Agenda item - Emotional Well-Being and Mental Health Support in Schools

Report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning (copy attached)

RESOLVED: That the committee noted the work being delivered in schools and colleges in Brighton and Hove.

48.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning which updated the Committee on emotional well-being and mental health support in Schools. The report was introduced by the Council’s Principal Educational Psychologist and the Team Lead (Schools Wellbeing Service).

48.2    Councillor Allcock noted that some performance measures were detailed in the report, but that it had not been possible to gather complete data on all areas as not all service users were completing the sessions required to monitor the activity. He asked how that was likely to develop and how challenges ahead would be addressed. Officers said that it was important to respond when there was a critical need, such as suicide or self-harm. Performance Measures were based on data captured by Care First (and would be moving to Eclipse). To measure the impact of the service provided pre and post measures of involvement was assessed, but not all service users gave feedback on completion of any intervention.

48.3    Councillor Allcock asked if the Committee could have a progress report for a future meeting, and the Chair agreed that that would be useful.

48.4    Councillor Brown asked if the time mental health workers were allocated to schools was sufficient. Officers said that the time allocated was reasonable, but all school leaders would welcome more time but to do that it would be necessary to have increased funding.

48.5    Councillor Nield asked if there were Performance Indicators to measure the outcomes on the CAMHS waiting lists. Officers said that the Performance Indicators was not a measure of the CAMHS waiting list, but was looking at successful intervention and meeting needs early to prevent people needing specialist CAMHS and other services

48.6    RESOLVED: That the committee noted the work being delivered in schools and colleges in Brighton and Hove.