Decision details

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.

As Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services, I agree to:

APPROVE the development and improvement activity to deliver Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Infant Relationships Interventions

a)    APPROVE the development and improvement activity to deliver Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Infant Relationships Interventions

b)    APPROVE the required expenditure, via the Family Hub Grant Funding (£3,051,809 – expires 2025) and, subject to evaluation and availability of funds the Public Health Grant (post March 2025), to deliver and sustain this activity for up to two years beyond the Family Hub Grant period – total service period – 2023 – 2025 with the potential for 2 x 1 year extensions;

c)    DELEGATE authority to the Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, to exercise relevant contract extensions and enter into relevant contracts or legal agreements; and

d)    DELEGATE authority to the Director of Public Health, to take other necessary actions, including but not limited to allocating resources, expenditure, and entering into contracts and other legal agreements, as required to implement the decision.