Policy Digest 11, December 2009
Advice Policy
JustRights update
Following the successful launch event, the steering group of JustRights has decided to make the forthcoming General Election the focus of our work for the next six months. Our aim will be to put access to justice for children and young people onto the agenda for political parties and individual politicians; to feed into other organisations’ manifesto work; and to identify and feed our messages into other relevant policy streams and networks.
JustRights wants to engage with and involve Youth Access members in our work, so we would ask you to visit www.justrights.org.uk and sign up to support the campaign.
Magee Review
The Ministry of Justice has announced a review into the delivery of legal aid.
The review, under Sir Ian Magee, is tasked to ensure that the £2.1 billion currently spent on legal aid every year is delivering best value for money, providing a healthy and sustainable future for social welfare law and effectively integrating the criminal defence service with the criminal justice system. Read the MoJ media release.
Youth homelessness
In the wake of the R v Southwark ex parte G ruling and its’ fallout, Shelter is developing a briefing on the practical application of the case. An article in CYPN on the issue featured some distillation of the briefing’s guidance. Read the CYPN article.
New advice and advocacy service for Wales
The Welsh Assembly is to fund a new National Advocacy and Advice helpline service for children and young people. The helpline will be available through free phone lines, free texting, e-mail and instant messaging. It will be interesting to see levels of take up for the service, given that most of the credible evidence suggests that young people prefer to access advice face to face. Read the Welsh Assembly media release.
Counselling and Mental Health
New Horizons launched
The Department of Health, along with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Cabinet Office, have just launched New Horizons, their new strategy billed as a radical overhaul of support for people with mental health conditions.
Much of the publicity has been focussed on improving work prospects and conditions for those with mental health problems, but DH’s emphasis has been more around bringing mental health services to the heart of the public health debate. Health Secretary Andy Burnham said 'Depression is a huge public health challenge – it affects one in six people and causes one of the main disabling conditions in this country. Needless deaths from suicide are the second most common cause of death in men aged 15 to 44.
'We are determined to tackle this by bringing forward a radical new approach to mental health. New Horizons follows a decade of record investment in mental health services - there are now more consultant psychiatrists, more clinical psychologists and more mental health nurses than ever before.
'This strategy includes a national roll out of our successful talking therapies programme, NICE guidelines, new action on suicide prevention and a plan to tackle the stigma shrouding mental illness.
'Good mental health services are a vital part of a modern, preventative and people-centred National Health Service.'
Youth Access welcomes the strategy and we will be setting out the main points of it for you on our website as soon as we have had time to digest it ourselves.
Visit the New Horizons website.
In November, as part of his mental health speech at the Savoy Partnership conference, Health Secretary Andy Burnham announced the direction the IAPT programme will take in the coming year.
Initiatives included:
- Renewing the Government’s commitment to completing the roll out of IAPT
- A Policy Guideline and Competency Framework to extend the scope and range of IAPT services to cover other NICE-approved interventions including counselling
- Pledge to continue to roll out IAPT to cover all NICE-approved interventions
- The need to extend access to children and young people and to build the evidence base on what works best for children and young people.
Download the Secretary of State’s speech.
Youth Access tells Lord Layard any extension of IAPT must include young people
Youth Access used the opportunity of the Savoy Partnership conference to set out evidence to Lord Layard to support our plea that any extension of IAPT should include free youth counselling offered in drop-in, non-statutory settings - the services that young people actually access. Youth Access reminded Lord Layard and BACP that not all young people are in school settings or want to access counselling in schools. We hope to follow this approach up with a meeting to enlist Lord Layard to use his considerable influence over IAPT policy.
Government response to CAMHS review in the offing
Ed Balls and Andy Burnham are expected to make recommendations on the evidence base for what works best for children and young people’s emotional and mental health when they publish their response to the CAMHS review very shortly. We will feature this early next year.
A report by the Welsh Audit Office into mental health of young people in Wales has found that services are still failing many, despite improvements in recent years. Sixteen recommendations have been made to the Assembly Government, health boards and local authorities in Wales to improve provision and support. Read the WAO media release
Almost half of young people with eating disorders believe bullying contributed to their illness, it is claimed in a study by the charity Beat. Researchers spoke to more than 600 16 to 25-year-olds suffering from anorexia, bulimia or overeating. Of those, 91% said they had been bullied, while 46% said they believed that bullying had contributed to their eating disorder. Read the BBC Newsbeat feature.
