Camden is set to pilot a basic income program for young people with care experience, as discussed in a Children, Schools and Families Scrutiny Committee meeting on Monday, June 23, 2025. The initiative aims to provide financial stability to help these young adults engage in education, training, or employment.
At the meeting, Councillor Sabrina Francis, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Young People and Culture, highlighted the importance of this pilot within Camden's Youth Mission. The Youth Mission focuses on improving attendance, attainment, and economic outcomes for young people, especially those facing significant barriers.
This mission is delivered through a borough-wide network of high-quality opportunities and support,
said Councillor Francis, noting initiatives like the Camden Young Talent Guarantee and Camden STEAM. The update of the Cabinet Member for Jobs, Young People & Culture also mentioned the Connexions service, which offers tailored support to over 1,600 young people.
The scoping work for the basic income pilot is structured in six stages, prioritizing the lived experiences of young people. The first stage, internal consultation, has been completed, with subsequent phases involving engagement with care-experienced youth, frontline practitioners, and subject matter experts. A final report is expected in the autumn.
Other key topics discussed at the meeting included persistent absence in Camden schools and the findings of the recent Ofsted inspection, which judged Camden Children's Services as Outstanding. Provisional data indicates lower levels of persistent absence compared to the previous two years, but rates remain above national averages. Ongoing initiatives to improve attendance include parental text messaging campaigns and a 'team around the school' approach through Family Hubs. The Persistent Absence Update report provided further details on these efforts.
The committee also reviewed the Annual Health Report on Children, Young People and Families 2025, which summarizes health outcomes and inequalities affecting Camden's youth. The report highlighted areas such as infant mortality rates, maternity statistics, and data on obesity and teenage pregnancy.