Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence and notification of any substitutes present

1) Apologies were received from Jane Cribbon who was represented by Pam Brivio as a substitute.

To receive any declarations of interest made by Members in relation to any matter on the agenda.  Members are reminded to specify the agenda item number to which it refers and the nature of the interest being declared

1) There were no declarations of interest from Members.

To consider and approve the minutes as a correct record.

1) The minutes were agreed as a correct record.

To note the minutes.

1) Members noted the minutes from the January Corporate Parenting Panel meeting.

To receive a verbal update from the Cabinet Members for Specialist Children’s Services and Adult Social Care and Public Health, the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing and the Director of Public Health.

1) Mr Oakford, gave the following verbal updates;

a)    In regards to UASC there has been a large drop in arrivals in recent months.

b)    He informed members that he would be attending an LGA refugee and migration meeting in the near future and that there has been further positive progress on the development of a national dispersal programme.

c)    That the Local Children’s Partnership Groups were now formed and their grants all submitted.

d)    Members were also informed that a letter detailing the recent Social Mobility and Grammar Schools Select Committee's conclusions would be circulated to for their information. 

2) Andrew Ireland, Corporate Director for Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, gave the following verbal updates;

a)    He ensured members that every effort is being made to stress to the Government that UASC arrivals could increase dramatically again and that Kent will need support to respond to this.

b)    He informed members that he had been involved in constructive conversation with other local authorities on further developing Adult Services and their capacity to work more closely with Early Help Services.

c)    He informed the Committee that a new Assistant Director of Corporate Parenting had been recruited.

3) Mr Gibbens, gave the following verbal updates;

a)    He had attended the LGA annual Public Health conference on 3 February and shared in a presentation on suicide and its impact.

b)    He had also attended an Arts and Recovery Festival on 23 February where he participated in very interesting discussion with those recovering from addiction who had been affected since they were minors.

c)    Members were informed that there had a recent an LGA sub-committee health and wellbeing board where they discussed physical activity for children, using play areas efficiently and child obesity.

d)    In response to a concern raised Mr Gibbens assured members he would write to the Rt Hon. Greg Clark to emphasise their view that efficient use on play areas should be codified in planning law.

4) Andrew Scott-Clark, Corporate Director of Public Health, gave the following verbal updates;

a)    He informed members he had also attended the recent LGA conference with Mr Gibbens and had been made aware of the new tobacco control strategy being put together by the Minister of Public Health.

b)    In regards to the ‘Sugar Tax’ he confirmed to members that revenue raised from this is spent on schools, sports and further education.

c)    He also informed members that he has been appointed representative for the South East on the Association of Directors of Public Health.

To receive a report presenting an overview of the work undertaken to date regarding the planned re-commissioning of school based universal and targeted emotional health and wellbeing services. 

1) Samantha Bennett, Public Health Consultant, introduced the report giving an overview to members of the work undertaken regarding the planned re-commissioning of school based universal and targeted emotional health and wellbeing services. Ms Bennett also gave the following information;

a)    A lack of capacity in emotional health and wellbeing services was identified and this strategy will assist in responding to that.

b)    A review of Public Health Services had been undertaken as well as a public consultation. The most prevalent issue raised during the consultation was emotional health in both Primary and Secondary schools.

c)    This strategy would establish a visible and well promoted school public health service that will work within schools to both support and advise them on emotional health and wellbeing.

d)    Support and resources for this would also be available to parents.

e)    Under this new strategy all children would undergo key assessment points for emotional health at reception, Year 6 and Year 10.

2) In regards to a question raised Ms Bennett confirmed that capacity will not increase a great deal but strategies, such as mixed skill groups, will enable cases to be progressed more efficiently.

3) Mrs Allen shared with Members that she had heard a very interesting debate from the Kent Youth County Council on the difference in behaviour and attitudes toward emotional and mental health between Boy and Girls. The Youth County Council went into further depth of the gender imbalance and had discussed how Girls were noticeably more likely to be willing to seek help and someone to discuss their problems than Boys. They had also discussed how self-harming was far more common among Girls and suicide amongst Boys.

4) A view was expressed that this report should not be included as a B item on the agenda.

5) Mr Gibbens, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, explained the Young Healthy Minds would be extended as a part of the decision in item B2 and had been considered a B item for this reason.

6) RESOLVED that the Children’s Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee considered the information in the report and commented.

To receive a report that builds on the previous report to committee (January 2016) detailing the initial review undertaken to inform commissioning of Public Health services for children and young people. The report also proposes an extension of the existing contracts for core Public Health services for children and young people, by six months in order to allow time to develop these opportunities in more detail and enable effective integration opportunities before a procurement exercise commences.

