Agenda item

[NOTE: Councillor J. Lewis had earlier declared an interest in this item.]

The Committee considered a report providing an overview of the Youth Support Service response during the COVID-19 pandemic, together with relevant background information.  The report outlined the provision of Youth Support Service and the Youth Justice under a single management structure allowing the development of a holistic approach to the delivery of youth support services across Carmarthenshire.

The Executive Board Member for Education & Children’s Services commended the service on gaining the Silver award in supporting the delivery of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and being responsible for all the open access provisions available within the 4 teams of the Youth Support Service.

The YSS Principal Manager advised that during lockdown the Youth Support Service has shown flexibility and has responded well with challenges faced whereby they’ve supported staffing of the school hubs during lockdown, offered support to families as and when appropriate, food delivery duties across the county, conducted door-step/garden visits for those deemed vulnerable and have adapted quickly with the aid of social media and technology as a form of engaging with children and young people in a safe manner alongside working with Social Services, the Health Board and the whole of the Education Department.

During lockdown safeguarding remained of paramount importance to the service; the Youth Service is a learning organisation that has been restructured to meet the needs across Carmarthenshire.  The service was integrated in January, 2016 in order to work to optimal levels with the Youth Justice team and the Youth Justice Management Board completed a self-assessment against the Youth Justice Board National Standards for Children in the Justice System in March, 2020.

Pre-lockdown staff worked together to identify the risks and needs profile of the team’s caseloads to assist in prioritisation and the type of contact/support each child needs whereby Managers and staff completed a Red / Amber / Green status on each Court and Out of Court case using a template which captured Risk of Serious Harm, Safety and Wellbeing concerns or any other need or required response.

The YSS Principal Manager is in the process of drawing up the YSS Business Plan which will include a focus upon the Youth Justice Plan for 2021/22 as well as an overview of the YSS during the past year as well as future planning.

The following questions/observations were raised on the report:-

·       Reference was made to the homelessness situation; Head of Curriculum & Wellbeing advised that many challenges are encountered with homelessness as well as foster placements, needing extra care and that there are staff linked in with the Housing Department.

·       It was asked if staff capacity is down from working in other areas and the YSS Principal Manager confirmed that the service is back at full capacity; detached youth work has commenced and the Carmarthenshire Youth Centres are open for appointment only and that Youth Clubs have continued virtually for now as a safe working practise.

·       Feedback was sought on how the new developments including new projects including Mental Health and Wellbeing is working.  The YPP Principal Manager advised that the YSS has a well-established partnership with Dr Mz via an SLA.  As a result of COVID welfare/activity packs were developed and made accessible. For some time now hygiene packs had been kept to issue to young people.  A lot of detached youth work and “keeping in touch” days with the vulnerable, youth club attendees and post 16.  A Vulnerability Hub was held in Glan y Mor School last Summer and will again this Summer and will be using detached youth work to keep in touch with the vulnerable young people so that if there are any reports of any concerns in the community it can be ensured that Youth Workers can be put in that area to find out what support is needed and signpost them in the right direction for help.  The Head of Curriculum and Wellbeing advised that there is a strategic group in implementing a Mental Health and Wellbeing Framework and exploring concepts and recovery plan

·       The impact on young people has been significant in the past year and concern was raised on the increase of anti-social behaviour and asked if there are any identifying hotspots across the County with antisocial behaviour in conjunction with the policy.  The YSS Principal Manager advised that she was aware of recent report in the media regarding some local ASB linked to trains and train stations and young people gathering in large numbers; the service has close links with  the Neighbourhood Policing Teams and that the Youth Justice team have ASB referral mechanisms in place and a regional prevention referral form which the police have on their system for referrals. Prevention referrals are at a steady flow albeit slightly more since pandemic. However, the service has not seen a rise in relation to referrals linked to ASB hotspots.

·       Reference was made to social media use and asked how much do the School Based Youth Workers know i.e. pupil sharing their issues and problems with them.  The YSS Principal Manager reassured the committee that Carmarthenshire is fortunate to have SBYW’s in all Secondary Schools and that safeguarding is key and should any issues arise it is followed up directly with Headteachers as well as the linked School Liaison Police Officers.

·       Reference was made to changing the funding model and the Head of Curriculum and Wellbeing stated that the Youth work is targeted up to the age of 25 years – in general the service is getting more dependent on grants and targets the provisions closer to specific needs of provision of grants.  The YSS Principal Officer stated that a lot of work is happening with the Interim Youth Work Board, Wales. The WG Youth Support Grant which was increased 3 years ago focuses on those not engaged in education training and employment, emotional and mental health and homelessness prevention. The Interim Youth Work Board are also looking at the Revenue Support grant and how this is used across Local Authorities for youth work.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.