Youth Support Service

Carmarthenshire Youth Support Service brings youth work and youth justice staff together to deliver youth support services across Carmarthenshire.

Vision of the Youth Support Service

A service that provides a robust range of support from open access to specialised support, enabling children, young people and young adults from 8-25 years of age to access what they need, when and where they need it so that they can reach their full personal, social and educational potential.

The Youth Support Service

• Will promote Children’s Rights* and ensure that children and young people have a good, positive, and meaningful experience of participation
• Is innovative and creative in its service delivery
• Contributes to the Local Authority’s delivery of early intervention, prevention, and support within the county
• Has well-trained staff, volunteers and peer leaders who can offer a range of services to children, young people, young adults and families in Welsh and English
• Uses restorative approaches** in what we do
• Engages with families and carers for better outcomes

*Upholding the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Every child has the right to survival, protection, education, and to have their voice heard. These and many other fundamental children’s rights are outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The UNCRC is a legally binding international agreement setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion or abilities. We will ensure we deliver on our statutory and moral obligations of the four general principles of the Convention. The four principles ensure that all children and young people: – are not discriminated against – have their best interests protected – have the right to life, survival and development – are involved in decision making by having the right to express their views and have them given due weight, taking into account their age and maturity

**Restorative Approaches focus upon the harm done in an incident; it involves all parties giving them an equal voice; allowing the opportunity to take responsibility for their actions and make amends

Youth Support Service Priorities for 2021/23

1. To ensure that the Service provides a high quality, responsive and accessible youth support provision for children, young people and young adults in Welsh and English
2. To carry out a self-assessment against the National Participation Standards
3. To support children and young people to access appropriate health and wellbeing services
4. To support the process of curriculum development in schools and support educational attainment and attendance for children, young people and young adults
5. To become a Trauma Informed, Adverse Childhood Experiences Aware service
6. To divert children and young people away from the criminal justice system
7. To prevent offending and re-offending of children and young people
8. To adopt holistic approaches in working with children, young people and families

Universal Support Team

Responsible for open access provision including:

• Leading on Participation and Children’s Rights and supporting children and young people’s participation in decisions that affect them
• Adventurous outdoor activities
• Term time and holiday programmes
• County Council youth clubs in Carmarthenshire
• Supporting the delivery of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (Gold; Silver; Bronze Awards)
• Programmes of accredited learning e.g., Open College Network; ASDAN; John Muir Award
• Delivery of activities to support community safety and to reduce anti- social behaviour
• Co-ordination of staff training and professional development
• Residential programmes for young people both in the UK and abroad

Targeted Youth Support (10-18 year)

The team includes school-based youth workers in all county secondary schools and Coleg Sir Gâr, as well as peripatetic School Engagement Project staff.

• Staff work with children in all secondary schools, as well as those aged 10-16 who are educated other than at school
• The team supports children and young people at key transition stages from primary school to secondary school, as well as in relation to further and higher education and employment
• A variety of approaches are offered with 1-1 support
• Staff offer groupwork which may include accredited opportunities such as ASDAN or John Muir award, as well as non-accredited formal groupwork programmes such as the STAR programme (Safety Trust and Respect) and less formal, issue-based group learning opportunities
• Parents and carers can also be offered support and advice

Targeted Youth Support Team

Responsible for the delivery of a range support for children, young people and young adults aged 16-25 years and their families. The team works with individuals, families and groups who are be affected by a broad range of issues associated with:

• Family relationships
• Emotional and mental health issues
• Homelessness
• Not being engaged in in education, employment or training

Youth Justice Team

The team works with children and young people aged from 8-17 years.

• Staff carry out assessments of children which help in making decisions for a range of Out of Court Disposals via Bureau, as well as providing information to courts for sentencing purposes
• Staff can also offer support to prevent children from getting into trouble with the Police
• The team is responsible for supervising children subject to orders made by the Youth Court as well as custodial sentences.
• Restorative Justice is central to the work of the team and this underpins support for identified victims within the criminal justice system