Flintshire’s Youth Services praised by Estyn for supporting young people’s wellbeing and development

Flintshire County Council’s Youth Services have been praised by inspectors for providing a wide range of valuable opportunities that help young people to thrive.

Estyn, the education and training inspectorate for Wales, has today (August 24) published its report into the Council’s Youth Services following an inspection in June.

The report highlights the service’s strong commitment to supporting young people’s personal, social and educational development.

Inspectors found that many people involved with Flintshire’s Youth Service improve their confidence, self-esteem, resilience and well-being. The service offers a broad and engaging range of activities, including open access youth clubs, targeted support projects, outdoor learning, volunteering and leadership opportunities.

The report shines a spotlight on the innovative work being undertaken by the service to respond to issues affecting young people’s relationships, identity and well-being which helps young people to think critically about harmful online narratives and develop respectful attitudes towards themselves and others.

The Forest School provision delivered by the Youth Service is also highlighted as a significant strength, providing “meaningful opportunities for young people to learn, achieve and thrive in an inspiring outdoor setting”.

The report acknowledges the strong leadership of the Youth  Service and the skills and expertise across the Youth and Play teams.

It adds that the positive relationship between youth workers and young people, noting that staff provide trusted, non-judgemental support that helps young people feel safe and respected.

Inspectors commend the service’s inclusive approach for ensuring that young people from all backgrounds can access meaningful support and opportunities, including those with additional learning needs, LGBTQ+ young people, care experienced young people, young parents, and those at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training).

Strong partnership working and a clear vision aligned with education and corporate priorities are also highlighted as key strengths.

The report makes three recommendations to help the service further improve:

·       Ensure that Prevent training is completed by all staff and that mandatory safeguarding training is recorded accurately, kept up to date and monitored closely

·       Improve the consistency and quality of open access youth work provision, including through strengthening workforce development, support and quality assurance processes

·       Strengthen the promotion and marketing of the youth service offer to improve awareness and extend engagement with young people and partners

Flintshire’s Youth Service, which sits within the Education and Youth portfolio, is already working to address these recommendations and will draw up an action plan.

Councillor Mared Eastwood, Cabinet Member for Education, Welsh Language, Culture and Leisure, said:

“We are delighted that Estyn has recognised the positive impact Flintshire’s Youth Services have on the lives of our young people. This report highlights the dedication and passion of our teams, who work tirelessly to support young people’s wellbeing and development.

“We welcome Estyn’s recommendations and are committed to building on the many strength identified to ensure even more young people can benefit from the valuable opportunities and support our Youth Services provide.”

A separate report into Flintshire County Council’s Education Services has also been published today.

Both reports are available to view at:

http://www.estyn.gov.wales