Four Ages of Every Child: The Fourth Age... 15-19
0001 10:00:07:10 10:00:09:15
(girl) I think
I was just on self-destruct.
0002 10:00:09:15 10:00:13:22
I thought, "Well, if no one's gonna
pay attention or acknowledge me,
0003 10:00:13:22 10:00:17:04
then what's the point of me
listening to what they have to say?"
0004 10:00:17:04 10:00:19:11
"I'll just do my own thing."
0005 10:00:22:03 10:00:25:08
I've been in trouble with the police
loads of times,
0006 10:00:25:08 10:00:28:17
and it's all alcohol-related
and it's always violence
0007 10:00:28:17 10:00:33:09
and things to do with violence
or theft or stuff like that.
0008 10:00:46:16 10:00:49:10
(narrator) Brighton,
on the south coast.
0009 10:00:49:10 10:00:52:08
This is a city that provides
a good quality of life
0010 10:00:52:08 10:00:54:08
for most of its people.
0011 10:00:54:08 10:00:57:08
Yet for some, living in
more difficult neighbourhoods,
0012 10:00:57:08 10:01:00:01
their lives are far from easy.
0013 10:01:00:01 10:01:02:16
With these diverse
and contrasting communities,
0014 10:01:02:16 10:01:06:19
Brighton has been chosen to pilot
the government's new initiative,
0015 10:01:06:19 10:01:08:14
Every Child Matters.
0016 10:01:08:14 10:01:11:19
Its ambition is to give every child
the opportunity
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to realise his or her potential.
0018 10:01:14:22 10:01:18:08
For older teenagers,
as they step into adulthood,
0019 10:01:18:08 10:01:21:17
this is an exciting period
of their lives,
0020 10:01:21:17 10:01:24:18
but it can also be
a period of disillusionment.
0021 10:01:24:18 10:01:29:23
David Hawker is the director of
the new Brighton children's trust.
0022 10:01:29:23 10:01:32:11
For him, 15 to 19 year olds
0023 10:01:32:11 10:01:35:07
are the most difficult age group
to engage with.
0024 10:01:35:07 10:01:38:12
His task is to bring together
all the council's agencies
0025 10:01:38:12 10:01:42:15
to tackle the issues
that hold this age group back.
0026 10:01:42:15 10:01:45:12
It's about young people
learning to be adults,
0027 10:01:45:12 10:01:47:17
learning to spread their wings -
0028 10:01:47:17 10:01:52:03
education, training,
youth support, Connexions.
0029 10:01:52:03 10:01:57:06
It's Every Child Matters
providing a real launch pad
0030 10:01:57:06 10:01:59:16
into the adult world.
0031 10:02:01:03 10:02:03:09
To some of the kids here,
I'm a role model.
0032 10:02:03:09 10:02:07:17
They say, "I wanna be just like
you." And I'm like, "No, you don't."
0033 10:02:07:17 10:02:11:11
"I've got a (bleep) life. You don't
wanna be like me and have no job."
0034 10:02:11:11 10:02:13:20
"You don't wanna
be dropping out of school."
0035 10:02:13:20 10:02:17:14
I think maybe - I don't wish
she's not here or anything -
0036 10:02:17:14 10:02:20:11
but maybe if I didn't
fall pregnant at 16,
0037 10:02:20:11 10:02:23:21
I might have gone on
and done more at college.
0038 10:02:23:21 10:02:27:04
(narrator) An important aspect
of David's work
0039 10:02:27:04 10:02:31:19
is meeting the youth workers
who work directly with young people.
0040 10:02:31:19 10:02:34:17
We've been moving
on this children's trust line
0041 10:02:34:17 10:02:38:03
for the last couple of years or so,
0042 10:02:38:03 10:02:41:05
and this is a real step forward
0043 10:02:41:05 10:02:47:04
in terms of making the children's
trust a reality for young people.
0044 10:02:47:04 10:02:51:12
And bringing together the services
in the way that we're planning to do
0045 10:02:51:12 10:02:55:03
is an important staging post
in doing that.
