Daily roundup: Leaving care, young offenders and youth clubs

Care leavers, including James Osborne pictured with chair of the social justice committee Iain Duncan Smith, and children’s minister Edward Timpson, met 12 ministers and Cabinet Office officials on Wednesday to explain how their experiences in care can impact on their lives. The meeting, organised by the Care Leavers’ Foundation, also discussed progress on developing a government strategy for care leavers. James, from Essex, said: “Having the opportunity to speak to real decision makers when our experiences of growing up in care is of not being allowed to make any decisions about our own lives is really mindblowing.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has criticised Conservative plans to automatically jail any offender caught in possession of a knife for a second time. Under the plans, young people would receive a mandatory four-month term in custody for a second knife-related offence. The Guardian reports that Clegg fears the introduction of the measures could "turn the young offenders of today into the hardened criminals of tomorrow".

Grafitti artist Banksy has written to a Bristol youth club saying he believes it should keep a piece that he painted in the city. The BBC reports that that a note written by Banksy said the club can do what they "feel is right" with the piece.

The National Youth Agency has set up a commission to examine why more young people do not set up businesses or become self-employed. The independent panel of commissioners, chaired by former minister Chloe Smith MP with cross-party support, will look at barriers that hold back young people’s success including fear of failure, finance and unemployment as well as existing support mechanisms such as education initiatives. It has asked for businesses, young people, youth workers and employers to submit evidence by 20 June, after which evidence sessions in parliament will be held.