The Children's Social Care Cabinet Panel met to discuss education, employment and training outcomes for care leavers, and to endorse the Hertfordshire Youth Justice Plan 2025-26 for recommendation to the cabinet and full council. The panel noted a report on improving education, training and employment outcomes for care leavers, and endorsed the Hertfordshire Youth Justice Plan 2025-26 for recommendation to the cabinet and full council.

Education, Employment and Training Outcomes for Care Leavers

The panel discussed a report on improving education, employment and training (EET) outcomes for care leavers in Hertfordshire. The report noted that 54.2% of 17 to 21-year-olds were in EET in mid-April 2025, a decrease from 57.5% in November 2024.

Samantha Jeffery, Care Leaver Service Manager, explained that the figures fluctuate due to factors such as college drop-out rates around November and December.

Councillor Chris Lloyd, Vice-Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee, asked about the challenges in increasing EET percentages. Peter Hosier, Head of Services for Young People, responded that there was absolutely no magic answer but that the council would continue to work closely with partners such as Jobcentre Plus and Hertfordshire Futures¹.

El Mayhew, Director of Children and Families, added that 74% of 16 to 18-year-olds (years 12 and 13) were in EET, compared to 61% the previous year, and that this was expected to translate into higher percentages for 17 to 21-year-olds in the future.

Fiona Thomson, Deputy Leader, Conservative Group, raised concerns about the 44% of 21-year-olds not in EET and the closure of the Mill Green Museum² which had provided work experience opportunities for young people. Samantha Jeffery, Care Leaver Service Manager, said that the virtual school was looking into alternative options.

Councillor Stuart Roberts suggested changing the scale on a graph in the report to better illustrate fluctuating differences in percentages.

Councillor Chris Lloyd, Vice-Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee, asked about the need for a training provider in Hemel Hempstead. Peter Hosier, Head of Services for Young People, clarified that a company was hoped to be operating in Hemel Hempstead soon, but that Hertfordshire always needed more training providers.

Councillor Dee Hart requested figures broken down by district for education, employment and training, as well as NEET figures. El Mayhew, Director of Children and Families, said that this could be provided, but that it may not be representative due to the mobility of the group. Councillor Dee Hart also asked about collaboration with Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) regarding mental health support. Samantha Jeffery, Care Leaver Service Manager, confirmed that the two adult mental health workers were employed and supervised by HPFT and embedded in care leaver teams.

Councillor Kirstie Taylor-Moran, Leader, Green Group, asked about the figures for care leavers not in touch with officers, the barriers to maintaining contact, and what was being done to overcome those barriers. Samantha Jeffery, Care Leaver Service Manager, responded that the percentages of those not in touch were relatively low and static compared to other local authorities, and that a nagging parent approach was taken to engaging young people.

Councillor Louise Price, Deputy Executive member for Children's Social Care, asked if the bike scheme for care leavers included free or subsidised helmets and road safety instruction. Samantha Jeffery, Care Leaver Service Manager, confirmed that it did, including cycling proficiency training.

Councillor Mark Pope asked when the results of a review of EET offers from other authorities would be available and whether they would be brought back to the panel. Samantha Jeffery, Care Leaver Service Manager, said that some results were already available and that regional work was being done to look at ways to pool resources across the eastern region.

Panel members requested an update paper on education, employment and training in six months, and an earlier update on the progress of providing bus passes.

Councillor Chris Lloyd, Vice-Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee, raised questions about opportunities for children in care to participate in activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh award and volunteering, and whether the six Bs (to be resilient, to be included, to be independent, to be ambitious, to be safe, to be healthy) were being used as a measurement within the report.

Fiona Thomson, Deputy Leader, Conservative Group, highlighted the importance of safe, stable, affordable housing for care leavers and asked how far the council was getting in having one offer across Hertfordshire. Samantha Jeffery, Care Leaver Service Manager, responded that the council was working with district and borough councils, but that there were difficulties with non-stockholding districts relying on housing associations. El Mayhew, Director of Children and Families, added that the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill would strengthen corporate parenting statutory responsibilities and that local government reorganisation could bring together the housing function with the care leaver corporate parenting function.