0046 10:02:55:03 10:03:00:03
Every Child Matters is probably the
most fundamental change in policy
0047 10:03:00:03 10:03:01:24
that we've seen for a generation.
0048 10:03:01:24 10:03:05:01
It's really, I think,
quite remarkable
0049 10:03:05:01 10:03:07:23
how the whole of the policy
has shifted around
0050 10:03:07:23 10:03:11:00
from it being driven
by lots of policies
0051 10:03:11:00 10:03:14:01
to being driven by the needs
of children and young people.
0052 10:03:14:01 10:03:16:15
So it's kind of
turned everything inside out.
0053 10:03:16:15 10:03:21:07
And it's based around
what children's needs are,
0054 10:03:21:07 10:03:23:06
what their aspirations are.
0055 10:03:23:06 10:03:26:21
The five outcomes of Every Child
Matters are absolutely superb.
0056 10:03:26:21 10:03:30:14
You can get everything into them -
being healthy, staying safe,
0057 10:03:30:14 10:03:33:16
enjoying and achieving,
making a positive contribution,
0058 10:03:33:16 10:03:35:14
achieving economic wellbeing.
0059 10:03:35:14 10:03:39:19
I say to people if you've got those
five, you don't need anything else.
0060 10:03:39:19 10:03:44:17
Everything else fits into one of
those five, or more of those five.
0061 10:03:44:17 10:03:46:18
And once we'd got
that rounded picture
0062 10:03:46:18 10:03:49:10
of our aspirations
for children and young people...
0063 10:03:49:10 10:03:52:03
Actually they came
from children and young people.
0064 10:03:52:03 10:03:55:04
That's what they wanted,
it's what parents want for them,
0065 10:03:55:04 10:03:57:21
it's what all of us working
with them want for them.
0066 10:03:57:21 10:04:00:03
A reality for young people...
0067 10:04:00:03 10:04:04:19
(narrator) David outlines his vision
for an integrated, seamless service.
0068 10:04:04:19 10:04:07:17
I guess that, you know,
we've got a real vision
0069 10:04:07:17 10:04:11:17
to make the whole thing
as seamless as possible.
0070 10:04:11:17 10:04:16:17
The careers work,
the Connexions intensive work,
0071 10:04:16:17 10:04:19:15
the youth work,
0072 10:04:19:15 10:04:22:02
the statutory sector,
the voluntary sector -
0073 10:04:22:02 10:04:27:04
all the professionals actually
understanding what one another does
0074 10:04:27:04 10:04:30:19
and all together, as a team,
supporting our young people.
0075 10:04:38:17 10:04:41:04
(narrator) Luke is 17 years old.
0076 10:04:41:04 10:04:44:02
He lives on the Whitehawk Estate
in Brighton.
0077 10:04:44:02 10:04:46:05
He was frequently excluded
from school
0078 10:04:46:05 10:04:49:24
and has a history
of violence and petty crime.
0079 10:04:49:24 10:04:54:15
He is one of many young people Every
Child Matters is designed to help.
0080 10:04:54:15 10:04:58:06
My mum and dad split up when
I was young. I was about five then.
0081 10:04:58:06 10:05:01:14
I was going through
a little bit of a hard time then,
0082 10:05:01:14 10:05:05:05
but that was nothing major.
I still see my dad.
0083 10:05:05:05 10:05:09:17
I was labouring for my stepdad.
He was a plasterer. I was a trainee.
0084 10:05:09:17 10:05:13:13
It was good money, but I messed
it up by turning the cameras round.
0085 10:05:13:13 10:05:17:17
The site got robbed and the boss
asked me what I thought about it
0086 10:05:17:17 10:05:22:15
and I told him I didn't care and he
said I was sacked for my attitude.
0087 10:05:22:15 10:05:26:05
For those young people that are
outside are, in a sense, the remit
0088 10:05:26:05 10:05:29:09
of what Every Child Matters
is about at the moment, you know -
0089 10:05:29:09 10:05:32:18
those young people that are
getting towards 17, 18, 19 -
0090 10:05:32:18 10:05:38:02
I think what we've got to look at
is the whole provision, 0 to 19.
