Reason for the decision:
Research has shown the importance and need to improve awareness and understanding of low to moderate perinatal mental health and extending the reach of this across the family hub workforce is invaluable. This links with parent infant relationships so improving knowledge and understanding of this with the family hub workforce is of equal importance.
Currently there is no service in Kent which provides a parent infant relationship specialist intervention however it is highly probable that this is required as ‘Around 15% of children in the general population have a disorganised attachment with their primary caregiver.’
The proposal to use the Family Hub Grant Funding to develop and improve activity to deliver Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Infant Relationship Interventions provides an opportunity to increase workforce capability and capacity to extend the reach of low to moderated perinatal mental health and parent infant relationship support, raise awareness of support available for these individuals with low to moderate perinatal mental health and delivery of parent infant relationship interventions.
Options Considered and Discarded:
A targeted approach in a small geography was initially considered but discarded as this could create inequities in the provision of support.
How the proposed decision supports the Council’s Strategy 2022-26:
This service contributes to ‘Priority 1: Levelling up Kent’ of the Framing Kent’s Future Our Council Strategy 2022-2026’ as providing additional support for families at the start of life of their infant’s life is a preventative approach of improving the populations health and narrowing health inequalities.
Data Protection Implications:
The scoping of a business case for a service offering parent infant relationship interventions to be delivered is in progress. A Data Protection Impact Assessment process will be undertaken at the point in procurement when a service provider is identified.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Affects more than two Electoral Divisions;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Notice of proposed decision first published: 30/08/2023
Decision due: Not before 22nd Sep 2023 by Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health
Reason: In order that the proposed decision can be published for a minimum of 28 days, in accordance with statutory requirements.
Lead member: Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health
Lead director: Dr Anjan Ghosh
Contact: Wendy Jeffreys, Consultant in Public Health 03000 416310 Email: wendy.jeffreys@kent.gov.uk.
Consultees
The proposed decision was considered at the Health Reform and Public Health Cabinet Committee on 5 September 2023.
Financial implications: To support the delivery of the Family Hub Transformation Programme, KCC is receiving a grant of £3,051,809 from the Department for Education (DfE) to March 2025 which is to support system transformation through work-force development and supporting development of new services. This funding relates to the financial year 2023-2024, including rollover from year 1 and the allocation for financial year 2024/2025.
Legal implications: The Council will enter into a number of contractual agreements to support delivery in line with Spending the Council's Money and Public Contract Regulations 2015.
Equalities implications: A draft Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Infant Relationships family hub Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) identified potential emotional and regulation needs may impact upon access and communication in regards to Perinatal Mental health and Parent Infant Relationships, which could be mitigated through assurance of up-to-date awareness and understanding of autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in any service provider organisation. The EqIA identified that different races have other ways of ‘feeling’ and expressing emotional mental health needs which is being mitigated by including this difference in training on Perinatal Mental Health and can be further developed by encouraging the workforce to listen to the cues and enable individuals to articulate their needs, which may be presented as physical symptoms.