The report provides the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee with an update about commissioned Youth Support Services.

The Executive Member introduced his report, which provided the Committee with an update about commissioned Youth Support Services and outlined proposals for meeting the new national requirements captured within ‘Positive for Youth’. The report was supplemented by a presentation from the Head of Children’s Services Commissioning and representatives of the Youth Parliament, which provided the Committee with an insight into the work of Youth Support Services and the Youth Parliament in the context of emerging national policy. Specifically, the presentation covered:-

·        The policy context, particularly referring to “Positive for Youth”, a new approach to cross-government policy for young people aged 13 to 19;

·        The key themes of this new approach;

·        The local context;

·        The work and achievements of the Youth Parliament; and

·        Next steps.

At the end of the presentation, members of the Youth Parliament were allowed the opportunity to ask questions of the Committee and Executive Member present, which centred on raising awareness of the Youth Parliament and encouraging volunteering.

Members of the Committee then discussed the report and presentation in further detail and raised the following issues:-

·        A lack of sufficient detail regarding the activities, locations, participation rates, targeted services and outcomes relating to commissioned youth services to enable the Committee to adequately scrutinise proposed changes. The Committee was concerned to ensure the service was reaching the most vulnerable and sought clarity regarding how the service had already changed and how it would change further under new proposals;

·        The initial focus of Youth Parliament inspections and the advantage of beginning with the voluntary sector. The Head of Children’s Services Commissioning confirmed that the initial focus would be the NHS and pharmacies although the voluntary sector would be considered in due course; and

·        The benefit of involving representatives of the Youth Parliament in some of the consultations the Council undertook and the wish to invite them to future meetings of the Committee. Mention was also made of the possibility of formally co-opting a member of the Youth Parliament onto the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, although it was noted that this required full Council approval;

With regard to the first bullet point, the Executive Member acknowledged the issue and agreed that further information was required to allow Committee Members the opportunity to draw conclusions and generate informed recommendations concerning the effectiveness with which services were operating and reaching the most vulnerable. The Head of Children’s Services Commissioning explained however that due to regulatory and contractual time constraints, comments and recommendations from Committee Members were required before 12 November (i.e. before the next scheduled Committee meeting). The Committee therefore agreed to request the Executive Member to direct officers to provide more detailed information as soon as possible to be discussed at a briefing session prior to 12 November. Committee Members could attend this session in order to discuss the more detailed performance information and strengthened commissions. The Committee also agreed to receive a full update regarding the outcomes of the commissioning process at a future meeting in the new calendar year.

Finally, the Committee wished to record its thanks and congratulate the members of the Youth Parliament for their excellent presentation.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. That the Executive Member be requested to direct officers to provide more detailed information as soon as possible to be discussed at a briefing session prior to 12 November.
2. That the Executive Member submits a full update regarding the outcomes of the commissioning process at a future meeting in the new calendar year.