Agenda item

7.1

The Committee considered a report of Councillor Gill Furniss, Chair of the Committee, on the proceedings of the Committee’s annual meeting with young people and young carers held in April 2014. 

7.2

The meeting had been organised with Sheffield Futures, and comprised a series of informal workshops.  The meeting had been attended by eight Members of the Committee and approximately 15 young people representing Sheffield UK Youth Parliament, Sheffield Youth Cabinet, VOYCE PG (Young Carers’ Participation Group) and STAMP (Young People’s Mental Health Action Group), and were accompanied by three Youth Workers.

7.3

Diane Owens, Policy and Improvement Officer, summarised the key points raised by the young people, based on three topics they had selected in advance of the meeting, which were Education, Work Experience and Careers Advice, and Youth Services. 

7.4

Members of the Committee raised questions and the following responses were provided:-

·                It was appreciated that young people would be concerned about the recent policy change relating to schools no longer having to provide work experience placements.  Schools would now be left with the decision as to whether they chose to arrange for such placements for their pupils.  This issue could be discussed at the City-Wide Learning Body. 

·                The Council undertook considerable work in connection with employment and skills, and the Committee could consider scrutinising this area of work as part of its Work Programme 2014/15.

·                The Council had no influence over the Academies, other than requesting that they give consideration to continuing to provide work experience placements.

·                It was not believed that the Council held records in connection with work experience placements, but confirmation would be sort on this issue.

7.5

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       notes the contents of the report now submitted, together with the information now reported and the responses provided to the questions raised; and

(b)       requests that:-

(i)        the report is shared with Councillor Jackie Drayton, (Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families), Jayne Ludlam (Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families) and the City-Wide Learning Body, with a request that they consider the points raised by the young people and feedback their response to the Committee within three months of receiving the report;

(ii)       the Chair of the Committee liaises with the Chair of the Healthier Communities and Adult Social Care Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee, which had undertaken a review into Child Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), to feedback the concerns of the young people and young carers about mental health support; and

(iii)      arrangements be made for a report on the services available for young carers in the City to be considered at its meeting on 22^nd September 2014.