Theme 5: Children and Young People (CYP)

Key Issue / Change we would like to happen / Key audiences
Safe spaces for young people
There is a perceived lack of safe spaces for young people to go to.
Nationally in 2009, 25% of children and young people report that they often worry about being bullied with 11% reporting that they are bullied every day at school and 18% feeling unsafe in the area where they live[1] / Funding specifically to help the sector provide or access safe spaces.
Schools to provide improved information about staying safe, and supportive procedures for those worried about bullying. /
  • Public Sector Commissioners
  • City Inclusion/Engagement Partnership
  • Safe in the City Partnership
  • Council Officers
  • Voluntary and community sector funders

Gaps in provision
CW members reported a gap in community based services for children aged 8-12 outside of those provided in school, which is being exacerbated by a context of budget cuts.
19-25 year olds can also benefit from specific targeted youth provision, particularly where there are complex needs, as this can help to manage the transition to adult services.[2] However this is not always recognised.
Some areas of Brighton have no youth provision, e.g. Peacehaven, Portland Road, Hollingdean, Five Ways and Central Hove. / These gaps in provision need to be acknowledged before they can be addressed, and clarity is needed about the budget available for play workers for particular age ranges.
Additional funding for work with under 13s, and in particular 11-12 year olds.
Adult services could be better equipped to work with needs of 19-25 years.
Services need to be supported for outreach in these areas and link up services to bridge these gaps. /
  • BHCC
  • Public Sector Commissioners
  • CYP Committee
  • Budget Scrutiny Committee
  • Voluntary and community providers

Mental Health concerns
Our members report increasing mental health concerns from young people, and this is backed up by the number of young people under 18 admitted to the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital following self-harm, which was 121 in 2012 (an increase from 65 in 2009)[3] / Increased budget allocation for young people’s mental health support services to improve access.
Clarification from the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) around their ‘children’s health’ priority, to explicitly state how mental health services fit in with this. /
  • Public Sector Commissioners
  • NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
  • City Inclusion/Engagement Partnership
  • CYP Mental Health & Emotional Well-being Board

Academic Pressure
There is increasing pressure on young people to perform at school, with government targets, and focus on academic achievement,[4] potentially at the expense of their wellbeing.
Figures show higher exclusion rates for boys at all ages; in 2009/2010 they represented nationally 77.7% of the total number of permanent exclusions and around 74.7% of all fixed period exclusions[5]. / City to value Health and Wellbeing activities & social outcomes alongside educational.
Additional focus on supporting males to reduce exclusion rates. /
  • Schools
  • Local Education Authority
  • Learning Partnership
  • CYP Mental Health & Emotional Well-being Board
  • CYP Committee

Engagement & Consultation
Members perceive that there is a lack of meaningful engagement with young people around decisions affecting them. Participation, consultation, and representation for young people lack focus. Vulnerable young people may need specific empowering support to ensure their voice is heard. / A commitment that outcomes for young people will be led by engagement with young people.
A commitment from all agencies to greater meaningful involvement of young people in decision making.
Focussed promotion of opportunities for young people to contribute their views, including via social media, with incentives where appropriate to attract young people (e.g. activities, prizes). Go to where the young people are and ask them how they want to be consulted. /
  • Public sector
  • Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC)
  • CYP Committee
  • Voluntary and community Sector
  • CYP Participation Strategy Group

Transport Independence
Our members report that cost and availability of transport affects the ability of children and young people to access the opportunities that would be available to them.
Walking and cycling are free, clean, and healthy, but members report concerns about safety as a barrier to this[LP1]. / Seek better subsidy from local bus companies to enable improved access to transport for young people.
Independent travel training for young people with SEN where appropriate and additional subsidies for this group. /
  • BHCC
  • Private sector supporters
  • Transport Partnership
  • SEN Partnership Board
  • Local Sustainable Transport Fund
  • Disabled Children’s Partnership Board

Youth unemployment
Young people tell our members that they are struggling to access employment opportunities, and employment figures show that 27% of those in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance in Brighton are between the ages of 16-25[6]. Youth unemployment is rising in the context of a general fall in unemployment. [LP2]
Anecdotal evidence indicates that many young people who do find employment do so through somebody they know.
There is concern[LP3] that those least likely to get a good outcome from existing careers advice provision are the ‘inbetweeners’, i.e. Those not excelling academically but not struggling to the extent that they receive additional support. / Council’s supply chain on employing young people to focus more on social value and social enterprise for young people.[LW4]
Businesses to consider how they can accommodate[LW5] young people.
Develop local networks to improve opportunities for young people to build links with business.
Support for young people with building confidence and self-esteem.
Schools careers advisers could do more to signpost young people to vocational training and apprenticeships.
Targeted support for young people who may currently slip under the radar as they move into courses which might not be the best option for them in the long run. /
  • BHCC
  • Private sector supporters
  • City Employment Skills Steering Group
  • Social Enterprise Network
  • Economic Partnership
  • Beach (B&Hjobs.com)

