Agenda item

Sue Wilson, Head of Service, Performance and Planning, gave the following powerpoint presentation on the Rotherham Lifestyle Survey:-

What is Lifestyle Survey

-          An annual survey which captured the voice of children and young people on subjects important to them

-          The questions in the survey had been shaped by our young people

-          A unique opportunity for a large group of young people in Rotherham to share their views on matters that impacted on their lives

Why do we do it

-          To provide young people with the opportunity to voice their opinion which was used by partners, schools and services to help shape future services

-          Provided a rich source of data which provided the ability to compare with neighbouring local authorities and national surveys to identify trends and key areas for development

What do we aim to achieve

-          Services shaped and improvements made which took into account or were a direct result of the views expressed by the young people

-          Results that evidenced a positive impact on the lives of children and young people living and educated in Rotherham

Participation 2018

-          16 mainstream schools offered the opportunity to participate in the survey.  12 participated (4 schools choosing not to participate provided an explanation)

-          3 special schools chose to participate

-          3 Pupil Referral Units participated

-          3,499 pupils participated (52% of relevant population)

What is Working Well

Young people’s voices are being listened to and the information collected is being used effectively

-          Feedback from the Lifestyle Survey was utilised to support the commissioning of a new support service for drug and alcohol services for young people

-          Schools utilised the feedback provided in respect of high sugar energy drinks to improve the displays/information available to children on the effects of the drinks and in some schools ban the sale of the drinks entirely.  Leading to a reduction their consumption in school and an increase in the number of young people drinking the recommended amount of water per day

-          One school was using its results to shape their PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) curriculum; working with Y8 pupils to co-produce the curriculum

-          Safer Rotherham Partnership had used their results to help shape their priorities

-          Young Carers Service identified from the results the need to raise awareness of the services they offered within schools.  As a result, 10% more young people now say they have heard of the support available

What Areas are We Worried About

Results would be highlighted to schools and partners

-          Regular feedback required from partners on the actions they were taking to address the findings and improve change services

-          Increase promotion of the benefits of health eating – in 2018 less pupils said they were eating the recommended 5 per day and more pupils said they were worried about their weight

-          Promote the activities available for young people in libraries and youth centres – in 2018 less pupils said they use these

-          Address the increase in the number of young people who said they smoked on a regular basis

-          Promote the new drug and alcohol support available to address the increase in the number of young people who said they had tried drugs regularly

Actions

What actions take place to share the results and highlight the impact of the survey

-          Each school receives their own individual data with comparison to the previous year’s results highlighting:

What’s working well

What are we worried about

-          Partners received highlight reports with set timescales in which to provide feedback on the actions taken and the impact of and planned actions for the future

-          Results were shared with young people to help them identify and develop new ideas and to communicate positive messages to them

-          Stakeholders were supported to review the results and develop action plans to address these

-          Work undertaken with schools to highlight to young people opportunities and forums where they could get involved and have their voice heard i.e. School Council, Youth Cabinet, Young Inspector

Young People’s Voice

-          The Rotherham Lifestyle Survey had run for 12 years and in the time over 30,000 young people had had their voice heard

-          In the past 5 years, 17,410 had participated.  Schools welcomed and valued the survey with 12 schools already signed up to participate again in 2019

-          This high volume of young people’s voices needed to be recognised and become integral to shaping and developing the services we offered

-          We need to act upon what they say to show they were listened to and taken seriously

The Select Commission discussed the following salient issues about this Survey:-

·           The 4 schools that had declined to participate were the same schools who had not taken part for the last 3/4 years and were part of the same Multi-Academy Trust who ran their own survey.  The fourth school was a Catholic school who had had concerns 2 years ago with regard to some of the questions for Y10 students around sexual health.  This year they had not felt they could fit it into their curriculum timetable.  Every opportunity was taken to encourage participation to increase the overall perception rate

·           The data collected was linked as much as it could to national data/Public Health data.  Work took place with colleagues in Public Health for them to use the data and share it with their commissioned services and strategy group and looked at national trends

·           Due to the difference in the size of schools a percentage of the cohort was taken to enable a direct comparison

·           Schools were asked every year to review the questions and add any specific questions.  It was asked if schools commented on questions to be taken out of the survey

·           The 3 schools that did their own survey did not share their results with the Authority despite being requested to do so

·           There was no opportunity for the young people to write free text.  The survey had been designed to enable ease of analysis

·           Young people had input into the questions

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the partners receiving a copy of the report be supported.

(3)  That consideration be given to streamlining of the survey for the future and that further consideration be given to the inclusion of information relating to demographics and equalities monitoring.