Agenda item - Adolescent Health Offer

Resolved:

1)    That the Health and Wellbeing Board endorse the city wide approach addressed in this paper to reducing the harm caused to young people by substance misuse (drugs, alcohol and tobacco) and early sexual relationships (teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections).

61.1    The report was introduced by Ms K Clarke (Children Young People and Public Health Schools Programme Commissioner), and Ms A Gianfrancesco (Head of Service BHCC, Adolescents, Children Families & Learning). The report provided an update, and sought endorsement, on the new Adolescent Health Offer, being developed to reduce the harm to young people caused by substance misuse and early sexual relationships.

61.2    The Executive Director Families, Children and Learning BHCC, said that some of the health outcomes for adolescents were the worst in the country, and the report outlined the new more integrated way of working to address that. Integrated working enabled agencies to work with each other to support adolescents. He gave the example of young people entering the criminal justice system, and said the city had had a high number, but groups had worked together to address issues such as exploitation, and now the number of children in criminal justice system, and those reoffending, was very low. It was hoped that working with multiple agencies would improve the health of young people in the city.

61.3    Mr G Bartlett thanked officers for the report. He referred to the transition of children to adulthood, and said that their vulnerability did not stop when they reached eighteen, and asked if there were plans to extend the integration into adult services. He was advised that there was, and staff worked closely with adult services. Young people who were likely to need continued support, were assigned an adult-worker to assist with the transition.

61.4    Councillor Taylor welcomed the report and said it was vital that there was more joined approach to this area of work. He noted that officers would be working with two secondary schools, Cardinal Newman and Patcham High School, to co-produce a whole school approach, and asked if it would go out to other secondary schools later. He was advised that from past experience it was preferable to work with just two schools to really work out the details, and then produce a single plan which could be then rolled out to other schools.

61.5    Councillor Taylor noted that the service would be launched in May/June which would be shortly before the school summer holidays, and asked if services would be provided over that period. He also noted that the report said that it was everyone’s responsibility to support young people and named groups such as the Police, NHS etc but did not make reference to parents. Officers said that the service wouldn’t just be delivering in schools but in other settings across the city, and so no one would miss out just because it was the school holidays. With regard to not referring to ‘parents’, it was confirmed that that was an oversight in the report, and added that support was also available to parents to enable them to assist their children.

61.6    Councillor Penn said that the city was quite drug tolerant, and so it might be necessary not to just support parents but also to challenge them. Allowing young people to smoke cannabis at home, for example, was not being a good parent. Officers said that tolerance was an issue, and it was important to educate parents on the risks of substance misuse.

61.7  Mr A Hill said that this would be a long term process and it was essential that worked started on social media before the summer. It would require a change of social behaviour within the city, and so there should be a long term strategic approach to address that. Officers said that there was a social media element within the plan, and websites had already been identified which would be used to publicise the messages on health.

61.8    The Chair said that integrating services could be challenging but usually worthwhile. He referred to tolerance in the city, and said whilst it was good to accept some things, it wasn’t good to tolerate behaviour which could impact on a young person’s health.

61.9    The Chair suggested that the report be referred to the Children Young People & Skills Committee for information.

61.10Resolved:

(1)  That the Health and Wellbeing Board endorse the city wide approach addressed in this paper to reducing the harm caused to young people by substance misuse (drugs, alcohol and tobacco) and early sexual relationships (teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections).

(2)  That the report be referred to the Children Young People & Skills Committee for information