An Article from ‘The Edge’ – the newspaper about youth affairs for elected members.
Ofsted inspectors have praised Somerset Youth Service as ‘outstanding’ and providing a model of best practice both strategically and operationally.
In a relentlessly upbeat assessment inspectors say that at a time of change the youth service is providing a firm foundation of effective practice and represents a very good return on the budget invested by the council. The service is praised for its ‘rich and diverse’ curriculum which makes a strong contribution to Every Child Matters outcomes and the influence of its good practice spreads far beyond its own boundaries.
The service has developed very effective strategies to reach vulnerable and marginalised young people and ensure that groups such as care leavers, young parents, isolated rural young people and those at risk of exclusion from school are able to access the support and opportunity offered by youth work. Staff are described as ‘well-qualified, entrepreneurial and committed’ and there is praise too for the staff development programme which is ensuring that staff skills are up to date and that they are well-informed about key developments in youth work.
Youth service spending in Somerset is broadly in line with similar councils but at 22 per cent its reach of its target age range is high and increasing. The service has a strong democratic culture, also reflected in young people having many opportunities to contribute to decision making at county and local level and receiving very good support in overseeing the spending of Youth Opportunity Fund and Youth Capital fund monies.
David Taylor, Corporate Director for Children & Young People, said: ‘This represents a great deal of hard work and commitment from staff, elected members and partners of Somerset County Council to improving outcomes for every child and young person in the county.’
Somerset is one of only two youth services to have received the top rating, which came as the County Council Somerset received a four star rating in its Comprehensive Performance Assessment from the Audit Commission. The CPA report described Somerset’s county councillors as ‘capable and energetic’.
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