The Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel of Doncaster Council met on Friday 17 July 2026 to discuss the Best Start for Life programme, early intervention, and youth services, as well as the council's work plan. The meeting also reviewed the council's forward plan of key decisions.

Best Start for Life Program, Early Intervention and Universal and Targeted Youth Services

The panel was scheduled to consider the Best Start for Life programme, which aims to strengthen community-based support for babies, children, and families. This programme builds on the existing Family Hub network across Doncaster, supporting the expansion of universal services and creating clearer pathways into targeted and specialist support. It brings together local authority services, health partners, education, voluntary and community sector organisations, and families to deliver a cohesive system of early intervention and prevention. The report highlighted that the Family Hub Operating Model and the associated Family Hub Network are central to implementing Doncaster's Family Model, ensuring universal services are accessible to all families.

The report outlined an expansive universal youth offer, including free holiday activities, two youth hubs with a third planned, detached outreach youth work, and a youth transformation pilot. There was also a strong targeted youth offer, known as EPIC, which aims to reduce first-time entrants into the criminal justice system, support children at risk of criminal exploitation, and deliver educative interventions. The EPIC team has established a hub in the Frenchgate Shopping Centre to provide a safe space for young people and facilitate engagement with various agencies.

The Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies Programme is a merger of Department for Education and Department for Health and Social Care initiatives. It is structured to create a comprehensive pathway from pregnancy to age five, connecting families to parenting support, health services, early education, and emotional wellbeing support. Doncaster's priorities for this programme include ensuring all children have a positive early years journey, co-producing an offer with families and professionals, driving integrated health improvements, empowering parents as educators, providing access to childcare, supporting the workforce, using consistent messaging, and building a recognised Family Hub network.

The universal youth services are delivered through Bentley and Tom Hill Youth Hubs, offering a range of activities for children and young people aged 8 to 18 (or 25 with SEND). In 2025/26, over 7,000 children and young people engaged in activities at these hubs. The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme also provided opportunities for thousands of children to learn, play, and socialise during holidays.

The targeted youth offer, EPIC, works with partners such as South Yorkshire Police and the Violence Reduction Unit to address issues like anti-social behaviour and criminal exploitation. The EPIC team has been involved in numerous interventions within schools, including assemblies on the risks of anti-social behaviour and off-road biking, and workshops on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and healthy relationships. EPIC also provides an alternative learning provision for young people at risk of exclusion.

Overview & Scrutiny Work Plan and the Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions

The panel was also scheduled to review the Overview and Scrutiny Work Plan for 2026/27 and the City of Doncaster Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions for the period of August to November 2026. The Forward Plan details key executive decisions expected to be taken by the Cabinet, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Portfolio Holders, focusing on those likely to result in significant expenditure or savings, or have a substantial impact on communities.

The Forward Plan indicated several key decisions scheduled for August 2026, including the acceptance of grant funding for active travel improvements, approval of funding for the Pride in Place programme, and the approval of a revised Section 50 Policy relating to street works. Decisions regarding High Needs Capital Grant and SEND Transformation Funding, as well as the Mainstream Schools Sufficiency Assessment, were also listed. The renewal of the City Centre Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) and the Month 2 Financial Monitoring report were also on the agenda.

For September 2026, the plan included the Quarter 1 2026-27 Finance and Performance Report, along with performance reports from St Leger Homes. The approval of the Youth Justice Plan 2026/27 was also scheduled.

The work plan itself outlined a series of meetings for various scrutiny panels throughout the year, with specific topics and dates. For the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel, a site visit to the EPIC hub in Frenchgate was planned for July, followed by discussions on the Best Start for Life programme. Future reviews were also indicated for Children's Social Care, SEND transformation, and elective home education.