Decision details

What Support Young People Would Like

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Decisions:

Following on from the previous item, LINX (Lancashire's Children in Care Council) were asked to do a piece of work around what practical support young people would like in relation to NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) and the outcomes from the discussion was in the report circulated with the agenda which are the views of 12 children in care and eight care leavers and who were asked their opinion of what they practically needed to help them in education, employment and training.  The key themes that young people reported were very similar to what the previous report found which is very positive and something that the young people noticed when they met to discuss the agenda and the reports for this meeting.  Further details on the quotes/comments from the young children are found in the report.

 

Key themes were:

 

·  Aspirations.

·  Experience of the workplace.

·  Financial support – balancing finances prior to that first wage.

·  Work ethics – having conversations earlier, talking about different options available.

·  Making education over work the preferred option.

·  Practically helping young people to prepare for work ie develop the Curriculum Vitae (CV), interview practice.

·  Hobbies that are related to studies, paid for and made available and support to help young people look at those opportunities.

·  Within school, having 1:1 support if needed.

·  Support around Mental Health – young people found it positive that discussions were happening on a Mental Health strategy.

 

Young people commented that it was useful to know that education and employment was still an option when dealing with mental health and that there were trained professionals in education and employment to support young people in dealing with the issues they may have and to support them positively.

 

Young people asked with regards to the different categories of Long Term NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) detailed in the previous item, as to whether it was to do with certain issues happening in the areas or what makes those particular issues stand out in those areas?  It was noted that this is something that will be looked at under the new ways of working which are being introduced when the service will all be under the same management structure.  This information will be reported back to the Board at a future meeting.

 

LINX were invited to participate in the development of the action plan and Brendan Lee will discuss this outside the meeting with Barnardo's.

 

An issue was raised around supported accommodation and the surcharges incurred if young people commence employment and advice that was being received from placements.  It was reported that there is a recommission underway on supported accommodation and in terms of accommodation pathways this is a positive for our young people.  Applications should be made for discretionary housing payments which comes from the District Councils and an idea is to change the commission for those placements so that it is not an issue, however, this is not always possible.  An alternative would be to seek an offer from each District Council that says they will always give discretionary housing payments to those young people who want to work and are in placements or accommodation that incur an extra cost.  This also needs to be included in the Action Plan and this is something the Corporate Parenting Board can raise with the District Councils.

 

Young people again, were encouraged to raise any issues they may be experiencing with Barnardo's/Personal Advisors as soon as they arise, so they can be dealt with timely and fed back into the Service and to Managers dealing with those young people.

 

Resolved:  i)  That Brenda Lee would contact LINX to work with them on the action plan.

  ii)  Roxanne McAllister will feedback at the Providers meeting, that they should not be encouraging young people to not get a job as their accommodation will cost the young person too much.

iii)  That the Corporate Parenting Board liaise with district councils with regards discretionary housing payments for Children in Care and Care Leavers who are in a placement or supported accommodation and are wanting to gain employment.

 

 

Date of decision: 10/09/2020

Decided at meeting: 10/09/2020 - Corporate Parenting Board

Accompanying Documents: