The Barnet Children's Partnership Board's agenda included discussions on the development of a new Youth Strategy, concerns surrounding gaming and gambling among young people, and updates on children in care and care leavers. The meeting also planned for a verbal update from youth representatives and a review of the forward work programme.

Youth Strategy

The proposed Youth Strategy aims to ensure that all young people aged 13 to 19 (and up to 25 for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities - SEND) have access to youth work activities that improve their wellbeing and promote personal and social development. The strategy is being developed collaboratively, with a Steering Group established in early 2025. Key findings from the needs analysis highlighted uneven provision of parks, sports facilities, and youth centres across Barnet, as well as challenges in data collection and access for SEND and disadvantaged young people. Recommendations included addressing geographic and socio-economic access gaps, rebuilding the relational core of the youth offer, improving visibility and navigation of services, and stabilising the youth sector. The strategy's vision is for Barnet to be a place where young people belong, with trusted adults and safe spaces to thrive. The strategy is scheduled for Cabinet approval on 21 July 2026, with formal consultation in summer 2026 and finalisation in September 2026.

Gaming and Gambling

The board was scheduled to consider a report on gaming and gambling among children and young people. The report highlighted that online gaming is a complex digital environment that can foster community and creativity but also harbours hate speech and discrimination. While there is no current evidence that being a gamer makes individuals more susceptible to radicalisation, the report noted the potential for dark side strategies to spread ideologies through bespoke games, mods, and gaming-adjacent platforms like Twitch and Discord. Concerns were raised about physical and psychological health issues associated with excessive gaming, including repetitive strain injuries, sleep deprivation, addiction, and links to depression and anxiety.

Regarding gambling, the report indicated that over 40,000 adults in Barnet are at risk of gambling harm, with an estimated annual public cost of £7 million. Higher risk groups include those aged 18-34, people of non-White ethnicity, the unemployed, and those not in a relationship. The report also detailed that 30% of 11- to 17-year-olds had spent their own money on gambling activities in the past year, with boys being more likely to do so than girls. The primary motivation cited for young people gambling was that they find it fun. The report outlined various gambling activities accessible to children and young people, including slot machines, arcade machines, scratch cards, and online gambling. It also noted the exposure of young people to gambling advertisements through social media, influencers, and in-game features. The council's current work on gambling harms includes input on licensing and planning applications, developing a local prevention strategy, and participating in a North Central London funded project.

Youth Representative Update

A verbal update was scheduled from the Youth Representatives, who have been engaged in several campaigns. These include focusing on mental health and wellbeing in schools, tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) with a new youth panel, examining knife crime perceptions, establishing a new All Schools Council Network, and promoting better financial education through Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) programmes. These campaigns are intended to feed into national youth policy schemes.

Updates from Other Boards

Updates were expected from other Barnet boards, including the Community Services Delivery Group, which is reviewing the sustainability of Children and Young People (CYP) therapies and preparing for SEND inspections. The VAWG Delivery Group has seen the Barnet Domestic Abuse and Advocacy Support replaced by the Barnet Domestic Abuse Support Hub.

Forward Work Programme

The board was to review its Forward Work Programme for 2026/2027, which includes planned discussions on topics such as Give Local Barnet, PREVENT, and SEND Reforms.

Children in Care and Care Leavers: Advocacy Access

Details from a previous meeting on 22 April 2026 indicated that the Barnet Children's Partnership Board discussed advocacy access for children in care and care leavers. This discussion highlighted the role of the Children's Commissioner's Office (CCO) and children's rights to advocacy. It was noted that Barnet commissions Action for Children for social care advocacy and MIND Power for mental health support. While Barnet offers a strong range of services, potential gaps in provision were identified when contractual arrangements end. Recommendations included Barnet undertaking benchmarking with other local authorities and sharing comparison data.

Education Standards in Barnet

A report on Education Standards in Barnet for 2025 was included, indicating that Barnet schools have been performing well. The report provided contextual information on pupil numbers, free school meals, and English as an Additional Language (EAL) figures. It noted that 100% of Barnet schools were ranked as good or better following Ofsted inspections. Barnet ranked in the top 20% of local authorities for Good Level of Development (GLD) scores and had a significantly lower proportion of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET) compared to the national average. The report also touched upon efforts to raise achievement and attainment for Black boys in schools and the importance of parents understanding their child's performance in comparison to others.

Ofsted Update

An update on a recent Ofsted focused visit to the care leavers service was provided. Ofsted recognised Barnet's efforts to strengthen support for care leavers, but highlighted two key areas for improvement: providing better support for care leavers moving into new accommodation in a planned and coordinated way, and improving the quality of pathway planning, particularly for the most vulnerable.