Agenda item

Presentation by Dr. Richard Cullen

Dr. Richard Cullen, CCG, and Karla Capstick, Lead Officer Aim 1, gave the following powerpoint presentation:-

Aim 1 – All children get the best start in life

Objectives

-          Improve emotional health and wellbeing for children and young people

-          Improve health outcomes for children and young people through integrated commissioning and service delivery

-          Ensure children and young people are healthier and happier

Issues

-          Development in the early years (including in the womb) can have a lifelong impact on health and wellbeing

-          In Rotherham average 3,000 births each year – too many are not getting the best start

-          In Rotherham % of children living in poverty is higher than national and regional averages

-          More than 1/6 of babies are born to mothers who smoke or drink alcohol during pregnancy

-          Breastfeeding rates and time spent breastfeeding is shorter than national average

-          Rotherham has higher than regional and national average levels of tooth decay in 3 and 5 year olds

Actions to Date

-          Early Help Service – went live January 2016 – integrated previously separate services into 9 Early Help Teams with a ‘team around the community approach’ in partnership with schools, Health including CAMHS, Police, voluntary sector, Housing etc.

-          Single ‘Front Door’ for early help requests for support – includes RMBC, CAMHS, Barnardos Reach Out and Housing Officer

-          Public Health – commissioned an integrated Public Health Service for 0-19 year olds – contract awarded.  Will create opportunities for greater integration with Health and Early Help, joint delivery of services and a shared assessment

-          Paediatrics outreach clinics due to be piloted soon (Dinnington first area)

-          Reinvigorated breastfeeding support offer in partnership with Health, Early Help and building capacity with community volunteers

-          Oral Health Strategy developed in partnership

-          Benefits Cap – awareness raising across the partnership to support those affected by the benefits cap

Shared Strategy – Aim 1 was closely aligned to (shared priorities)

-          The Children and Young People’s Plan – in particular Outcome 1: Children, Young People and their Families are Healthy and Safe from Harm

-          The Rotherham Together Partnership – delivering improvements for local people and communities through the Rotherham Together Partnership Plan

-          The Rotherham Safeguarding Children Board

What we will do

Action 1

-          We will refresh and re-establish a ‘Best Start’ Partnership to include representatives from Health, Early Help, Early Years, Public Health, CCG, Child Development Centre, Disability Services, Education and the voluntary sector

-          The Partnership will develop a Best Start Action Plan and ‘Strategy’ that focuses on: delivering better together; transition points and improved opportunities for co-working, reduced duplication and improving outcomes for children and families

-          The first Partnership Group is scheduled to meet at the end of November/early December 2016 – this session will begin discussions around a shared understanding of ‘Best Start/ and taking frontline staff to consult as part of Action 2

Action 2

-          We will work together to engage Rotherham parents, children and young people and consult fully with them

-          We will consult through frontline practitioners, through social media and other media.  This will commence in January, 2017

-          We will consult, engage and listen to develop a shared understanding of ..

What is ‘a best start in life?’

What do we mean by ‘happier?’

What is ‘emotional health?’

What does ‘school readiness’ look like?

-          This consultation will guide further actions/Strategy of the Best Start Partnership

Action 3

-          Look across the UK (and wider) for examples of innovative practice to see if any of these could be adapted and adopted to work in Rotherham

-          Particular interest and focus will be on the 5 Local Area Partnerships who received additional Big Lottery Funding for ‘Better Start’

-          Explore opportunities for improved use of ICT such as use of digital apps, opportunities to digitise child records etc.

Discussion ensued on the presentation with the following issues raised/highlighted:-

-          There had been a number of “best start” programmes in Rotherham previously; it was proposed that all the professionals in 0-5 and the pre-birth age group be pulled together to ascertain what each provided, avoid duplication and develop 1 action plan that covered the whole 0-5 agenda

-          There was a possible link between the lower breastfeeding rates/lower time spent breastfeeding and the higher oral decay rates

-          Rotherham should have a more innovative approach which includes access to cultural and wellbeing activities along with health and medical services

-          Work was taking place at City Region level around developing a Wellbeing Indicator and looking at the health of people in work and poverty

-          The effects of drinking during pregnancy was not fully understood

-          Public Health were revisiting their smoking cessation and alcohol screening work

-          The Early Help Strategy consultation had gone live

Resolved:-  (1)  That the presentation be noted.

(2)  That Children and Young People’s Services submit proposals to the next Board meeting regarding raising aspirations and addressing the social issues.

Action:  Ian Thomas

(3)  That the Early Help Strategy be circulated to Board Members as part of the consultation process.

Action:-  Kate Green