Agenda item

This report sets out the strategic framework for children and young people, based on the Case for Change and NHS Long Term Plan children and young people priorities for the NHS and partners and agreed recently through the Joint Committee of the Kent and Medway CCGs.

Discussion:

The Executive Director of Strategy and Population Health, Kent and Medway CCG, introduced the report which provided details of the strategic ‘system wide’ framework for children and young people. This was the first step in developing a Kent and Medway Children and Young People Strategy. The framework included 12 priority areas which were set out at paragraph 4.3 of the report.

The Executive Director of Strategy and Population Health drew the Joint Board’s attention to areas which had come to the fore because of the COVID-19 pandemic and where work continued to progress. She recognised that owing to the efforts to respond to the pandemic, some priority areas had not been progressed, however the Joint Board was assured that these areas would be picked up as soon as the system was able to. It was recognised that there was a need to reflect on the impact of COVID-19.

Generally, it was considered that the framework would facilitate joined up working between the Kent and Medway CCG and both Local Authorities to improve the life chances of children in Kent and Medway. Members raised several points and questions including:

·       ‘Ensuring a disproportionate response in the areas where outcomes for children and young people are the worst’ – amending an earlier iteration of the framework which had focussed on Thanet specifically but now had been broadened to incorporate this priority area was welcomed. It was acknowledged that this might not remain constant and aided a reactive approach.

·       Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic – recognising that the pandemic had had a significant impact on some areas of children’s lives, it was anticipated that the priorities might be reviewed or, at least, the order in which they would be progressed reviewed.

Indeed, a view was expressed that whilst the three overarching aims set out at paragraph 4.2 of the report were supported, it was considered that the priorities did not fully reflect the importance of child mental health and wellbeing which had, in many ways, worsened as a result of the pandemic. With reference to the final bullet of paragraph 6.1 of the report, the importance of improving child mental health was reiterated and further supported by Members. It was suggested that a report on mental ill-health prevention be presented to the Joint Board at a future date.

·       ‘Improving Services for looked after children (LAC)’ – reflecting on the challenges identified in the case for change, particularly the statistic that ‘around 10% of children and young people have a mental health issue and is a concern for LAC’, a concern was expressed that this underplayed the complexity of mental health difficulties that the cohort of children who were looked after had. It was noted that LAC were overrepresented in terms of usage of tier 4 mental health services, secure care, and youth justice provision. Given the recent regional initiatives to ensure LAC placed outside of their local area had good access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), it was considered that this should also be given greater prominence. 

·       Additional focus on parenting to reduce adverse childhood events – asked whether there were opportunities across health and social care to support parents, the Director of Public Health explained that this framework put the child at the centre, however there was a focus on the wider determinants of health and therefore there was a concentration of effort on the family unit and wider system to work together to improve outcomes. Referencing the multi-agency approach to tackling health inequalities, which the Joint Board was due to consider in due course, it was added that the resultant work would further support for parents.

·       Reducing childhood obesity – A focus on reducing childhood obesity was welcomed, particularly in the context of improving mental health and wellbeing and the ongoing impact obesity could have in adult years. It was suggested that individuals and parents should be supported to access the ‘toolkit’ of existing available resources to help in this regard.

In her closing remarks, the Executive Director of Strategy and Population Health explained that mental health, wellbeing, and safeguarding were themes embedded within all 12 priority areas. However, she recognised the importance of reflecting on the impact of COVID-19 and bringing these through more strongly in the framework. She added that the intended focus going forward was on designing interventions which could be undertaken now for each theme which would involve all relevant stakeholders including, for example, education providers, the voluntary sector and service users themselves.

Decision:

The Kent and Medway Joint Health and Wellbeing Board supported the Children’s and Young People’s Strategic Framework.