Report to:

East Sussex Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC)

 

Date of meeting:

 

18 September 2025

By:

Deputy Chief Executive

 

Title:

Children and Young People mental health update

 

Purpose:

To provide the Committee with an update on services for Children and Young People’s Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health in East Sussex.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Committee is recommended to:

1)    consider and comment on the report; and

 

2)    identify if there are any areas it wishes to scrutinise further and add to the future work programme.

1.            Background

1.1.        The Committee has a long-standing interest in mental health services for Children and Young People (CYP) and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).

1.2.        The HOSC last considered a report providing an overview of Children and Young People’s Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health services, which includes CAMHS specialist services, at its meeting on 29 June 2023. This report provided an update on the areas requested by the HOSC at its 22 September 2022 meeting on CAMHS, with particular emphasis on the mental health transformation plan, progress on managing increased need and reducing waiting times for CAHMS, the neurodevelopmental pathway, and mental health support in schools.

1.3.        The Sussex Health and Integrated Care System agreed a five-year strategy in 2022; building on existing Health and Wellbeing strategies to transform the health system through encouraging joined-up and partnership working. This enables staff to more effectively address health inequalities by enabling access to services, reduce waiting times, and improve health outcomes. These programmes of work are overseen by the Sussex Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Delivery Board, and reports to the Sussex Children and Young Peoples board.

1.4.        This report provides an overview of the children and young people’s mental health service provision in East Sussex alongside an overview of the two associated system wide transformation programmes for children and young people’s mental health and all age neurodevelopmental pathway, as well as an overview of CAHMS activity and waiting times. This work is being done within the local and national context of an increase in the emotional and mental health needs of children and young people, which has meant significant increases in people needing these services. 

 

2.            Supporting information

2.1.        The report, which is attached as Appendix 1 provides the requested overview on children and young people’s mental health service provision, including CAHMS. It has been prepared by the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT), NHS Sussex and East Sussex County Council. It covers:

·         An overview of the local context and key insights in Sussex

·         Service provision in East Sussex, including MHSTs in schools and CAHMS

·         Service activity, including neurodevelopmental services

·         Waiting times

·         Feedback and outcomes

·         An outline of the Sussex Children and Young People Transformation Programme, an update on its priorities and services

 

3.         Conclusion and reasons for recommendations

3.1       The HOSC is recommended to note the report and consider whether there are any areas it wishes to scrutinise further and add to the future work programme.

 

PHILIP BAKER
Deputy Chief Executive

Contact Officer: Rachael Bellew, Scrutiny and Policy Support Officer
Tel. No. 01273 336280
Email: rachael.bellew@eastsussex.gov.uk