Thousands of young people in England are being groomed, harmed, and even killed because the systems that are supposed to keep them safe are not fit for purpose.

That's the damning verdict of a new report by the Commission on Young Lives final report, ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’.

The report warns that social care, education, family support, and children’s mental health systems are failing thousands of vulnerable teenagers, costing taxpayers billions, diminishing life chances, and putting some teenagers at risk of grooming, exploitation, and serious violence.

The ‘Commission on Young Lives’ launched last year to fight back with coordinated national action to transform the outcomes of the most marginalised teenagers.

It's a major year-long independent commission chaired by Anne Longfield, the former Children’s Commissioner for England who grew up in West Yorkshire, who joins Rob Parsons on the podcast this week.

And Graeme Whitfield, editor of the Journal newspaper in Newcastle and North East editor of BusinessLive, discusses some of the big politics stories that matter to us in the North, including the uncertain future facing the plans for a massive 'gigafactory' for electric vehicle batteries in Northumberland.

The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.

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