1) Karen Sharp, Head of Public Health Commissioning, introduced the item that builds on the previous report to committee (January 2016) detailing the initial review undertaken to inform commissioning of Public Health services for children and young people. Mrs Sharp explained the review focused in particular on health visiting services.

2) In response to views expressed and questions raised Mrs Sharp gave the following information;

a)    That following the results of the review a number of indicators showed low performance. Mrs Sharp confirmed this commissioning was considered an excellent opportunity to improve health visiting services.

b)    That it was her view that the proposal aligns contract end dates in such a way that has enabled sufficient review work.

c)    Performance in some of these areas has been captured in item D2 ‘Public Health Performance – Children and Young People’. Mrs Sharp confirmed this would be returning for every meeting of the Children’s Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee.

3) After further discussion it was agreed that a report providing an update on the Public Health Transformation would be included in the Work Programme to come to the July meeting of the Children’s Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee.

4) RESOLVED that the Children’s Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee endorsed the proposed decision to extend the existing contracts for Health Visiting, School Public Health and Young Healthy Minds services until April 2017.

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services and the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing an update on the planned procurement of the children and young people’s mental health service.

1) Thom Wilson, Head of Strategic Commissioning (Children’s), introduced the report providing members with an update on the planned procurement of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Service. Mr Wilson confirmed that this had been heavily scrutinised at Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

2) Mr Wilson explained to members that West Kent had proposed Kent County Council should go into collaborative dialogue with them.

3) Mr Wilson indicated to members that there were clearly workforce issues in mental health services. The strategic focus will be on utilising the available workforce as much as possible. 

4) Mr Ireland, Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, emphasised to members that the contract will be an NHS contract.

5) RESOLVED that the Children's Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee note the report.

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services, the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing and the Corporate Director of Education and Young People’s Services highlighting areas of the EYPS Business Plan that relate to SCS.

1)    Florence Kroll, Director of Early Help and Preventative Services, introduced the report and gave an overview of the draft. She explained to members that the final version would be published in May.

2)    RESOLVED that the Children’s Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee note the report.

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services and the Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, outlining progress against targets set for key performance and activity indicators.

1) Maureen Robinson, MI Service Manager, introduced the Specialist Children’s Services Performance Dashboard to members. Members were also reminded that two scorecards were being maintained, one of which included the impact of UASC.

2) Philip Segurola, Director of Specialist Children’s Services, explained that some performance indicators from last year were still skewed by the unprecedented increase in UASC arriving in Kent.

3) RESOLVED that the Children’s Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee took note of the report.

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and the Director of Public Health, giving an overview of the performance of Public Health commissioned services for children and young people.

1) Karen Sharp, introduced a report giving an overview of the performance of Public Health commissioned services for children and young people. She also raised concerns on health visiting targets and ensured Members that a performance plan was in place to respond to these concerns.

2) Mr Gibbens ensured Members that Child Health and Wellbeing Boards were taking child measurement very seriously and that plans in response to this would be being produced by all Health and Wellbeing Boards.

3) RESOLVED that the Children's Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee note the report.

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member of Children’s Specialist Services and the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing that presents the Social Care, Health and Wellbeing draft Business Plan (Appendix 1 to this paper), which is the directorate-level business plan for 2016/17. The paper also sets out the agreed business planning process for 2016/17.

1) Michael Thomas-Sam, Strategic Business Adviser (SCHWB,) introduced the report on the draft Social Care, Health and Wellbeing Directorate Business Plan. He explained to Members that it would also be available on Knet.

2) RESOLVED that the Children’s Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee considered and took note of the report.

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member of Specialist Children’s Services and the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing presenting the strategic risks relating to the Social Care Health and Wellbeing Directorate. It also includes the risks on the Corporate Risk Register for which the Corporate Director is the designated ‘risk owner’.  The paper also explains the management process for review of key risks. 

1) Anthony Mort, Customer Care and Operations Manager, introduced the annual Risk Management report.

2) Andrew Ireland, Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, gave further information on the report. He explained that the increased risk in the register from previous versions was to reflect specific issues such as the impact of last years unprecedented increase in UASC, increasing pressure on the budget and any resulting issues of sustainability. He confirmed that his Directorate felt the need to increase the risk profile going forward.

3) RESOLVED that the Children’s Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee considered and noted the report.

To receive a report from the Head of Democratic Services on the Committee’s work programme.

1) It was confirmed that a report for the July meeting on the progress of health visiting and the Public Health Transformation would be included on the Work Programme.

2) The Chairman suggested that bringing performance monitoring reports to an earlier stage on the meeting could be beneficial in future meetings.

3) RESOLVED that the Children’s Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee agreed the Work Programme.