Agenda item

Rachel Harris, Service Improvement Manager, presented the Poetry Book report (for copy of report see file of minutes).

The Service Improvement Manager referred to discussions at previous meetings at which Members had requested that the young people be supported to curate their poetry work into a collection. With funding from Children’s Social Care and the Virtual School and, in partnership with a local poet, Service Leads held poetry workshops and the young people were helped to create the ‘Cherished’ poetry book.

The Panel welcomed Melissa, Alex, Alannah and Kayden to the meeting together with their carers and the local poet who had helped with the project. The young people recited some of their favourite poems which were included in the book and the poet also shared a poem which she had written, drawing on the inspiration she had received from the young people.

The Service Improvement Manager thanked all those who assisted with the project. The book will be distributed to all schools, libraries, Beamish and Shildon Museums and Children’s Social Care teams. The Panel requested that enquiries be made as to whether paper copies of the book could be obtained for circulation to all elected members. It was noted that an electronic version of the book was included in the CPP meeting papers.

The Panel congratulated all the young people who had contributed to the book and to those who had attended the meeting to share their poems.

Resolved:

That the content of the report be noted.