Agenda item

The Committee received a report of the Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Services and Chair of Children, Young People and Families Partnership Board which provided an update on the work of the Children, Young People and Families Partnership Board over the last year and its future work programme.

The Joint Head of Integrated Strategic Commissioning and Deputy Chair of the Children, Young People and Families Partnership Board, Sarah Burns was in attendance to deliver a presentation to provide Members with an update on the work of the Children, Young People and Families Partnership Board, its strategic priorities, and its future work programme. (for copy of the report and presentation, see file of minutes).

Members were advised that the Clinical Commissioning Groups had been replaced with the Integrated Care Board from 1 July 2022, but the County Durham Care Partnership would continue as the point of escalation and the partnership board structure would remain in place.

The Deputy Chair of the Partnership Board advised Members of key areas of work that was undertaken in the past year that included Ockenden report that was currently pauses for recruitment; strategic focus on unborns and under ones and the growing up in County Durham children’s strategy which the committee fed into. The Deputy Chair informed the committee of the Partnership’s future work programme that included work with CAMHS on the North Durham pilot to support people better.

Councillor Varty commented that she was saddened to see the number of under one’s going into care. She indicated that people rarely see the same Health Visitor and asked if there was a shortage of Health Visitors in the area.

The Deputy Chair of the Partnership responded that it was very sad that they were seeing children so young going into care and they hoped that through the strategic focus work on unborns/under one’s and the enhanced parent support pathway they could make a difference on this in the future. There continued to be staffing shortages in the 0-25 service which was a national issue. They had seen some slight improvements locally and had been working with Harrogate District Foundation Trust to see if there were other alternative staffing models they could try and if there were different ways that they could deliver services, this was going to be part of the role of the Transformation Manager when they come into post.

In response to a question from Ms Evans, the Deputy Chair indicated that they would consider Climate Change implications for future reports.

Councillor Gunn indicated that she had looked at the strategic priorities but could not see the impact of poverty which concerned her as one in three children lived in poverty and the impact of poverty could not be ignored and asked why this was not included in the report.

The Deputy Chair indicated that poverty had come through all the co-production and stakeholder sessions. It was a hugely important issue, and she would take back the feedback and ensure that it was front and central within the strategy as it was developed. She would ensure that it was visible as each of the priority areas poverty was a factor and influence in all of them.

The Chair thanked the Officer for her report and presentation.

Resolved: That the report and presentation be noted.