Agenda item

Report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services.

Members received a report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services with respect to the Children in Care Council (CICC) and Participation Service Update was noted that the annual summer holiday had been postponed due to COVID-19 and the CICC was moving into the autumn programme.

As the summer activity programme had been delivered virtually, Members expressed concern that some young people did not want to participate in the virtual programme, and perhaps the young people were not engaged with the content. It was reported that the young people were involved in developing the programme, as noted in the vision piece appended to the report, however some young people had difficulty with technology. A trial session for in-person programming was underway, following COVID-safe guidelines. The trial would be evaluated in order to consider the approach for the future. Some sessions would remain virtual when this was more suited to the programme (for example, cooking sessions were more successful virtually as the young people could participate from their kitchen.) The October session was scheduled to take place outside, and venues were being considered for future sessions, including in the Guildhall.

RESOLVED, that – the report be received and its contents noted.