Strengthening scrutiny through meaningful engagement
Effective scrutiny depends on understanding the lived experience behind the reports, data and performance measures presented to committees.
For councillors scrutinising children’s services, one of the most valuable sources of insight is often the voices of children and young people themselves.
At its best, scrutiny is not simply about holding decision-makers to account.
It can be a powerful force for improving outcomes for children and young people, helping councils make better-informed decisions, strengthening services and assessing whether policies are making a meaningful difference to children’s lives.
To do this effectively, committees need to understand not only what the data says, but also what children and young people are experiencing in practice.
When scrutiny is informed by the experiences of local children and young people, it is better equipped to understand what is working well, identify areas for improvement and assess the real-world impact of policies and services.
Hearing directly from young people can provide context to performance data, highlight issues that may otherwise go unnoticed and help shape more relevant lines of enquiry and recommendations.
Importantly, engaging children and young people in scrutiny is about much more than inviting them to attend formal committee meetings.
To support councillors in developing their own approaches, the LGA has recently published ‘Scrutiny informed by the voices of children and young people’ (see local.gov.uk/scrutiny-informed-voices-children-and-young-people).
The resource brings together practical examples from councils that are successfully embedding children’s voices into scrutiny activity and highlights different models of engagement that members may wish to consider.
Committees in councils across the country are using a range of approaches to ensure young voices are heard in ways that are meaningful, accessible and appropriate. For example, Plymouth works closely with youth participation groups to inform scrutiny.
West Berkshire and Oxfordshire appointed young people as co-opted members, bringing their perspectives directly into discussions.
Manchester invited young carers to share their experiences with members, while Hackney engaged young people in an investigation examining housing support available to care leavers.
In Torbay, practical measures to make the committee more child and young-person friendly were introduced, such as moving times to accommodate the school day and creating shorter and more accessible agenda documents.
Islington undertook an investigation into play spaces and services, hearing the voice of children and young people through engagement with charities and youth workers.
For scrutiny chairs and members, engaging with children and young people should not be seen as an additional activity, but as a core part of effective scrutiny.
By creating opportunities to hear directly from those who use services, committees can make better-informed decisions, strengthen accountability and ensure that the voices of children and young people help shape the future of services that have an impact on their lives.
The LGA is keen to hear from other scrutiny committees about the ways they are hearing from children and young people. Please get in touch at LGAChildrensProgramme@local.gov.uk
- The LGA provides a range of support to help scrutiny chairs and committees develop their effectiveness, support children’s services improvement and have a positive impact on the lives of children and families.