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Select Committee · Public Accounts Committee

Supporting vulnerable adolescents

Status: Closed Opened: 12 Oct 2022 Closed: 1 Jun 2023 14 recommendations 12 conclusions 1 report

Adolescents exposed to dangers such as substance abuse, criminality, and exploitation, both inside and outside the family, are at greater risk of adverse outcomes including severe mental health difficulties, homelessness, physical or mental harm, periods of not being in education, employment or training, and contact with the criminal justice system. Addressing these outcomes later is …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Thirty-Seventh Report - Support for vulnerable adolescents HC 730 22 Feb 2023 26 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
9 Conclusion Thirty-Seventh Report - Support for vul… Acknowledged

Activities to support vulnerable adolescents cut across at least seven different government departments.16 The Department...

Activities to support vulnerable adolescents cut across at least seven different government departments.16 The Department for Education confirmed to us that it is ultimately responsible for ‘holding the ring’ on vulnerable adolescents and has an overarching responsibility for children and young people.17 It told us its overarching responsibility should not …

Government response. The government acknowledges its leadership role through the Vulnerable Children and Families Strategy Board, which aims to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.
HM Treasury
10 Conclusion Thirty-Seventh Report - Support for vul… Acknowledged

We were told government’s approach is to meet the need of many young people through...

We were told government’s approach is to meet the need of many young people through focusing on individual programmes and focusing their join up on those who have complex and overlapping needs.22 The NAO found that while departments work together on individual programmes and initiatives there is no overall assessment …

Government response. The government states that single needs are best met through focused services, and overlapping needs are addressed through systems like Children’s Social Care, Family Hubs, and Supporting Families.
HM Treasury
12 Conclusion Thirty-Seventh Report - Support for vul… Acknowledged

The three statutory partners (police, health, and local authorities) of multi-agency safeguarding partnerships’ have a...

The three statutory partners (police, health, and local authorities) of multi-agency safeguarding partnerships’ have a shared and equal duty to protect children and young people. We asked who in the system has responsibility for children who fall through the gaps or for identifying overlaps. The Department for Education told us …

Government response. The government acknowledges the shared duty of police, health, and local authorities in safeguarding partnerships, highlighting commitments to strengthen multi-agency arrangements and rolling out responses to reviews and exploring how education can be strengthened, including consulting on whether or how …
HM Treasury
17 Conclusion Thirty-Seventh Report - Support for vul… Acknowledged

In 2021, a NHS survey showed nearly 1 in 5 of 6- to 16-year-olds in...

In 2021, a NHS survey showed nearly 1 in 5 of 6- to 16-year-olds in England had a probable mental health disorder. The survey also found that almost 40% had experienced a deterioration in mental health since 2017 and 13.5% of 11- to 16-year-olds felt their lives had been made …

Government response. The government acknowledges the committee's concern about waiting times for children's mental health support and the high proportion of adolescent girls seeking help, referring to NHS England's consultation and guidance on waiting time standards.
HM Treasury

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
21 Nov 2022 Ed Cornmell · Ministry of Justice, Rebecca Wyse · Home Office, Siobhan Jones · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), Susan Acland-Hood · The Department for Education View ↗

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
16 Jan 2023 — Correspondence from Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary, Department for Educ…
12 Dec 2022 — Correspondence from Siobhan Jones, Director, Local Government Policy Department…
12 Dec 2022 — Correspondence from Ed Cornmell, Youth Custody Service Executive Director, HM P…