Agenda item - Foundations For Our Future – the final Report from the Sussex Wide Children & Young Person’s Emotional Health & Wellbeing Service Review

Joint report of the CCG and Acting Executive Director of Children’s Services (copy attached)

RESOLVED – (1)That the Board receive and note the contents of the final independently Chaired report “Foundations for our Future” included at Appendix 1 to the main report;

(2) Agrees and approves the Concordat which underpins the partnership commitment to act upon the recommendations contained in Appendix 2 to the report; and

(3) Agrees in principle the recommendations set out in the report at paragraph 2.17. A further update to be provided to the Board in respect of the financial implications for Brighton & Hove City Council prior to final sign off.

16.1    The Board considered a joint report of the Clinical Commissioning Group and the acting Executive Director, Families, Children and Learning. It was noted that the “Foundations for our Future” report set out at Appendix 1 was an independently authored report which had been jointly commissioned by Sussex Clinical Commissioning Groups, the three local authorities in Sussex and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation. The Review had been independently chaired throughout its duration.

16.2    The Review had been structured to provide an in-depth and up to date picture of the services and support available to young people and had been designed as a listening and analytical exercise aimed at gathering a wide scope of information and feedback from quantative and qualitative insights of the emotional health and wellbeing services and support on offer to young people aged 0-18 and their families in Sussex. Although not a formal public consultation the scope of the Review had been wide and it had been completed in the weeks prior to the emergence of the current pandemic. The implementation timeline for the recommendations set out in the report and those that had been developed before the pandemic had caused work to be paused. The report could now however, act as a lever for change in this new landscape, to drive transformation, including to specialist mental health services and a renewed focus on the importance of population mental health and wellbeing approaches and the key role of schools.

16.3    Steve Appleton the Independent Chair of the Review was in attendance accompanied by Georgina Clarke-Green and gave a detailed presentation detailing the work undertaking its findings and future pathways which had been identified. He stated that notwithstanding that although a historical piece of work in the context of the current pandemic and the additional mental health pressures it put on many it was important particularly as there would now be the opportunity to review, reflect on and reconsider the priority of each recommendation. The slides in their entirety had been attached as an addenda to the circulated agenda.

16.4    Councillor Moonan welcomed the report which she agreed represented a very important piece of work. Whilst recognising that this was a Sussex wide piece of work it was pleasing to note that arrangements/ structures would be put into place applicable specifically to Brighton and Hove.

16.5    Councillor Bagaeen considered that governance and accountability would be key considering that it was important in redesign of any services provided that there were clearly laid down responsibilities in the event that anything did not improve outcomes as expected. The respective roles of the local authority and the CCG needed to be clearly drawn as did who had oversight and overarching responsibility.

16.6    Councillor Nield was in agreement regarding the importance of this piece and enquired as to the measures which would be put into place when children returned to school after the disruption which they had suffered and to identify any who were struggling or particularly vulnerable and needed additional/ targeted support. The Acting Executive Deb Austin detailed the arrangements which would be in place.

16.7    In answer to questions by Councillor Bagaeen it was confirmed that the report would also be forwarded to the Children, Young People and Skills Committee for information.

16.8    RESOLVED – (1) That the Board receive and note the contents of the final independently Chaired report “Foundations for our Future” included at Appendix 1 to the main report;

(2) Agrees and approves the Concordat which underpins the partnership commitment to act upon the recommendations contained in Appendix 2 to the report; and

(3) Agrees in principle the recommendations set out in the report at paragraph 2.17. A further update to be provided to the Board in respect of the financial implications for Brighton & Hove City Council prior to final sign off.