Agenda item

Report of the Director of Education Commissioning and Inclusion and the Director of Relational Practice.

This report sets out the findings, key messages, and recommendations of the Young Inspectors inspection of the Virtual School for children looked after and previously looked after.

The main focus of the young inspection was:

• To find out about the experience of children and young people of the support they receive from the Virtual School.

• To identify main themes based on the feedback from focus group discussions with young people and members of the Virtual School staff.
• To develop recommendations for the Virtual School based on the feedback from these focus group discussions.

The conclusions that emerged from the Young Inspectors gave rise to six key recommendations for the Virtual School for children looked after and previously looked after.

The report also includes a summary of action taken to implement the Young Inspectors Report 2023 recommendations.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Education Commissioning and Inclusion and the Director of Relational Practice.

Elzbieta Chandrasena (Senior Development Officer Participation) and Young Inspectors Mary-Lynn, Nihad and Jenny, summarised the report. The report set out the findings, key messages, and recommendations of the Young Inspectors inspection of the Virtual School for looked after children and previously looked after.

The Chair thanked the Young Inspectors and officers for the report and invited questions and comments from the Committee. The following was discussed:

·       A Member queried the differences between the recommendations this year and those from the previous year. Officers noted that the 2023 recommendations focused on the experiences of young people in social care meetings, with updates provided in Appendix 2. Several changes and improvements had been made, including strengthened advocacy for parents, giving them greater agency. Additionally, the 'Mind of My Own' app, launched in September 2024, had received positive feedback from young people. Jenny said she was impressed with the app, noting how helpful it could have been during their time in care, and highlighted its ability to engage young people and reduce the pressure of one-to-one meetings. Jenny was excited about the app's development and upcoming features, such as video and sign language support for young people with hearing difficulties, as well as the ability to customise language and fonts. They also mentioned a new feature allowing young people to update their feelings, with additional emotional options to be introduced. Officers stated that the app would be reviewed, with feedback gathered to improve its role in meeting preparations, engagement, and communication alongside professional conversations.

·       A Member said they were impressed by work of the Young Inspectors and their collaboration, as the Committee was each year, and encouraged them to continue and build on their achievements. They noted the app sounded impressive and looked forward to seeing progress next year. Officers highlighted the dedication of young people who often gave up their evenings and summer holidays to participate, while also benefiting from personal development and gaining insights into services. Nihad emphasised the value of teamwork, listening to different perspectives, and identifying shared areas for engagement. Mary-Lynn reflected on the experience as both enjoyable and meaningful and stressed the importance of providing a safe platform for young people to voice their concerns.

·       Mary Holder (Deputy Virtual School Head/Post 16 Education, Employment and Training) thanked the Young Inspectors for their work, recognising the time they dedicated to formulating probing and important questions. They emphasised that the Personal Education Plan (PEP) was the young person's meeting and noted that the Young Inspectors' recommendations provided valuable insights to enhance the PEP process. The Virtual School would address these recommendations and report back to the Corporate Parenting Board.

·       A Member noted that it was evident the Young Inspectors had found the process rewarding and had learned things they were unaware of during their time in care. A Member asked what they felt they most needed from the Virtual School during the time they used the service. In response, Mary-Lynn highlighted the importance of having support, particularly a grounding place and more people available to spend time with young people when times were hectic. Nihad emphasised the need for more support during the transition from education to employment. To address this area, officers explained that a transition panel had been implemented four years ago, working with young people each April and May to help them plan their next steps or support them in exploring options. They noted that an officer supported social workers with this process and that the panel included a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) lead. While employment was not directly recommended, apprenticeships were encouraged as part of transition work. It was added that when young people were dissatisfied, efforts were made to explore their interests rather than imposing external views. The aim was to encourage young people to enter education, employment, or training (EET) and to remain in education until 18 wherever possible.

·       A Member asked about post-18 years support for care experienced young people. Officers explained that statutory support was provided up to 18 years, but Camden continued support until 25 years. They had appointed an Education Navigator whose role started in September 2023 in the Virtual School, which was funded for a period of 7 years by an external organisation, Inner Circle Education Trust (ICET). The Personal Advisors (PA) also assisted with Further Education (FE) planning and worked closely with the Education Navigator and young people. The aim was for the PAs to broaden their understanding of their work. The Member asked how many of the young people supported by the Virtual School had gone to university. Officers responded that 10% had gone to university, which was above the national average, and the numbers were rising. With the role of the Education Navigator and a dedicated person working with young people from Year 9, they hoped to increase these numbers. The focus was on informing young people earlier about their post-18 options. They had also worked closely with the employment team on Camden internships, aiming to offer apprenticeships as an alternative if university was not the right fit.

·       A Member asked what the quick wins were that could be implemented to improve the experience for young people using the Virtual School, noting that there were many ideas in the report. Mary-Lynn responded that more staff members should be available, not just those in higher positions, to interact with young people. Some young people preferred to engage with men or women, so it was important to have a diverse team to meet everyone's needs.

·       A Member stated that it was great to hear about the Young Inspectors’ positive experience of the project and asked what could be done to improve it for future cohorts. Mary-Lynn suggested that Young Inspectors projects should run all year round, not just in the summer. Jenny suggested increasing the number of Young Inspectors and broadening the scope. Officers mentioned wanting more touchpoints and feedback throughout the year.

RESOLVED –

THAT the Committee note the report.