0091 10:05:38:02 10:05:41:15
It's kind of making sure we don't
lose sight of that at any one time.
0092 10:05:41:15 10:05:45:13
So there is preventative work
in terms of the lower age range,
0093 10:05:45:13 10:05:49:16
I think what I've welcomed
is the return of...
0094 10:05:49:16 10:05:52:10
There's a phrase, in a sense,
"preventative work",
0095 10:05:52:10 10:05:55:14
and I'd say that youth work
has been about preventative work.
0096 10:05:55:14 10:05:59:18
I would say
working with a 16, 17, 18 year old
0097 10:05:59:18 10:06:01:22
would be about looking at
life choices,
0098 10:06:01:22 10:06:06:14
what they've done, where they've
got to, where they'd like to go.
0099 10:06:06:14 10:06:08:14
At the moment, I'd like some money,
0100 10:06:08:14 10:06:11:23
so my ambition is to make some money
at the moment.
0101 10:06:11:23 10:06:16:00
I was working, but I don't really
want to go back into employment yet.
0102 10:06:16:00 10:06:18:19
I'm just gonna look for a bit
and that.
0103 10:06:18:19 10:06:24:01
But, I dunno,
my dream is to be a rapper.
0104 10:06:28:11 10:06:30:13
# I wake up in the morning
and ask myself
0105 10:06:30:13 10:06:32:18
# What are you doing?
Gotta sort yourself
0106 10:06:32:18 10:06:35:07
# I started writing lyrics,
stayed away from crime
0107 10:06:35:07 10:06:37:18
# I done this every day,
one step at a time
0108 10:06:37:18 10:06:39:16
# The days would pass,
so would weeks
0109 10:06:39:16 10:06:41:21
# At the end of the month
I had a book of lyrics
0110 10:06:41:21 10:06:43:16
# I started drugs to see me through
0111 10:06:43:16 10:06:46:03
# So I could go out clubbing,
hanging with the crew
0112 10:06:46:03 10:06:49:02
# People tell me I was good
and that, so I believed in myself
0113 10:06:49:02 10:06:50:17
# Performing good chats
0114 10:06:50:17 10:06:54:04
# On the mike, selling out clubs,
getting free drink, free drugs
0115 10:06:54:04 10:06:56:04
# Getting all this
doing the thing I love
0116 10:06:56:04 10:06:58:08
# But I weren't paid,
that was bad enough
0117 10:06:58:08 10:07:01:06
# So I started getting better,
still doing my thing
0118 10:07:01:06 10:07:03:05
# When I get up,
clubs would be jumping
0119 10:07:03:05 10:07:06:10
# They wanted me to come back
and MC, finally they were paying me
0120 10:07:06:10 10:07:10:06
# Until the day I become a famous MC
0121 10:07:10:06 10:07:13:14
Last time I was in trouble
with the police was three weeks ago.
0122 10:07:13:14 10:07:16:23
I got a section five
of the Public Order Act.
0123 10:07:16:23 10:07:20:15
I got into a bit of bother one night
and Old Bill pepper-sprayed me.
0124 10:07:20:15 10:07:22:15
I got away
and they couldn't catch me
0125 10:07:22:15 10:07:26:09
and my mates actually jumped
Old Bill for me to help me get away.
0126 10:07:26:09 10:07:29:12
I had another charge which was
offensive weapons times two
0127 10:07:29:12 10:07:33:03
and violence
down the Brighton Marina Bowlplex.
0128 10:07:33:03 10:07:35:16
(narrator) Today
Luke is staying out of trouble
0129 10:07:35:16 10:07:39:09
and has agreed to attend
a youth services review meeting.
0130 10:07:39:09 10:07:43:20
It's his chance to have his say on
how the service could be improved.
0131 10:07:43:20 10:07:47:16
Interested in what Luke and others
have to say is James Dougan,
0132 10:07:47:16 10:07:49:21
children's services commissioner.
