Agenda item

Cabinet received a report on the first Participation Strategy for Young People 2022-2025 which signalled the Council’s intention to ensure it provided opportunities to engage with children and young people in Buckinghamshire so that their voices were heard, responded to, and acted upon.

The Council’s ambition was to provide the best services possible to support children and young people and their families in Buckinghamshire. In doing so the Council was striving to continually develop services and how they were delivered so they were relevant and appropriate.  Children and young people had valuable contributions to make in helping the Council to understand what they needed.

The strategy provided a clear framework for Children’s Services to use in an inclusive manner, actively listening, acting, and responding to the issues which children and young people informed the Council were important to them.  This included involving them in identifying and providing creative solutions.

During the December 2021 Ofsted re-inspection, inspectors had commented that the inclusion and participation of children in helping to shape improved practice and services was underdeveloped. The implementation of the Strategy formed part of the response to those finding.

RESOLVED –

(1)               That the ambitions set out within the Strategy be NOTED.

(2)               That the Participation Strategy for Young People 2022-25 be AGREED.

Cabinet received a report on the first Participation Strategy for Young People 2022-2025 which signalled the Council’s intention to ensure it provided opportunities to engage with children and young people in Buckinghamshire so that their voices were heard, responded to, and acted upon.

The Council’s ambition was to provide the best services possible to support children and young people and their families in Buckinghamshire. In doing so the Council was striving to continually develop services and how they were delivered so they were relevant and appropriate.  Children and young people had valuable contributions to make in helping the Council to understand what they needed.

The strategy provided a clear framework for Children’s Services to use in an inclusive manner, actively listening, acting, and responding to the issues which children and young people informed the Council were important to them.  This included involving them in identifying and providing creative solutions.

During the December 2021 Ofsted re-inspection, inspectors had commented that the inclusion and participation of children in helping to shape improved practice and services was underdeveloped. The implementation of the Strategy formed part of the response to those finding.

This Strategy was co-produced with young people and The Care Leaders, a social enterprise led by experts by experience. The strategy brought together all areas of engagement and participation for young people, including the We Do Care Council, for children and young people in care, and Shout Out For SEND, the forum for young people with SEND. In addition to groups and forums, the strategy included wider engagement through Youth Councils and the Youth Voice Executive. Training would be provided for young people including encouraging them to join these activities including Community Boards. This significant range of activities was Championed by colleagues across children’s services, who were supported by specialist staff and a Participation Coordinator, within the Family Support Service. A website would be produced to engage young people.

During discussion the following points were made:-

·         A suggestion was made that in addition to the website it would be helpful to have a phone app which young people would relate to. The Cabinet Member reported that there would be a launch at Pinewood Studios shortly where they would be encouraging innovative ideas. The Corporate Director reported that they had hoped to bring this Strategy to Cabinet earlier but it had been delayed by the pandemic because of the importance of co-producing this document with young people. This Strategy was not just for Children’s Services but the whole Council with active participation by young people. It was important not to just listen to them, but to act upon their views and respond to them.

·         Funding for this Strategy was within the core budget.

·         In response to a question about champions for the Strategy and whether this included councillors, the Cabinet Member referred to the Member’s role as a Corporate Parent who could offer their services as a champion or mentor.

·         A Member made reference to how success would be measured with regard to the Strategy and what key performance indicators would be used. The Cabinet Member reported that it would be measured by ‘You said – we did’. The Corporate Director reported that the evidence of participation by young people in different service areas would be monitored including the impact on services.

RESOLVED –

(1)               That the ambitions set out within the Strategy be NOTED.

(2)               That the Participation Strategy for Young People 2022-25 be AGREED.