Supporting vulnerable adolescents

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 12 Oct 2022 Closed: 1 Jun 2023 Parliament page
Adolescents exposed to dangers such as substance abuse, criminality, and exploitation, both inside and outside the family, are at greater risk of adverse outcomes including severe mental health difficulties, homelessness, physical or mental harm, periods of not being in education, employment or training, and contact with the criminal justice system. … Read more
14 Recommendations
12 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
3 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 7 events
30 May
2023
Report published
22 Feb
2023
Report published
16 Jan
2023
Correspondence
12 Dec
2022
Correspondence
12 Dec
2022
Correspondence
21 Nov
2022
Oral evidence
21 Nov
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
21 Nov 2022
View on parliament.uk
Supporting vulnerable adolescents
Ed Cornmell · Ministry of Justice Rebecca Wyse · Home Office Siobhan Jones · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) Susan Acland-Hood · The Department for Education
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support for vulnerable adolescents HC 730 22 Feb 2023 26 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
26 results
2 Recommendation Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
There is reluctant leadership of the challenges faced by vulnerable adolescents which undermines ownership of...
There is reluctant leadership of the challenges faced by vulnerable adolescents which undermines ownership of the problem. The Department for Education reluctantly confirmed that it is ultimately responsible for ‘holding the ring’ across Whitehall on vulnerable adolescents. However, it is … Read more
Government Response
The Department for Education exercises its leadership and strategic oversight role through the Vulnerable Children and Families Strategy Board. The membership has been designed to ensure representatives from all accountable departments and arms-length bodies are able to contribute.
HM Treasury
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3 Recommendation Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
Critical local multi-agency safeguarding partnerships are still not working well enough, which risks those vulnerable...
Critical local multi-agency safeguarding partnerships are still not working well enough, which risks those vulnerable adolescents that need support and help falling through the gaps. While in some places multi-agency safeguarding partnerships may work well, in other places, sadly, they … Read more
Government Response
The government published 'Stable Homes, Built on Love', an implementation strategy and consultation in February 2023, setting out commitments to ensure all agencies play a full role in protecting children. It is also rolling out responses to recommendations from reviews, including support from national facilitators, and amending guidance to strengthen multi-agency leadership.
HM Treasury
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4 Recommendation Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
It is not clear how lessons and learning from changing threats, serious case reviews and...
It is not clear how lessons and learning from changing threats, serious case reviews and child safeguarding review panels are embedded in day-to-day practice. Time and again reviews into child deaths highlight poor coordination between services, including insufficient joined-up leadership … Read more
Government Response
The Department for Education published 'Stable Homes, Built on Love' which sets out plans to transform children’s social care. The government is funding national facilitators to support local areas in improving practice, and has invested in the Tackling Child Exploitation Programme to develop multi-agency practice principles for tackling harms outside the home.
HM Treasury
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5 Recommendation Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
We are extremely concerned about the waiting time for children to receive support for mental...
We are extremely concerned about the waiting time for children to receive support for mental health issues and about the proportion of adolescent girls seeking help. A survey found nearly 1 in 5 of 6- to 16-year-olds in England had … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees and has been piloting five new waiting time standards since May 2019. NHS England has shared guidance for reporting waiting times and is developing implementation proposals for government consideration.
HM Treasury
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6 Recommendation Not Addressed
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
The Ministry of Justice and Home Office seem to lack curiosity about the increase in...
The Ministry of Justice and Home Office seem to lack curiosity about the increase in the proportion of children from ethnic minority background in youth custody and appear to have no current plan to address the situation. While the number … Read more
Government Response
The response discusses driving license backlogs, which is not relevant to the recommendation about ethnic minority children in youth custody.
HM Treasury
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7 Recommendation Not Addressed
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
Data sharing exercises need to be better used to understand the support vulnerable adolescents need.
Data sharing exercises need to be better used to understand the support vulnerable adolescents need. The poor outcomes experienced by vulnerable adolescents are often overlapping. For example, 72% of children sentenced in 2019–20 were assessed as having mental health concerns. … Read more
Government Response
The response discusses cancer waiting times and NHS funding, which is not relevant to the recommendation about data sharing to support vulnerable adolescents.
HM Treasury
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1 Conclusion Not Addressed
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, in November 2022...
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, in November 2022 we took evidence from the Department for Education, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice about … Read more
Government Response
The government restates when the committee took evidence and published its report.
HM Treasury
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8 Recommendation Rejected
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
The NAO report collates for the first time a wide range of information from across...
The NAO report collates for the first time a wide range of information from across government about the adverse outcomes facing the most vulnerable adolescents. The Department for Education told us it would be challenging to report across government on … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the recommendation. It says it does not maintain a single definition of vulnerability because different agencies need flexibility. The Vulnerable Children and Families Strategy Board will monitor data sharing progress.
