Issue - meetings

Report by the Director of Children’s Services

17.1     The Coalition Government announced in March 2015 additional funding for CAMHs services. Following on from this announcement, NHS England produced guidance for Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) requesting they produce and submit transformation plans by 16 October 2015.  As there is a long history of East Sussex County Council working closely with its local NHS partners over mental health, it was agreed a single East Sussex Plan should by drawn up by the Children’s Services Department and then submitted to the CCGs for consideration.  This draft Plan, which was attached to the report for the Committee’s attention, details the ways in which the additional money could be spent by the CCGs.   The Committee were also informed that work is being undertaken to develop a performance management framework to help ensure that the additional funding is spent effectively.

17.2     The Committee welcomed the report and asked for clarification on the items listed below.

• Increase in Perinatal Mental Health Services.  It was clarified to the Committee that the increase in perinatal mental health services refers to the support offered to women who suffer from post-natal depression.   As things stand resources for this support are stretched.  The Hastings and Rother CCG are therefore providing some additional funding as part of their inequalities programme.   This will then be reviewed with the intention that the learnings from this programme will help inform a whole county approach.    It was confirmed that although the funding for post-natal depression is ostensibly for supporting the mother, such support directly benefits the child.   This is because post-natal depression may negatively affect a mother’s ability to form an attachment with their child, which in turn may impact negatively on the child’s development and well-being.    

• Transition arrangements.  The Committee asked for more detail about the measures in place to assist children in their transition to adulthood with regard to mental health services.    In response the Department acknowledged that this is an area where more work is required.   As a result it is hoped a drop-in centre in Hastings for 14 to 25 year olds will be helpful in terms of piloting different approaches for supporting young people.    Another piece of work being undertaken in this area relates to developing a possible social impact bond.  The bond would be used to invest in young people who experience trauma in childhood.

17.3     RESOLVED:  - To note the report.