A report providing the Committee with an outline of the emotional and mental health services for children and young people in Reading.

The Director of Children’s Services, Brighter Futures for Children (BFfC), submitted a report providing the Committee with an outline of the emotional and mental health services for children and young people in Reading.  A chart setting out the systems wide response to improving mental health outcomes for children and young people was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report explained that services in Reading were promoting a whole system framework of care, moving away from a specialist single agency mental health response, to a partnership approach with a shared vision, and working together on prevention, early help and building resilience.  This inter-professional collaboration and coproduction would support a cultural change in the language used, the way in which systems and agencies worked together, and the way in which children, young people and their families accessed support, care and treatment.

The report outlined initiatives that were in place or being developed, which together were building the systems response that was needed to improve mental health services and outcomes.  These included:

·         Reading – a Trauma Informed Community – working with schools, governors, children and young people, families/carers, communities and Health to improve knowledge and understanding of trauma;

·         Appointment of a Trauma Informed Practitioner – to ensure trauma informed practice was embedded across BFfC, Social Care and partners;

·         Reading Schools Link Mental Health Project – 90% of schools in Reading were involved in this project focusing on a stepped care approach;

·         The Trailblazer: Mental Health Support Teams in Schools - a multi-disciplinary Mental Health Support Team to provide support to pupils aged 5-16 years;

·         Therapeutic Thinking Schools – training for schools and other partners on an approach to behaviour management that aimed to reduce the risk of exclusions by ensuring the right support for children in the right place;

·         Therapeutic Thinking Schools Support Team.

The report concluded that Reading had a comprehensive offer for children and young people’s mental health.  The service was ambitious but had a maturity of approach which had been recognised both nationally and locally, with several local authorities seeking support to implement similar work. Services continued to work closely with parents/carers, children and young people in developing the offer, and a new data analysis system would be implemented to provide regular reports on impacts and outcomes.

Resolved –    That the report be noted.