Family Breakdown
Members have identified this as an issue affecting children and young people in the city, compounded by a lack of male role models in general,e.g. over 80% of nursery and primary schools have female teaching staff.[7]
Some evidence indicates that family breakdown and associated conflict, financial hardship and changes to family structure can have a negative impact for on a range of outcomes for young people, including academic achievement, mental health, self-concept and social competence. Young people can be indirectly affected too by the impact of the breakdown on their parents’ mental health.[8] / Support to families as early intervention, including facilitating communication, conflict resolution, and support for parents’ mental health both to avoid breakdown and to minimise negative impact of breakdown.
Additional support to both parents and children in single parent families following family breakdown to mitigate impact and reduce isolation, including development of coping strategies for transition, facilitating support networks, and maintaining school and community links. /
  • BHCC
  • CCG
  • Stronger Communities Stronger Families Partnership

Health & Fitness
Figures[9] show rising levels of childhood obesity, attributed to general levels of activity and levels of food poverty. This is identified as a key area of concern in the local Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.[10] / Schools offering additional support to engage with extra curricular sport activities, e.g. welcoming those with a current low level of fitness to help them improve and feel included, and actively encouraging healthy eating, not just offering healthy choices alongside unhealthy ones.
Work with young people and families on healthy eating, especially those affected by welfare reform. /
  • BHCC
  • CCG
  • Local Education Authority
  • Schools
  • Learning Partnership
  • Health & Wellbeing Board
  • Healthwatch Governing Body

Bullying
Members have identified cyber bullying as an emerging issue facing children and young people.
Bullying is consistently identified as one of the key concerns of both young people and
their parents. Mounting evidence suggests that bullying is negatively associated with
mental health and well-being, not just for victims but also for the bullies themselves as well as for those who witness the incidents. There are increasing concerns about the rising
prevalence of bullying through mobile phones and the internet (‘cyberbullying’).[11] / Additional support for young people to equip them with the skills and knowledge to protect themselves online and to know who to go to if they are experiencing bullying.
Education for parents to support their children with these issues and to understand effective use of parental controls.
Innovative approaches to meet the challenge of new forms of bullying. E.g. online peer support and mentoring. /
  • BHCC
  • CCG
  • Local Education Authority
  • Schools
  • Learning Partnership
  • Stronger Communities Stronger Families Partnership
  • Safe in the City Partnership
  • Health & Wellbeing Board
  • CYP Mental Health & Emotional Well-being Board
  • CYP Committee
  • Local Safeguarding Children’s Board

Public Image
Members tell us that the young people they work with still feel they get a ‘bad press’, or have a bad reputation with the public. Celebration of the positive acts of young people already takes place through a range of sources but doesn’t get as much coverage as it might. / Even greater reporting by the media of positive and celebratory news stories about young people.
Voluntary and community sector to keep on trying to get the good stories out. /
  • Media
  • CYP Committee
  • Voluntary & Community Sector

1

[1]National Foundation for Educational Research (2010) Tellus4 National Report, Department for children, schools and families: London [pages 36-44]. Available at: <

[2]Aylward, N (2009) Young Adults: Young adults learning partnership, The National Institute of Adult Continuing Learning: Leicester [page 14]. Available at: <

[3]Brighton and Hove City Council (2013) Annual report of the director of public health: Happiness the eternal pursuit, NHS: Brighton and Hove [page 18]

[4]Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People’s Service (2011) Closing the gap in educational achievement for children and young people living in poverty, C4EO: London. Available at: <

[5] Educational Standards Analysis and Research Division (2012) A profile on pupil exclusions in England, Department of Education: London [page 22-25]. Available at: <

[6] Brighton and Hove City Council (2011) Brighton and Hove employment and skills plan: ‘Better skills, better jobs, better lives’,Economic Development team: Brighton and Hove [page 42].

[7]Education Standards and Research Division (2011) A profile of teachers in England from the 2010 school workforce census, Department for Education: London [page 33]. Available at: <

[8] Mooney, A; Oliver, C; Smith, M (2009), Impact of Family Breakdown on Children’s Well-Being, Institute of Education, University of London: London

[9] Health and Social Care Information Centre (2012), Health Survey for England: Health Social Care and Lifestyles, Health and Social Care Information Centre: Leeds

[10]Brighton and Hove City Council (2013) Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2013, Brighton and Hove City Council: Brighton and Hove [section 7.2.4]. Available at: <

[11]Banerjee, Robinson and Smalley, Evaluationof the Beatbullying Peer Mentoring Programme, <

[LP1]Need evidence to link – ask transport reps? What change are we saying we want to see?

[LP2]Reference needed.

[LP3]Reference needed.

[LW4]Phrase (from member engagement workshop at AGM ) needs clarification.

[LW5]What does this mean? Apprenticeships and paid work?