Agenda item

The Partnership received a report which provided an update on the Young People at Risk Strategy 2019-29, which was approved by Cabinet in March 2019. The report set out progress in the delivery of commitments made in the strategy and the Young People at Risk Action Plan, as well as progress made in relation to the Strategy’s governance arrangements. The report was introduced by Hugh Smith, Policy & Equalities Officer as set out at pages 39-100 of the agenda pack.  The following arose from the discussion of the report:

1. Alexa Loukas from Crimestoppers commented that she would like to have a conversation with relevant officers about how the Young People at Risk Strategy could link in with Crimestoppers, and the Fearless campaign in particular which was aimed at young people. Hugh Smith agreed to contact Crimestoppers outside of the meeting and take this forward. (Action: Hugh Smith).
2. The Cabinet Member for Communities emphasised the disproportionate impact of the criminal justice system on young people at risk and the need for the strategy to capture the voice of young BAME people. Young people and their families were at risk of being criminally exploited and it was important that they were treated as children, rather than institutions pushing them down a pathway to criminality.
3. The Borough Commander acknowledged these comments and suggested that there was a conversation to be had between herself, Stuart Smiley and Hugh around new funding streams that may available. (Action: Hugh Smith). The example of Operation Alliance was noted in which funding for outreach workers was secured to work in the Wood Green custody suite to work with 10-18 year olds to provide teachable moments.
4. The Borough Commander agreed to provide an updated introduction to the Young People at Risk Strategy (Treena Fleming).
5. The AD Commissioning emphasised the point made by the Cabinet Member around the need to include the voice of young people in the strategy and also set out the need to build in community views and participation in a staged process when refreshing the action plan. It was suggested that the refresh process provided opportunities to get a strong community voice into what they thought worked and where the gaps were.
6. The Director of Children’s Services advised that the strategy was based around a whole systems approach and that it was important that each part of the system was involved in the refresh and to think about what had been done and what more needed to be done. It was suggested that the voice of the child was a crucial part of this but that there was also a need to consider the impact and outcomes on parents and to provide support to parents. There was a new exploitation team in place who were working with parents and children based at what was the Octagon. The Chair reiterated the need for all of the relevant partners to be a part of the refresh process.
7. The Partnership was advised of the need for the refresh to be based around the five outcomes and the need to demonstrate the evidence base for those outcomes. The Partnership also acknowledged the need to include the new funding streams that had come online.
8. The Chair commented on the influence of social media and the pressures that young people faced, it was suggested that some consideration needed to be given to how to make young people more resilient to this.
9. The Partnership also advocated that the refresh needed to reframe the strategy in terms of COVID-19 and the disproportionate impacts of COVID on different groups. It was also put forward that further consideration of the mental health aspects should be looked at, along with strengthening the mentoring opportunities.
10. Partners agreed to engage with Hugh Smith around the refresh to ensure that it captured key priorities. Officers agreed that they would be in touch to take this forward (Action: All/Hugh Smith).

RESOLVED

1. That the CSP noted the contents of this report for information

2. That CSP members considered how they could contribute to a refreshed

Young People at Risk Action Plan.