Agenda item

To receive an update on achievements made against the theme of ‘Giving Children and Young People the Best Start in Life’, to review and agree priorities and actions and describe proposed amendments for the remaining period of the strategy and review indicators to measure progress against this theme.

Members received an update on achievements made against the theme of ‘Giving Children and Young People the Best Start in Life’, to review and agree priorities and actions and describe proposed amendments for the remaining period of the strategy and review indicators to measure progress against this theme.  The report was presented by Jon Lawler, Consultant in Public Health and Graham Reiter, Director of Children, Young People and Families.

The following key points were raised:-

•       This theme had three priorities with actions included to achieve them

•       Education

•       Ensuring Children were safe and supported

•       Supporting positive lifestyle and social choices

•       Details of national indicators and progress against them were shown.  It was important to note that the national indicators did not show the whole story for Northumberland and could mask inequalities.  Local information was more up to date and relevant.

•       Narrative and qualitative indicators for each priority were shown.

•       Covid-19 had had an impact such as disrupting education, impacting mental health and wellbeing, safeguarding and school readiness.  There was also a disproportionate impact on existing inequalities.  The current cost of living crisis was compounding the impact of Covid-19.

•       By way of refreshing the theme, it was proposed to rename it ‘Starting and Growing Up Well’ in order to reflect whole of childhood, adolescence and early adulthood.

•       Proposed actions for each priority were listed.

•       Members’ comments were welcomed.

A number of comments were made, including

•       The refreshed terms within the report, were welcomed as being more meaningful and relevant.  Also, active language rather than passive and the inclusion of physical health were welcomed.

•       It was important to consider who was best placed to carry out various roles

•       It was sobering to see that in some areas progress had been backwards.  Understanding communities and which ones had the biggest gaps in terms of inequalities was crucial.  The workforce must be flexed to be where it could make the most impact. 

•       Family Hubs were a locality-based partnership working along with the community voluntary sector such as Thriving Together.  Work could be done to enhance statutory services and links with those.

•       Confidence and self-esteem in young people needed to be built in as it had been hampered by Covid-19.  This also related to physical health and wellbeing.  Young people could be over dependent on modern technology leading to social isolation.

•       There was a whole joined up system to ensure that children and young people were prepared for the place of work.  They would go on to become employees and employers in Northumberland.

•       The trend for unintentional and deliberate injuries to children was increasing.  From a safeguarding perspective, there had been a national increase during Covid-19 due to the lack of accessibility to children during that period.  In Northumberland there had been an increase in the number of incidents reported to Ofsted and these were subject to a rapid review.  It was noted that there were not large numbers of cases.

•       National published data was dependent on how incidents were coded at a local level and local practice. It was noted that there were stringent rules nationally regarding hospital coding.  North Tyneside’s data was similar, and it may be that work could be done to help understand this data more.

•       There was no mention of children who were missing from home or from Council care.  It would be useful to track this and look at the risks which could arise from these episodes.  This would be monitored by the Safeguarding Partnership.

•       Work regarding mental health was welcomed.  Further work was being carried out within the Northumbria Trust regarding its adult and children’s mental health services.  Using the inequalities lens would also be useful.

•       Careful use of language and specific terms was crucial to encourage engagement with the wider voluntary and community sector.  Specific example was to move away from the term ‘whole system’ and instead use simpler language such as collective responsibility.

•       Regarding physical health, some indicators such as around asthma which contributed to the reasons why some children did not go to school and the inequalities in those areas.  Linked to Core 20 plus five.

•       Challenge regarding where we want to be in five years time and what would ‘good’ look like at that time. This would become the first five years of the 20 year generational ambitions of the emerging County Plan.

RESOLVEDthat

(1)    the achievements described in the report be noted.

(2)    The proposed amendments to the name of this theme, priorities and associated actions be agreed.