Social exclusion
Hertfordshire youth crime and absenteeism falls as those in care strive to aim higher
The prevention of social exclusion requires a multi-faceted approach; including support of the vulnerable in education, guidance away from crime and unwanted pregnancies. Hertfordshire works in partnership with a range of agencies to create this support at a local level. This also includes improving accessibility for its residents via innovative transport and learning schemes.
Indicator SE1 - Crime re-offending (Recidivism Rates Hertfordshire Youth 10-17)
For the first time in 4 years the number of first-time entrants into the youth justice system dropped in the county in 2007. First-time numbers fell by 5.5% at the end of 2007 over 2005 figures and the county met the government’s 2005-8 target. A sea change in the arrest rate, it reflects a fall in reported youth crimes and a concern that too many youths receive criminal records, very often for minor offences.
The provision by the Youth Justice Service to the courts of a greater number of Intensive Supervision and Surveillance places appears to be paying off - with the percentage sent to custody falling to 3.1% in 2007. At around 56 young people, this was the lowest in the region. In addition, following the fall in the re-offending rate in 2006 to 32%, it fell again to 26% in 2007. This was largely due to a reduction in re-offending by pre-court and first tier offenders but other categories also fell slightly.
Interest in crime prevention amongst Children, Schools & Families and Connexions grew in 2007 and the Youth Justice Service is currently in discussions to secure its youth offending prevention service. At present these are provided by its Youth Inclusion and Support Panels via the Children’s Fund but funding will cease to become available.
Crime re-offending (Recidivism Rates Hertfordshire Youth 10-17 years)
| Type of Penalty | 2005 County Offending | 2005 County Re-offending | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Court | 465 | 82 | 18 |
| First Tier | 183 | 49 | 27 |
| Community | 128 | 65 | 51 |
| Custodial | 14 | 8 | 57 |
| Overall | 790 | 204 | 26 |
Source: Hertfordshire County Council Youth Justice Service 2008disclaimer
Indicator SE2 - Educational Attainment of Children in Care and Care Leavers
There were mixed results in the educational attainment of Hertfordshire’s children in care during 2007/8. Whilst positive improvements were seen, for example young people leaving care showed continuous improvement, there was also a slight fall in performance in other areas.
- Key Stages1: 31% of Key Stage 2 children gained the national average in all 3 end of key stage tests, a drop in performance. Measures have been taken to support these children for secondary schooling.
- Target to achieve at least 1 A* to G at GCSE for young people leaving care: The number of young people leaving care with 1 GCSE grew from 61.3% in 2007 to 63% in 2008, continuing to be above the 57% national average.
- Target to achieve at least one GCSE pass A–G for young people in Year 11.: The number of care leavers achieving at least one GCSE in their last year of school rose in 2008; from 58.8% to 64%. Those leaving without qualifications fell significantly from 13% to 5%.
Chart 1: Analysis of Students who did not sit any GCSEs or equivalents
Source: Hertfordshire COunty COuncil Coprorate Parenting Data Management December 2008
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- Target to reduce absenteeism from school The government has set a performance indicator for children in care in relation to school absences for 25 days or more. In 2007/8 absences fell from 16.3% to 12.6%, which is well below our statistical neighbours. Improved admissions arrangements have cut the time that children in care who require casual admission to school are out of school.
Chart 2: Attendance data for Children Looked After (percent not attending school for 25 days+)
Source: Hertfordshire County Council Coprorate Parenting Data Management December 2008
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Percentage of Care Leavers Engaged in Education, Training or Employment
Care leavers are supported after 16 years old by the Independent Support Service in collaboration with the Education Support Service (ESS). In future, the Services will focus on reducing the number of young people ‘not in education, training and employment’. In 2008 this number fell marginally but needs further improvement. The county supports care leavers entering higher education by ensuring they have appropriate funding for the course and numbers have risen dramatically over the past three years. In partnership with the Youth Connexions Service, a 2 year post has been created specifically to provide support to these care leavers at university. This academic year 12 such students started university courses, exceeding the national average by 100%.
| 2004/5 | 2005/6 | 2006/7 | 2007/8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care leavers at University | 3 | 21 | 14 | 12 |
Participation in challenges helps raise self esteem and attainment
Supported Learning Schemes
Participation in sporting, artistic or cultural activities raises self esteem and creates aspiration to provide a positive impact on academic achievement. The county provides this important form of support by presenting individual young people with significant but achievable challenges through schemes such as those shown below. Support for learning received by the county’s children in foster care has been graded as ‘Outstanding’ in the ‘Enjoying and Achieving’ category of its 2008 Ofsted Fostering Inspection.