HM Treasury
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9 Conclusion Acknowledged
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
Activities to support vulnerable adolescents cut across at least seven different government departments.16 The Department...
Activities to support vulnerable adolescents cut across at least seven different government departments.16 The Department for Education confirmed to us that it is ultimately responsible for ‘holding the ring’ on vulnerable adolescents and has an overarching responsibility for children and … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges its leadership role through the Vulnerable Children and Families Strategy Board, which aims to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.
HM Treasury
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10 Conclusion Acknowledged
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
We were told government’s approach is to meet the need of many young people through...
We were told government’s approach is to meet the need of many young people through focusing on individual programmes and focusing their join up on those who have complex and overlapping needs.22 The NAO found that while departments work together … Read more
Government Response
The government states that single needs are best met through focused services, and overlapping needs are addressed through systems like Children’s Social Care, Family Hubs, and Supporting Families.
HM Treasury
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11 Conclusion Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
Multi-agency safeguarding partnerships started in 2019, aimed at joining up local NHS, policing, and local...
Multi-agency safeguarding partnerships started in 2019, aimed at joining up local NHS, policing, and local authority services to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in their area.25 In May 2022, three years after they started, the Child Safeguarding … Read more
Government Response
The government published 'Stable Homes, Built on Love', an implementation strategy and consultation in February 2023, setting out commitments to ensure all agencies play a full role in protecting children. It is also rolling out responses to recommendations from reviews, including support from national facilitators, and amending guidance to strengthen multi-agency leadership.
HM Treasury
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12 Conclusion Acknowledged
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
The three statutory partners (police, health, and local authorities) of multi-agency safeguarding partnerships’ have a...
The three statutory partners (police, health, and local authorities) of multi-agency safeguarding partnerships’ have a shared and equal duty to protect children and young people. We asked who in the system has responsibility for children who fall through the gaps … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the shared duty of police, health, and local authorities in safeguarding partnerships, highlighting commitments to strengthen multi-agency arrangements and rolling out responses to reviews and exploring how education can be strengthened, including consulting on whether or how it should become a safeguarding partner.
HM Treasury
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13 Conclusion Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
We asked the Department for Education what is being done to review multi-agency safeguarding partnerships...
We asked the Department for Education what is being done to review multi-agency safeguarding partnerships to ensure they work better and to stop horrific events, such as the cases of Star Hobson and Arthur Labinjo-Hughes from recurring. The Department for … Read more
Government Response
The government published 'Stable Homes, Built on Love', an implementation strategy and consultation in February 2023, setting out commitments to ensure all agencies play a full role in protecting children. It is also rolling out responses to recommendations from reviews, including support from national facilitators, and amending guidance to strengthen multi-agency leadership.
HM Treasury
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14 Conclusion
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
At 31 March 2021, there were 53,790 adolescents in care between the ages of 9...
At 31 March 2021, there were 53,790 adolescents in care between the ages of 9 and 17, making up 67% of the total care population. Between 31 March 2014 and 31 March 2021 the number of 9- to 17-year-olds in … Read more
HM Treasury
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15 Conclusion Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
The Department for Education explained that the care system was originally set up to address...
The Department for Education explained that the care system was originally set up to address issues that originate from within the home and was not designed to address ‘extra- familial’ harms that take place outside the home.37 It said that … Read more
Government Response
The Department for Education published Stable Homes, Built on Love in February 2023. The department is investing £2.8 million in the Tackling Child Exploitation Programme and is providing funding to four local authorities to test a Risk Outside the Home pathway.
HM Treasury
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16 Conclusion Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
The national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, set up to commission reviews of serious child...
The national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, set up to commission reviews of serious child safeguarding cases, has consistently highlighted cases in which poor coordination between services, including insufficient joined-up leadership and a lack of appropriate and timely information-sharing around … Read more
Government Response
The Department for Education published 'Stable Homes, Built on Love' which sets out plans to transform children’s social care. The government is funding national facilitators to support local areas in improving practice. A new Child Protection Ministerial Group has also been established.
HM Treasury
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17 Conclusion Acknowledged
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
In 2021, a NHS survey showed nearly 1 in 5 of 6- to 16-year-olds in...
In 2021, a NHS survey showed nearly 1 in 5 of 6- to 16-year-olds in England had a probable mental health disorder. The survey also found that almost 40% had experienced a deterioration in mental health since 2017 and 13.5% … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the committee's concern about waiting times for children's mental health support and the high proportion of adolescent girls seeking help, referring to NHS England's consultation and guidance on waiting time standards.
HM Treasury
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18 Recommendation Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
We asked the Department for Education what it considers it can do to support young...
We asked the Department for Education what it considers it can do to support young girls with their mental health. It told us that it ensures the work it does with the Department of Health and Social Care is built … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to report back to the Committee within six months on progress on the implementation of access standards for community and A&E mental health care, referencing NHS England's consultation and guidance.