Domestic violence
The Home Office has published a cross-government strategy to address violence against women and girls through prevention, provision and protection. The strategy plans to include gender equality, violence against women and the promotion of healthy relationships in the school curriculum to raise awareness in young people aged 13-18 years. Read the Guardian article.
Meanwhile, Children & Young People Now reports on a call by The Hestia Trust for investment on more Independent Domestic Violence Advisors. Read the report.
Youth Policy and Social Inclusion
Youth Access is continuing to press for a clearer place for youth advice in the Government’s Information, Advice and Guidance Strategy. We have been representing members on a number of levels, including Ministerial meetings.
At our recent meeting with the Minister Iain Wright, he said he believed the IAG strategy included non-careers, as well as careers-focused IAG. Unfortunately with only one sentence making specific reference to these other needs, local interpretation may be less inclusive.
To help local authorities take the broad approach to IAG we believe young people need, we have met with the Confederation of Heads of Young People’s Services (CHYPS) and the National Connexions Network (NCN) to agree the development of a joint statement. By working together, we want to ensure Directors of Children Services, elected members, IYSS leads and commissioners will implement the broader intentions of the strategy.
Barbara Rayment’s call for a clear non-careers IAG strategy made the columns of Children & Young People Now. Read the article.
NEET inquiry
The Select Committee on Children, Schools and Families is holding an inquiry into young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). The inquiry will address:
• Strategies for the identification of young people at risk of becoming ‘NEET’
• Services and programmes to support those most at risk of becoming ‘NEET’, and to reduce the numbers and address the needs of those who have become persistently ‘NEET’
• The effectiveness of the government’s NEET strategy
• The likely impact of raising the participation age on strategies for addressing the needs of young people who are NEET
• The opportunities and future prospects in education, training and employment for 16-18 year olds
The deadline for written submissions is 16 December 2009. Youth Access is currently working on a response emphasising the value of YIAC interventions in overcoming barriers education, employment and training. Read details of how to respond on the Parliament website.
Careers advice
The British Youth Council (BYC) and National Children’s Bureau (NCB) have conducted a survey of 500 12 to 26 year-olds as part of their report ‘Young people’s views on finding out about jobs and careers.’ The findings concluded that the vast majority thought that the careers advice on offer was either only "a little bit" helpful or no help at all. The survey also found that parents were the biggest influence on young people’s choice of career, followed by websites, teachers and friends. Download the repor
CIAG publish Serving children and young people better
The Children's Society report reveals there are currently only nine refuge beds for young runaways to cater for the 100,000 under-16s that run away overnight each year. Read the CYPN article.
Care leavers
The Cabinet Office in partnership with the DCSF has published a report, Realising young potential, which aims to provide guidance for practitioners to help care leavers to access education, employment and training. Download the report.
Meanwhile, the Care Leavers Association has exposed statistics which show that at least145 children and young people went missing without trace from local authority care homes last year. Most were juvenile asylum seekers who had arrived in the UK alone. CLA warns that the pattern of disappearances suggests they were victims of trafficking operations and were eventually forced into marriage, domestic servitude or sexual exploitation in Britain. Read the Guardian article.
Against this background, a new Barnardo’s report, "Whose Child Now?” finds that one in six sexually exploited children and young people have been trafficked within the UK, from town to town. The report outlines some of the key issues for children and young people affected by sexual exploitation and looks at some of the links between this form of abuse, children who go missing and child trafficking within the UK. Download the report.
Contactpoint rolled out
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Rt Hon Ed Balls MP and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families, Baroness Delyth Morgan have announced the nationwide launch of ‘ContactPoint’, an online directory which holds basic contact information for all children, their parents and for any professional working with children and young people. An evaluation report of the initial phase of the ContactPoint rollout, Lessons Learned from the Early Adopter Phases has also been launched. The report summarises the key achievements of Early Adopter organisations since ContactPoint was first made available in January 2009, and how their experience has fed into improvements.