0133 10:07:49:21 10:07:55:01
What we're here for
is for you to express your views,
0134 10:07:55:01 10:07:57:13
for you to have conversations
with each other,
0135 10:07:57:13 10:08:01:07
for you to actually mull over ideas,
0136 10:08:01:07 10:08:03:03
and for us to listen.
0137 10:08:03:03 10:08:06:13
We need to ensure
that young people are in attendance
0138 10:08:06:13 10:08:10:07
and that they're properly involved
in order for this to be successful.
0139 10:08:10:07 10:08:13:15
So I'm asking all of you who are
managers and heads of services
0140 10:08:13:15 10:08:15:04
and headteachers
0141 10:08:15:04 10:08:19:07
to take responsibility
to actively encourage your staff
0142 10:08:19:07 10:08:22:15
so that they can support young
people in order to get involved.
0143 10:08:22:15 10:08:26:23
And I'm sure you all agree that this
is a really crucial part of this.
0144 10:08:26:23 10:08:31:01
We go there and we tell 'em what
we want done in Brighton and that,
0145 10:08:31:01 10:08:33:08
and what things we'd like to see,
0146 10:08:33:08 10:08:35:24
and, like, all they ever do
is take notes down.
0147 10:08:35:24 10:08:38:21
We never get told nothing
and then nothing ever happens.
0148 10:08:38:21 10:08:42:16
It's a load of (bleep). So I just
wasted, basically, my day again.
0149 10:08:42:16 10:08:47:00
I've been to loads of these meetings
before about things I'd like...
0150 10:08:47:00 10:08:50:15
What young people in Brighton and
Hove would like in the community.
0151 10:08:50:15 10:08:53:08
I think another thing
that scares people off college
0152 10:08:53:08 10:08:56:21
is cos if you go to college you can
only work a couple of days a week.
0153 10:08:56:21 10:09:00:04
You're not earning enough,
and that's what some people want -
0154 10:09:00:04 10:09:02:00
money to survive and that.
0155 10:09:02:00 10:09:04:20
So, I dunno, maybe if colleges
and things like that
0156 10:09:04:20 10:09:09:20
started providing a little bit more
aid to education money.
0157 10:09:09:20 10:09:15:21
That's an interesting point in terms
of what we were talking about...
0158 10:09:15:21 10:09:19:04
(narrator) Despite Luke's cynicism
about the review meeting,
0159 10:09:19:04 10:09:22:06
there is a growing feeling
amongst the professionals
0160 10:09:22:06 10:09:26:12
that this isn't another initiative
that will run out of steam.
0161 10:09:26:12 10:09:29:04
It's not just another
government scheme.
0162 10:09:29:04 10:09:32:03
I mean, the government has been
leading it in many ways,
0163 10:09:32:03 10:09:34:12
but it has taken off.
0164 10:09:34:12 10:09:39:12
It's captured the imagination,
and all around the city here,
0165 10:09:39:12 10:09:44:18
and nationally, you've got people
who are getting what it's all about
0166 10:09:44:18 10:09:47:20
from all sorts of sectors.
I've talked to magistrates,
0167 10:09:47:20 10:09:49:15
early-years practitioners,
0168 10:09:49:15 10:09:51:18
I've talked to school governors.
0169 10:09:51:18 10:09:54:16
As soon as you explain to them,
yes, it makes sense.
0170 10:09:54:16 10:09:57:23
That's what it's about. It's
not just a government initiative.
0171 10:09:57:23 10:10:00:07
It's captured the imagination
0172 10:10:00:07 10:10:04:22
of thousands of people who work
with children and young people.
0173 10:10:09:06 10:10:12:05
(narrator) Luke's early troubles
led to petty crime.
0174 10:10:12:05 10:10:16:20
Laura's early teen problems were
through a lack of support at school
0175 10:10:16:20 10:10:21:20
and low self-esteem, binge drinking
and a teenage pregnancy.
0176 10:10:21:20 10:10:24:09
She has a seven-month-old daughter,
Keisha.
0177 10:10:24:09 10:10:29:07
15 years of age, I was,