HM Treasury
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19 Recommendation Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
The Department for Education also spoke about an NHS England consultation, which closed early in...
The Department for Education also spoke about an NHS England consultation, which closed early in 2022, on introducing waiting time standards for community and A&E mental health care.48 The new standards would comprise a 24-hour standard for urgent community mental … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees and has been piloting five new waiting time standards since May 2019. NHS England has shared guidance for reporting waiting times and is developing implementation proposals for government consideration.
HM Treasury
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20 Recommendation Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
Between 2010–11 and 2020–21, the number of children cautioned or sentenced for an offence reduced...
Between 2010–11 and 2020–21, the number of children cautioned or sentenced for an offence reduced from 85,300 to 15,751 (an 82% reduction) and the number of first- time entrants to the youth criminal justice system reduced from 46,012 to 8,848 … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to report back within six months, with an analysis and steps being taken to address the over-representation of ethnic minority children in custody.
HM Treasury
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21 Recommendation Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
Whilst the number of children in youth custody across all ethnicities has reduced (by 73%)...
Whilst the number of children in youth custody across all ethnicities has reduced (by 73%) between 2010–11 and 2020–21, the proportion from ethnic minority backgrounds has increased (from 32% to 53%).54 Furthermore, the Ministry of Justice drew our attention to … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees and will update the Committee within six months with an analysis of the issue and the steps that government are taking to address the over-representation of ethnic minority children in custody. Implementation date: August 2023.
HM Treasury
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22 Recommendation Accepted
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
When asked about its plans, the Home Office acknowledged that nobody should be targeted by...
When asked about its plans, the Home Office acknowledged that nobody should be targeted by the police on the basis of their ethnicity, or any other factor linked to their background. It told us that it works with communities to … Read more
Government Response
The Ministry of Justice and Home Office will provide an analysis of the over-representation of ethnic minority children in custody and the steps government is taking to address it within six months.
HM Treasury
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23 Recommendation Rejected
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
The poor outcomes experienced by vulnerable adolescents are often overlapping.
The poor outcomes experienced by vulnerable adolescents are often overlapping. For example, we received written evidence highlighting research which shows people who have been in care are more likely to experience homelessness, long-term physical and 53 Q 39 54 C&AG’s … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the recommendation, stating they are committed to data sharing and that a single definition of vulnerability is not appropriate. The Vulnerable Children and Families Strategy Board will monitor data sharing to safeguard vulnerable children.
HM Treasury
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24 Conclusion Rejected
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
The NAO found that Government data sets are not consistently joined-up, which makes it difficult...
The NAO found that Government data sets are not consistently joined-up, which makes it difficult to understand the nature and scale of the adverse impacts faced by adolescents, particularly where these are overlapping adverse outcomes. This makes it harder to … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the recommendation, stating they are committed to data sharing and that a single definition of vulnerability is not appropriate. The Vulnerable Children and Families Strategy Board will monitor data sharing to safeguard vulnerable children.
HM Treasury
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25 Conclusion Rejected
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
The Department for Education and Ministry of Justice referred to a joint data sharing exercise...
The Department for Education and Ministry of Justice referred to a joint data sharing exercise they carried out in 2020 to understand the educational and children’s social care background of children who have been cautioned or sentenced for an offence. … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the recommendation, stating they are committed to data sharing and that a single definition of vulnerability is not appropriate. The Vulnerable Children and Families Strategy Board will monitor data sharing to safeguard vulnerable children.
HM Treasury
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26 Recommendation Rejected
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support fo…
The government have plans to join up more data sets.
The government have plans to join up more data sets. For example, the Department for Education told us about work it has planned to link anonymised data on education, hospital admissions, mental health services, community services and maternity services. In … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the recommendation, stating that different agencies define vulnerability differently and need flexibility, therefore it's not appropriate for one department to set a common approach for collecting and using data to assess outcomes for all vulnerable adolescents; instead, data sharing will be monitored through the Vulnerable Children and Families Strategy Board.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 25 of 14 classified
Accepted 13
Acknowledged 4
Not Addressed 3
Rejected 5
Total 14 recs + 12 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
16 Jan 2023 Correspondence from Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary, Department for Education, re Correction to Q62, HC730 on supporting vulnerable adolescents, 21 November 2022, dated 22 December 2022
Parliament page
12 Dec 2022 Correspondence from Siobhan Jones, Director, Local Government Policy Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, re Supporting Vulnerable Adolescents update, dated 6 December 2022
Parliament page
12 Dec 2022 Correspondence from Ed Cornmell, Youth Custody Service Executive Director, HM Prison & Probation Services, re Addressing Regional Variation in First Time Entrants to the Youth Justice System, dated 7 December 2022
Parliament page