Read the report
New Philanthropy Capital has published research into what happens to disabled children when they grow up. Rights of passage, looks at disabled young people’s transitions from childhood to adulthood and highlights how voluntary sector organisations plug gaps in statutory services. Download the report
Family Policy
Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo has announced a series of measures and additional investment for more intensive family support. The announcement included the 20 areas who will deliver the new £6.5m Child Poverty Family Intervention Projects which will address underlying problems that prevent parents from gaining employment and lifting their family out of poverty - such as drugs and alcohol misuse, domestic violence and mental health problems.
Other measures announced include:
• A new framework setting out how probation and prison services must work together with children’s services
• New guidance for professionals to support children of parents with substance misuse problems
• A £3.6m expansion of the Young Carer Pathfinder projects to 12 new local authority areas to improve the outcomes of children who often miss education due to caring responsibilities at home
• New ‘Think Family’ grant funding allocations for every local authority from 2010-2011
Read the DCSF media release.
Against this background, family charity coalition Kids in the Middle are arguing for investment to put services that tackle relationship breakdown in every children's centre and school, and to train health and social care workers to handle relationship issues. It is understood that these ideas are expected to inform the forthcoming families and relationships green paper. Read the CYPN article.
Children's Rights
The 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) has seen a welter of policy announcements and reports.
Children’s Minister, Baroness Delyth Morgan, launched long term plans to promote children’s rights and improving outcomes for young people including the opening of 3,000 children's centres; investment of over £900m in positive activities for children and young people and lifting over 500,000 children out of poverty among. This initiative will aim to make children’s rights a reality and improve outcomes for all children and young people in the UK. Read the DCSF media release.
DCSF has also published United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Priorities for action which highlights the progress the Government has made in its commitment to priority areas of UNCRC. It also sets out future actions plans. Download the report.
Taking a different view though, the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights has published a report on children’s rights to mark the 20th anniversary which states that a concerted plan is needed to address UK's poor record on children and young people’s rights. The report calls for reforms such as an end to recruiting under-18s into the armed forces and action to address negative stereotyping of children and young people. Download the report.
On a similar theme the Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE) has published its Annual State of Children’s Rights in England report. The report reflects on how the Government is taking forward UN recommendations for meeting international children’s rights obligations. The report identifies as common narratives: the failure of the Government to ensure effective and consistent implementation of its policies and legislation for children and young people. The document called for the government to prioritise to improve children’s protection, as well as the provision of health, education and economic well-being. Read the CRAE media release.
Finally, Baroness Joan Walmsley has introduced a private member’s bill which would make the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child part of UK law. Read the CYPN story.
Education incentives up for review
The use of financial support and cash incentives for 16- to 18-year-olds is to be overhauled as part of a cross-government review. The review, set to report in spring 2010, will explore how best to improve current systems of financial support. It will include looking at the role of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), which provides 16- to 18-year-olds with up to £30 a week to stay in education. Read the CYPN report.
Health:
New campaign makes contraception worth talking about
The
The campaign, Sex: Worth Talking About, aims to promote more open and honest discussions about sex, relationships and contraception among 16 to 24 year olds and their parents. Research shows that a lack of knowledge, and misinformation, coupled with poor attitudes and communication is currently hindering their safer sexual behaviour. Read the DH media release.
Minister issues call to action on teenage pregnancy
Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo has called on local authorities and health trusts to continue to prioritise the Government’s successful teenage pregnancy strategy, to further bring down teenage conceptions. Read the DCSF media release.
A national programme to stop the spread of chlamydia has failed because of a lack of central control over budgets and marketing, a group of senior MPs has found. A National Audit Office report revealed that problems in implementing the £150m programme meant the number of under-25s tested was well below its target. Read the CYPN article.
Download the reviews from the JRF website.
Drinkaware has added a new 'talking to under 18s' area on its website. This new area has sections aimed at professionals working with under -18s and also one aimed at parents. The professionals’ area includes summaries of youth research, examples of local alcohol projects, a guide to alcohol education resources and helpful contacts on the site. It also includes workshop plans and factsheets. The parents’ area covers government advice on young people and alcohol, the law, advice to give to children and young people and pointers on when to talk to them. Visit the website.
