Wandsworth's youth services are experiencing a surge in participation, with over 55,000 attendances recorded in the last two years. The Wandsworth Youth Offer, a comprehensive program involving over 210 provisions delivered by council services, sports providers, and the voluntary, community, and faith sectors, has seen a 33% increase in young people accessing services. Crucially, the initiative is making strides in reaching young people in the borough's most deprived communities, with approximately 50% of children in the lowest super output areas now attending community youth provisions.
This success comes amidst significant financial pressures. The council is facing a real-terms cut in funding for children's services as part of the government's fair funding settlement. This, coupled with significantly higher-than-previously-estimated inflation figures, is impacting the budget. The current budget for children's services is just over £100 million, with an overspend of just over £4 million, though mitigating actions are in place to bring the budget back on track. The high needs block, a national concern, is also experiencing overspending in Wandsworth.
Councillor George Crivelli, Cabinet Member for Children, expressed concerns about potential cuts to initiatives funded through Access for All,
which aim to support children's well-being, boost their confidence and social connections, and help families feel connected to their community. The 'Big Play Out' initiative, which provided a free week of summer fun for families eligible for free school meals or benefits, was specifically mentioned as being at risk.
The Youth Bus, a mobile outreach service, is also set to undergo a significant operational change. Its previous model as a largely standalone service presented challenges around staffing and resilience, continuity and flexibility.
To address this, it will be integrated into a more flexible, targeted model within family hub clusters. This will enable activity to be planned in response to local intelligence, attendance data, safeguarding information, partner feedback, and identified gaps in provision, ensuring a stronger local approach that brings together youth services and family hubs.
Beyond attendance numbers, data is being collected to assess the qualitative impact of the Wandsworth Youth Offer. For example, a SEND young person at the George Sheeran Youth Club saw improvements in their confidence and a reduction in isolation through participation in various programs, making them more able to access services and transport. This data is also crucial for identifying areas of deprivation and underserved youth offer areas, such as West Hill, to mobilize partnership services.
Looking ahead, the council is developing a long-term strategy to sustain increased participation amidst decreasing government funding. The establishment of the Youth Partnership Board will serve as a platform for providers to share best practices, seek funding, and identify gaps. Data will continue to be used to target delivery into areas with less reach and to guide young people towards sustainable opportunities like education, training, and employment. The council is also actively pursuing funding through bids, such as from the Greater London Authority, with voluntary organizations leading these efforts and fostering collaboration among multiple organizations.