Agenda item

Response to Children’s Commissioners Takeover Challenge Scrutiny Review: Work Experience

Report of the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services

 

Recommendations:-

 

1.    That the Cabinet’s response to the spotlight review of work experience under taken by the Rotherham Youth Cabinet be approved.

Minutes:

Further to Minute 37 of the meeting of Council held on 25th July, 2018 consideration was given to the report which responded to the findings and recommendations from a spotlight review undertaken by Rotherham Youth Cabinet under the auspices of the Children’s Commissioner’s Takeover Challenge regarding improving access to work experience opportunities for all young people in Rotherham.

 

The recommendations sought assurances that:-

 

·             The Council, schools and partners would work together to develop an improved offer of work experience, interaction with employers and volunteering opportunities for all young people from 2019.

·             That any specific needs of young people with mental health needs and/or special educational needs and disability who were in mainstream schools were taken into account in developing the offer, as well as those of young people in special schools.

·             That from 2019 onwards Rotherham Youth Cabinet receive updates twice a year from schools regarding progress with the new offer.

 

Whilst all the recommendations were accepted it was acknowledged that some of what the Youth Cabinet was requesting was not current Government policy.  However, the Council would support the Youth Cabinet in its influence to Government and partners to support schools to deliver high quality work experience via the Employment and Skills Plan.

 

The Rotherham Employment and Skills Plan would serve to assist in the mitigation of risks that may arise from the acceptance of the recommendations from the Youth Cabinet and it was anticipated that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board would maintain oversight of the implementation of the agreed actions and provide challenge in respect of risks that may arise.

 

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board was pleased the work of the Youth Cabinet was recognised and urged all Cabinet Members to attend the next meeting of the Children’s Commissioner Takeover Challenge Day on 2nd April, 2019.

 

Resolved:-  That the Cabinet’s response to the spotlight review of work experience under taken by the Rotherham Youth Cabinet be approved.

Supporting documents: