Presentation by Phil Pusey, Chief Executive of Staffordshire Council for Voluntary Youth Services (SCVYS)
Minutes:
[Phil Pusey, Chief Executive of Staffordshire Council for Voluntary Youth Services (SCVYS) and Natalie McGrath, Staffordshire PSHE Coordinator in attendance for this item]
SCVYS had been a strategic partner for the County Council since 2016, particularly in relation to its work with the children and young people’s voluntary sector. The three main areas of work for SCVYS were: capacity building for the sector with 200+ voluntary organisations delivering to over 35 thousand children and young people on a week by week basis, helping ensure groups were safe, strong and sustainable in everything they did; youth engagement and capturing the youth voice; and the PSHE coordination service.
In 2018 the Staffordshire Commissioner’s Office identified a need for improved PSHE provision in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. In the summer of 2021 SCVYS volunteered to host the Staffordshire PSHE Coordinator, seeing the potential benefit of strengthening links between formal and informal education sectors. By December 2021 the Pan Staffordshire PSHE Education Service was created to support development and delivery of age-appropriate, quality, consistent PSHE education. A multi-agency steering group was established to oversee the work.
Natalie McGrath was appointed as the Coordinator for Staffordshire. A separate Coordinator works within Stoke-on-Trent, however the two Coordinators work closely together, dividing tasks and avoiding duplication for best use of resources.
Members were reminded that PSHE, Personal, Social, Health and Economic education helped children and young people to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society. The Education Act (2002) required all schools to teach a curriculum that was “broadly based, balanced and meets the needs of pupils”. Within this schools had to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and prepare pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. Since September 2020, Relationship Education, Health Education, and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) had been compulsory in England. The Department for Education (DfE) advised that this should be taught as part of a wider PSHE curriculum, with schools expected to “use their PSHE education programme to equip pupils with a sound understanding of risk and with the knowledge and skills necessary to make safe and informed decisions.”
An impact report had been produced at the end of year one of the PSHE Coordinator being in place. This report detailed the activity and outcome from the new post and provided case studies of work completed in the first year. This included the launch of a new website in April 2023, with 203 users signed up, including 12% of primary schools, 30% of secondary schools, and 21% of independent settings. The website held quality approved resources for use in PSHE as well as links to the “& PSHE” packs. All education providers across Staffordshire received a monthly PSHE Digest (686 providers) sent directly to the PSHE Leads in 60% of primary schools, 85% of secondary schools and 38% of independent settings. To support the delivery of age-appropriate, consistent PSHE: 13 PSHE packs had been created, including for example on knife crime and water safety; seven bitesize practice development sessions had been hosted; and local resources had been developed. Five best practice documents had been produced to help the development of consistent and high quality PSHE. Webinars had also been held on a number of topics to help provide evidence based subject knowledge, how this linked to PSHE and referral links. These webinars included: Stoke City Council’s Community Cohesion Team exploring topics such as extremism and Prevent; United Staffordshire Against Hate to look at homophobia and hate crimes; New Era for domestic abuse; Action for Children looking at mental health; MPFT considering sexual health; and Catch22 for child exploitation.
Work had also been undertaken with Staffordshire Police to help develop an education package that Police Community Support Officers would deliver in the classroom around safeguarding for adults and children. A five stage package education programme had been developed which would be available for delivery from September. Work was currently being developed to support similar education programmes for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service.
To ensure there was a
true multiagency approach the Coordinator role fed into a number of
local strategies and priorities, including:
· Community Safety Partnerships
· Early Intervention and Prevention Delivery Plan
Reducing Reoffending
Domestic Abuse Action Plan
Drugs and Alcohol
· Harmful and Problematic Sexualised Behaviours Action Plan
· ICS Mental Health Prevention Action Plan
· Serious Violence Strategy
· Staffordshire Early Help and Place Based Approach
· Staffordshire Support for Young People
· Better Health Staffordshire
The Committee were pleased to note the breadth of the PSHE curriculum, which including a large number of health focussed topics such as being healthy, online safety, vaccinations, and first aid.
Members also noted the importance of being work ready and the disconnect between this and qualifications. These “work ready” skills were important, with many areas included within PSHE, for example resilience.
The Committee were pleased to note the Coordinator’s involvement with the current Knife Angel visit to Lichfield.
The Chairman thanked the Officers for their very valuable work.
Resolved: That the impact of the PSHE Coordinator role after its first year be welcomed and Officers be congratulated for the impressive work completed.