Aim Higher - Up a Mountain
This new scheme, funded by Hertfordshire Education Foundation, was developed in 2008 and during a cold February half term, 16 Year 10 students were taken up a mountain in the Brecon Beacons. The 4 day residential course offered an opportunity to engage in sporting, physical and social activities. Their first experience of caving, abseiling and trekking, it was aimed to improve their life skills and build a resilient character.
Rona Trust (London Sailing Project)
ESS works with many other organisations to create opportunities for Hertfordshire’s looked after children. In 2007/08, seven young people took part in a week’s sailing voyage around the Solent or France, acting as full crew members. Four of the students received the prestigious Amory Award and will be invited back for further sailing trips.
Art Project
The Sunday Art project, together with the Fostering Service, hosted art workshops for 40 children in 2008. The Big Picture and The Mask Series were displayed at County Hall and Robertson House and will form part of an exhibition during Fostering Fortnight in 2009.
Music Lessons for Instruments and Voice
Hertfordshire has offered children in care free music lessons for the past 6 years. 54 looked after children currently study music with this scheme.
LearnIT Hitchin and Watford Learning Centres
In the summer of 2008, looked after children aged between 6 and 15 years attended 5 Summer Fun Days to learn more about information technology whilst developing social and team building skills through the Playing for Success initiative. Based at Hitchin Town and Watford Football Clubs, several weekend and after school courses have been developed for children in care to support their key stage learning and test performance. See www.watfordlearning.co.uk
Indicator SE3 - Access To Transport
Access to transport is a key element in preventing social exclusion because access to healthcare, employment and education requires an ability to travel. Local accessibility is measured by the performance indicator ‘percentage of people who find it difficult to travel to a local hospital’. The target for this is 24% by 2010/11 and was adopted as a county Local Area Agreement target. In 2008 several of the schemes implemented from the Accessibility Strategy 2006-2011 continued to help socially excluded groups:
SCooTs is a scheme that lends scooters to young people on low incomes in rural areas to enable them to access work or further education. Going from strength to strength, it has helped 40 clients to date and in 2008 electric scooters were introduced. A pilot scheme part-funded by BAA, it is expected that SCooTs will be extended in 2009/10 and further electric scooters will be purchased.
Hertfordshire Action on Disability (HAD) was awarded funding via the county council’s Local Transport Plan for the purchase of 3 new replacement vehicles over the last two years. This has led to a doubling of passenger journeys over this period.
The recently formed Hertfordshire Partnership to Support Independent Travel produced an easy to read guide and ‘travel wallet’ in 2008 for people with learning difficulties. As their confidence grows by this travel training scheme, more will be encouraged to use sustainable travel and reduce car reliance.
Easy Streets funding is being allocated for minor physical structural improvements, such as dropped kerbs, footway widening and relocating street furniture. Applications have to demonstrate relevance to disadvantaged groups.
‘Easy Streets’ funding can help improve accessibility for residents
Indicator SE4 - Teenage Pregnancy
Provisional figures2 indicate a slight rise in teenage pregnancy in the county since 2005, up 1.3% to 26.1 conception rates/1000 female population. Figures also show an overall drop of 18.4% since the 1998 baseline year. The rate remains below national (40.4) and regional (33.2) averages but the DCSF status changed from Green in 2007 to Amber/Red from April 2008 as the county failed its 2006 target.
Source: Office for National Statistics and Teenage Pregnancy Unit February 2008
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Indicator SE5 - Poverty: Children Under 16 (now under 18) Living in Low-Income Households
The Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) was produced alongside the Index of Deprivation 2007. It covers children under 16 years living in income deprived households, i.e. those receiving Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Pension Credit, Working or Child Tax Credit with an equivalised income that is below 60% of the national median before housing costs. The IDACI is the proportion of children under 16 living in such households as a proportion of all children under 16.
Percentage of under 16s living in income deprived families by district
Source: 2007 Indices of deprivation (using mostly 2005 raw data, district percentage calculated bu 'Local Futures' who aggregate Lower Super Output Areas figures using the resident population)
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1 The provision of verified data was also a nationally recognised
problem resulting in a deficit of information about Key Stage results.
2 See the Teenage Pregnancy Action Plan 07/08 www.hertsdirect.org/teenpregnancy