the course of the enquiry we established that there were a number of areas within the spectrum of both statutory and voluntary youth services which should be addressed. In particular, we found that a number of issues relating to the way the City Council worked with community and voluntary sector organisations in delivering quality, value for money youth activities within the City. We also recognised the need to redress the balance between universal and targeted youth work plus the urgent need to reintroduce outreach and detached youth work within the City. The Panel received a lot of evidence and considered the options very carefully, placing the views of young people as a priority. It is hoped that the recommendations will help shape all areas of youth provision across the City in years to come. I would like to thank, the members of the Panel and all those who contributed to the enquiry for all of their hard work. I commend this report to Cabinet for acceptance. Councillor L. Maxwell Bird Chair of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Commission CONTENTS Page Summary of Recommendations 1. Introduction 1 2. Aim of the Enquiry 1 3. National Picture 2 4. Local Picture 8 5. Kingston upon Hull City Council Scrutiny Enquiry Into 19 Anti Social Behaviour 6. Evidence From Witnesses 19 7. Voluntary Care Sector Provision 26 8. Mapping of Youth Provision 30 9. Consultation With Children and Young People 30 10. Conclusions 32 11. Recommendations 33 Appendix A Appendix B Appendix D Appendix F Appendix G Appendix H Appendix I SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS The Panels detailed Conclusions and Recommendations are set out in the report, but for ease of reference, the Recommendations are set out here. The recommendations are to be read in conjunction with the conclusions laid out in section 10 of this report i) A standard programme of support be developed to deliver to voluntary and community sector organisations to ensure that they have appropriate exit strategies in place when managing the discontinuation of time limited funding ii) The Council, with its partners utilise existing outreach services, such as the community warden’s service more effectively to signpost young people into youth activities in their area iii) That the re-introduction of outreach and detached youth work be established as an urgent priority and that the Assistant Chief Executive (Children and Young People) produce a detailed action plan demonstrating when this will be implemented iv) That Assistant Chief Executive (Children and Young People) produces a report to a future meeting of the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Commission detailing how youth provision and activities will be included in the BSF programme with particular reference to new builds and in the context of the 14-19 agenda and extended school model v) The Council utilises HCVYS, as the umbrella organisation for youth services to share information about future funding and joint commissioning opportunities vi) The Assistant Chief Executive (Children and Young People) a meeting of Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Commission upon completion of the JSNA in order to comment on future plans for the delivery of youth work in the city vii) The responsibility for ‘championing youth services should sit with the Portfolio Holder for Quality of Life with a reporting overview from the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services and the Portfolio Holder for Lifelong Learning viii) That in the future provision of youth services consideration should be given to providing informal meeting places rather than a prescribed youth centre model. ix) In terms of the future delivery of youth activity youth work should be seen as an area ‘in growth’ with a gradual shift from an educational based delivery model to a focus on leisure based provision. x) The Youth Development Service look at how it could market and promote its services more effectively and imaginatively to include looking at alternative ways of funding and working with partner organisations xi) The Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Commission seek assurances, as part of it update report into the youth services review that the recommendations from the Environment and Transport Commission Panel Enquiry into Anti-Social Behaviour enquiry have been implemented xii) That the Bransholme Buddies model should be rolled out to other areas of the City where appropriate xiii) That the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Commission receive regular monitoring information in relation to how the changing focus of youth service delivery is contributing to the Councils wider priorities as well as the Every Child Matters objectives Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Commission Panel Enquiry into Youth Services Draft Final Report 1. Introduction 1.1 The Panel was established after members of the former Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Commission expressed concern regarding the impact the Youth Matters green paper would have on the provision of youth services locally. 1.2 The Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Commission agreed at its meeting held 17 July 2007 “that the Commission ratify the amendments made to the Terms of Reference for the Panel Enquiry into Youth Services.” 1.3 The Panel comprised Councillors Bird (Chair), Butterworth, Waudby and Welton and Mr J. Gwinnell. 1.4 During the course of the enquiry the Panel received a wide range of evidence from Local Authority representatives, members of the Voluntary and Community sector and through a consultation exercise with young people. A list of witnesses to the Enquiry is attached at Appendix A to this report. 1.5 It was realised part way through the enquiry that there were a significant number of current and emerging issues nationally which would impact on the future delivery of youth services, across all sectors, at a local level. For these reasons the Panel have made its recommendations in the context of a ‘snap shot’ of the way services were provided locally at the time of the review. These strategic recommendations should be taken into consideration as part of any future service reconfiguration and Commissioning of services with a view to improved service delivery. 1.6 The Panel would like to thank all those who contributed to and gave assistance to the enquiry. 2. Aim of the Enquiry The Panel agreed that the enquiry should result in recommendations being made to Cabinet and the Local Strategic Partnership in relation to how the Local Authority, with its partners could improve youth services in the City with particular reference to extended access, availability and quality of service. To achieve this the Panel agreed that it needed to determine the current extent of provision across all sectors and the challenges and opportunities they face in improving service delivery. A copy of the terms of reference and project plan for the enquiry is attached at Appendix B to this report. 1 3. National Picture 3.1 Every Child Matters 3.1.1In 2005 the Government launched the Every Child Matters: Change for Children agenda. This was a new approach aimed to improve the well-being of Children and Young people from birth to 19. 3.1.2 The Every Child Matters approach was aimed at every child whatever their circumstances to have the support they need to: • Be Healthy • Stay Safe • Enjoy and Achieve • Make a Positive Contribution • Achieve Economic Well-being 3.1.3 This meant that local authorities would be required to work with their partners to develop new ways of sharing information in order to ensure that young people were consulted on issues relevant to them and could contribute to the development and delivery of services. 3.2 Youth Matters 3.2.1 Youth Matters, the youth agenda green paper was published on 18 th July 2005 and formed part of the Governments toolkit to enable it to meet the five key objectives of the Every Child Matters agenda. It set out the Governments vision to transform the lives of every young person through a radical reshaping of provision. The proposals in Youth Matters responded to four main challenges: 1. Empowering Young People: Things to do places to go; Young People as Citizens: Making a Contribution; 2. Supporting Choices: Information, Advice and Guidance, and 3. All Young People Achieving: Reforming Targeted Support. 3.2.2 The overarching aim of Youth Matters was to develop an integrated Youth Support and Opportunities framework to encompass targeted support, remote access, advice and guidance, youth offending, social services, youth work, Connexions, extended schools etc. The green paper also talked about the need “to give all young people the choice of a positive future by helping them to learn ways that motivate and stretch them and enable them to achieve by engaging in positive development activities; make informed choices about their lives and benefit from high quality target support before problems arise.” 3.2.3 The proposals stated that there should be an identifiable focus on young people within children’s trusts and that the provision of services for young people was considered through the new commissioning process and draws on alternative service providers such as the Voluntary and Community sector through Local Area Agreements.