Councillor Kirstie Taylor-Moran, Leader, Green Group, asked about the relationship between the background of what brings a child into care and the barriers they then experience in accessing education and employment. Samantha Jeffery, Care Leaver Service Manager, responded that there was a link between lived experience of care and likelihood of being in EET, and that trauma was central to that.

Councillor Dee Hart asked if there were any plans to extend economic support to care leavers, such as round travel. El Mayhew, Director of Children and Families, responded that it was early days in terms of looking at what the spending review meant for services.

Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Executive member for Children's Social Care, asked about the care leaver covenant and how many organisations had signed up. Samantha Jeffery, Care Leaver Service Manager, responded that there were a low number of employers across Hertfordshire that had signed up, but that the council was always asking businesses to consider joining.

The panel agreed to note the report and return to the topic in six months.

Hertfordshire Youth Justice Plan 2025-26

The panel then considered the Hertfordshire Youth Justice Plan 2025-26. Lydia Phillips, Youth Justice Service Manager, introduced the plan, explaining that it was a statutory requirement under Section 40 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998³ and that approval must be given by full council.

Lydia Phillips, Youth Justice Service Manager, outlined the two golden threads running through the plan:

• Voice of Children, Families and Victims
• Disproportionality and Anti-Racist Practice

Alongside these golden threads, the plan had five priorities:

1. Maintain and strengthen local Youth Justice Management Board governance and leadership structures
2. Continue to develop early intervention and diversion
3. Increase the number of children participating in appropriate education, training and employment
4. Strengthen and develop the service's support to victims of crime
5. Drive practice and service improvement through workforce development, performance data and quality assurance activity

Councillor Dee Hart raised concerns about a 40% increase in serious violent offences committed by under 18s and about county lines. Lydia Phillips, Youth Justice Service Manager, explained that the definition of serious violence used by the Youth Justice Board was broader than just weapon carrying and that robbery offences were the most significant proportion. El Mayhew, Director of Children and Families, added that the council had a robust offer through the Families First Service, Intensive Family Support Service, and Specialist Adolescent Service to divert children into more pro-social activities and that the Safer in School project aimed to get children back into school.

Councillor Chris Lloyd, Vice-Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee, asked about custody, first-time entrants, and re-offending data. Lydia Phillips, Youth Justice Service Manager, explained that the re-offending data was collated nationally and that there was a delay because it tracked a cohort of children for a period of time after their intervention had ended.

Councillor Kirstie Taylor-Moran, Leader, Green Group, asked about the 31% of children recorded as having special educational needs or disability at the end of their order and whether the council knew about these needs before they were known to the Youth Justice Service. Lydia Phillips, Youth Justice Service Manager, responded that in the main, those children would have a recorded special educational need at the point they came in to the service.

Fiona Thomson, Deputy Leader, Conservative Group, raised the issue of disproportionality and school exclusion and asked for data on how many young people were in education, employment at the beginning and end of their order. She also asked why more Hertfordshire young people were cautioned or sentenced than in the East of England and statistical neighbours. Lydia Phillips, Youth Justice Service Manager, responded that this was driven by police activity and that the youth diversion panel aimed to reduce caution and sentencing figures.

Councillor Mark Pope asked who the partners were in the early intervention diversion model and how they worked together. Lydia Phillips, Youth Justice Service Manager, responded that the partners included Families First, the intensive family support teams, and the police's child exploitation prevention diversion team.

Councillor Mark Pope asked if the various parts of the process were working efficiently and well together. Lydia Phillips, Youth Justice Service Manager, responded that they were working well, but that there was always room for improvement.

Councillor Mark Pope asked about the financial implications and whether there was any visibility about funds coming from the Police and Crime Commissioner. El Mayhew, Director of Children and Families, responded that the resourcing envelope had a minor increase due to a slightly increased grant from the Youth Justice Board and that conversations were ongoing with partners about their funding contributions.

The panel agreed to note the report, endorse the content of the Hertfordshire Youth Justice Plan 2025-26 to cabinet, and recommend to cabinet that cabinet recommends to council that council approves the Hertfordshire Youth Justice Plan 2025-26.