The Association of Young People’s Health has announced a series of regional events to share the learning from the Teenage Health Demonstration Sites are open for booking. The events take place on:
• 3 February 2010 in Bristol;
• 26 February 2010 in London; and
• 3 March 2010 in Leeds.
The events will cover key aspects of delivering health services for young people including involving young people, work with young people in challenging circumstances and building effective strategic partnerships.
For more information and a booking form visit the AYPH website.
Youth Health and Well-Being Challenges Showcase Events
UK Youth is running a series of half day conferences showcase the Health & Well Being Challenges programme and to celebrate some of the work that groups have undertaken as part of their engagement with the Healthaware Challenge.
• Tuesday 23rd February 2010 – London
• Wednesday 3rd March 2010- Birmingham
• Wednesday 10th March 2010 – Sheffield
Download a booking form
Recession News:
Leap in child poverty levels
The number of children in families living on benefits has jumped by 170,000 in 12 months according to a report published by the Campaign to End Child Poverty. Through Thick and Thin: Tackling Child Poverty in Hard Times, warns that the number of children in families without jobs is rising to its highest level for a decade. Download the report from the End Child Poverty website.
Youth Access’ report ‘The facts about Young People and the Recession: A policy briefing paper for YIACS’ and briefing ‘The impact of the recession on young people and on their needs for advice and counselling services’ provides detailed information on what the economic downturn could mean in the short, medium and long term for young people and the YIACS who try to meet their needs. It has been helpful to Youth Access members with funding applications and local lobbying.
Download the full report
Download the briefing version
New report suggests volunteering not the answer
A report published by welfare to work provider Reed in Partnership, examining the impact of the recession on young people in the UK, has found that the majority of 18-24 year olds are highly motivated and have a strong work ethic. The report, ‘False starts: restoring hope, dignity and opportunity to young people’, also identified reluctance on the part of young people to consider unpaid activities that will help them find employment. The survey of over 1,200 unemployed young people found that only 45 per cent said they would take part in unpaid training, 44 per cent in unpaid work, 39 per cent unpaid voluntary work and 36 per cent would undertake an unpaid internship. Read the media release.
NEET and unemployment statistics
The latest statistics show a 0.4% increase in NEET numbers from the same period last year. The proportion of those not in education and training (NET) fell, but a reduction in employment levels for 18 year olds pushed up the overall NEET figures.
Download the statistics and read the Minister’s response.
Office for National Statistics has published unemployment figures for the three months to September which show that youth unemployment has risen to 19.8 per cent, a record high. The number of 16 to 24-year-olds out of work has now reached 943,000, although the figure is below the predicted figure of one million. Download the statistics.
Nuggets in the Queen's speech
Gordon Brown set out a number of youth unemployment guarantees in the Queen's Speech last week. They include and extra 10,000 places for unemployed 16-17-year-olds; a commitment that 18-24-year-olds will be guaranteed a job or training and will not have to wait until they have been out of work for a year; and access to internships or training for graduates. The package is likely to cost an extra £200m. Read the Guardian article.
A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation shows that levels of poverty, unemployment and repossessions in the UK started rising as early as 2004, long before the recession began. These findings mean that in order to reduce the number of people living in poverty by any serious margin, the UK needs to recover not just from the recession, but from deep-seated problems that were re-emerging before the downturn. Download the report.
Consultations
This document brings together guidance on Children's Trusts and Children and Young People's Plans into one piece of statutory guidance. It also includes further advice arising from the recent changes to the Children Act 2004 made by the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning (ASCL) Act 2009. The document also includes the draft new Children and Young People's Plan regulations. The consultation is on both the draft new statutory guidance and the draft new regulations. Closing date for responses 29 January 2010. Respond online.
Opportunity in influence Government research
The Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC) is looking to increase the membership of its reference group for service delivery. They are inviting applications from front-line third sector organisations and service commissioners, who could help inform the development of research in this area. They are particularly interested in hearing from those with experience in housing, health and social care, employment, environment or criminal justice. They help identify questions that need asking, discuss emerging findings and promote dissemination. If you’re interested please email Tony Bovaird or phone 0121 414 5008.
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