Agenda and minutes

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 July 2025, as a true and correct record of the proceedings and to be signed by the Chair.

Resolved: - That the Minutes of the meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission, held on 22 July 2025, be approved as a correct record of proceedings.

To receive declarations of interest from Members in respect of items listed on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any part of the agenda.

There were no items of business on the agenda that required the exclusion of the press and public from the meeting.

To receive questions relating to items of business on the agenda from members of the public or press who are present at the meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public or press.

To receive a verbal update from the Vice-Chair, relating to the Corporate Parenting Partnership Board.

The Chair, also a member of Corporate Parenting Partnership Board, provided an update relating to the recent activities of the Board, during which the following was noted:

·      The recent meeting took place on 9 September 2025.

·      A Corporate Parenting Partnership Update was provided to the Board, during which the Assistant Director for Children Social Care reminded members of the board that the action plan would be the framework used to progress during this period. There were six priorities contained within the action plan, and at each meeting a particular themed area of the plan would be reviewed, as a spotlight topic. Each themed priority had a Lead Officer as well as a Champion Member. The spotlight topic would also be the themed area that would be covered by the Children In Care (CIC) and the In Care Voice Group.

·      An In Care Youth Update was provided to the Board and the Voice and Influence service attended the meeting, alongside five young people. The group developed a presentation on education, which included their perceptions on what a ‘good’ classroom environment looked like compared to a ‘bad’ classroom environment. There was a wider focus on the educational opportunities for children in care and the PowerPoint offered a powerful view on where some young people had not had a great experience. The Assistant Director for Education and Inclusion offered an update and shared the efforts being made by the service to support children in care in their education.

·      The Assistant Director for Education and Inclusion, with support of the Champion Member, shared a PowerPoint presentation on Employment, Education and Training and a further presentation on Foundation Education. 

·      Two items were deferred until the next meeting, due to time constraints.

·      The next meeting of Corporate Parenting Partnership Board would take place on 9December 2025.

In October 2018, November 2019, December 2020, November 2021, November 2022 and January 2024, the Health Select Commission received reports with updates on the work across the child and adolescent mental health system. In May 2025 the Scrutiny Terms of Reference were reviewed and as a result, it was determined that future updates relating to CAMHS should be considered by Improving Lives Select Commission (ILSC).

Rotherham Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Annual Update (CAMHS) to Improving Lives Select Commission will provide an update in respect of; CAMHS service performance, Progress Neurodevelopmental Pathway progress, engagement with families and communities regarding SEND, support for Early Years, Mental Health Support Teams in education settings, support to young people not in education and progress with the equalities agenda.

This item provided an update on Child Adolescent Mental Health Service’s (CAMHS) performance, including the progress of the Neurodevelopmental Pathway.

The Chair welcomed to the meeting Councillor Cusworth, Cabinet Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services, Helen Sweaton, Joint Assistant Director for Commissioning, Quality and Performance, Emily Goodrick, CAMHS Service Manager, Kelly Sanderson, CAMHS Getting Help Team Manager, Jemma Smedley, Clinical Lead for With Me in Mind (WMIM), Marianne Smith, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Lead and Emma Clark- Neurodevelopmental Service Manager.

The Chair invited the Cabinet Member to introduce the report, during which the following was noted:

·      CAMHS was an area of continued importance to the Commission. Historically, CAMHS updates were provided to Health Select Commission, however due to a change of the Scrutiny Terms of Reference, the update had moved to the Improving Lives Select Commission. The Cabinet Member felt that the move to the ILSC was the correct decision.

·      The presentation would highlight improvements within the CAMHS services, on-going challenges and future priorities. This would include improved access, the neurodevelopmental services, supporting schools, innovative approaches and the strong partnership working that was taking place with families, schools and community organisations.

·      In terms of context, Rotherham had seen an improving picture within the CAMHS services over recent years, specifically with the work of With Me In Mind (WMIM) across the schools within the borough. Nationally, there were long waiting times, an example was provided of elsewhere within the country where a young person had waited seven years. This highlighted that the sector was facing challenges, as the pandemic had exacerbated waiting times. Social media was also a challenge that had increased demand and waiting times.

The Chair invited the joint Assistant Director for Commissioning, Quality and Performance to provide the presentation, during which the following was noted:

The presentation would cover-

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Performance
• Neurodevelopmental Service
• Engagement with families and communities
• Support for Early Years
• Mental Health Support Teams
• Support to young people not in education.
• The Neurodevelopmental Services had been separated from the CAMHS update as it did not sit within CAMHS Services, this was due to developmental difficulties being more in line with a physical disability, therefore it sat under physical services.

Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Support-

• Rotherham CAMHS used the Thrive model to deliver services.
• There's was a lot of on-going engagement with families and communities, particularly with children and young people, in recognition that CAMHS wanted them to be involved in shaping services.
• There was a lot of support within early years, including the mental health support teamwork, CAMHS were working to ensure that this was available in as many Rotherham primary schools as possible. Extended support to young people not in education was also offered, albeit there were some complexities around when they could get involved.
• The THRIVE Framework thought about the mental health and wellbeing needs of children, young people, and families through different needs-based groupings including:

§  Getting Advice

§  Getting Help  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider and approve the Commission’s Work Programme.

The Committee considered its Work Programme, and the following was noted:

·      The Work Programme was included in the agenda pack, for information and discussion.

·      Two items had been received via the Chair of OSMB’s request for members to submit work programme items which were:

·      A request for an update on the Children’s Capital of Culture with a focus on the potential impact and legacy. Members were advised that this update could be held as a workshop.

·      The second request was to look at the changes to the children's centre outreach team and the lack of key hubs in certain areas of the borough. The service advised that this was ward specific and related to a specific contract, therefore a written response was suggested for this.

·      Health Select Commission had arranged a workshop to look at the revised Unpaid Carers Strategy, ahead of Cabinet. Members of the Commission were invited to join the workshop as the strategy included young carers. The invite for the workshop and further details were circulated via email.

·      The LINK Officer for the Commission asked members to consider adding an update on the Prevention of Future Death Reports to the work programme for November, as the report had been received.

·      The LINK Officer for the Commission asked members to consider adding an update on educational attainment to the 2025-2026 work programme.

·      Members were asked to send any potential suggestions for the work programme to the Chair and Governance Advisor.

Resolved: - That the Work Programme for 2025/2026 be approved.

For the Chair/Project Group Leads to provide an update on the activity regarding sub and project groups of the Improving Lives Select Commission.

The Chair provided a progress report on sub and project group activity, during which the following was noted:

·      A bespoke trauma training session was held in August with members of the Commission, which was an informative session and was well attended by members.

·      The member and democratic panel which approved the training request had requested feedback from the session. Members who attended the session were asked to provide feedback via email to the Governance Advisor.

Resolved: - That the update be noted.

To consider any item(s) the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There was no urgent business.