Agenda item

The Panel was provided with a report on ‘Making Doncaster The Most Child Friendly Borough in the Country’ as part of a Participation and Engagement Theme.  The report provided an update on progress through the increased participation and engagement of children and young people in services across the Council and partnership services.

The Panel received an update on the following:

·         The very broad range of voice and representative groups to date involved in co-producing the Self-Assessment Framework for the Participation Principles.

·         The diversity of the Youth Council.

·         The forthcoming training of Young Advisors and Young Commissioners to be Young Inspectors to drive forward this piece of work.

·         Future Plans

Monitoring - Concern was raised by a Member in relation to how progress would be monitored and evaluated.  It was recognised that this was a new piece of work and monitoring would be undertaken through qualitative and quantitative means.  Assurances were provided that the work would be advocated, supported and challenged through a number of strands.

These would include existing voice groups, representatives from Youth Council and Youth Parliament, social media, partners, the newly formed Youth Advisory Board, new governance arrangements and finally, through the role of the Local Office of the Children’s Commissioner. It was acknowledged that as a new process this would evolve as it grows.

Range of voice and representative groups - Assurances were provided that an extensive amount of work had been undertaken to ensure that there had been a broad range of voice and representative groups involved in this process. 

Members were assured that all Senior Managers had truly invested in the youth voice, and that Doncaster Council had been allowed to grow (where other places had decreased) with even more and different types of forums that enabled more young people to have a voice.  Members were informed that there were Youth Councillors representation in every secondary school with specialist seats for young carers.  In addition, there were representation with a broad diversity, very different levels of abilities and that ensures maximum inclusivity to include that were more disengaged.

Summer Staycation - Clarification was also provided on how funding had been provided and the type of events that had made up the Summer Staycation as well as other face-to-face activities that had been equally spread across localities to ensure full access.  Members were also informed how priority places had been made available for more vulnerable children that needed provision during the Summer period. Members also heard that feedback received from families had been excellent, particularly for vulnerable children who had not been able to mix socially with their friends due to social distancing restrictions arising from COVID pandemic. 

Future Plans - Members were pleased to hear about the future plans, in particular, that further work would be done to explore the possibility of Young Ward Members. 

There was a brief discussion around the role of the Junior Civic Mayor, their recruitment process and the aspiration for a future Deputy Junior. It was considered that this role had been a positive one.

Following the Panel’s early discussion around the Doncaster Offer and reduced opportunities for Councillors to engage in person with young people, the Panel expressed their support for this area of work by recommending the duplication of the role of Ward Members.

The Panel resolved that;

·         the report be noted; and

·         the participation of children and young people (in both the work of the council and its partners) be expanded through the duplication the role of Ward Members by exploring the possibility of Young Ward Members be further considered.