Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the extraordinary meeting held on 15 October 2013.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 15 October 2013 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

No declarations of interest were made.

Representatives of partner organisations have been invited to the meeting to provide a summary of their work in so far as it relates to children and young people’s mental health and work in educational settings. These organisations include:-

·         Beacon Counselling

·         Educational Psychology Services

·         Jigsaw Service

·         A representative of secondary schools

·         A representative of Pupil Referral Units

·         Stockport College

A copy of report by Beacon Counselling on their engagement with Service Users and copy of their latest schools newsletter are enclosed as background information.

The Chair welcomed to the meeting representatives from a range of organisations and invited them to provide the Scrutiny Committee with an overview of their work in relation to children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

Beacon Counselling - James Harper, General Manager

The following issues were highlighted:-

·         Beacon had been operating for 30 years, focussing mainly on adult counselling, but in 1996 started to work in secondary schools.

·         The organisation worked with approximately 450 young people, mostly in educational settings, but also through outreach work.

·         Support was provided to those with low level needs and those struggling with challenging life events.

·         Beacon had a focus on developing coping skills for young people and ensuring they had resilience.

Primary Sector (High Lane Primary) – Judith Morris, Head Teacher

The following issues were highlighted:-

·         A whole school focus on developing basic life skills through Personal, Social and Health Education (PHSE) and Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) and embedding this within a broad range of curriculum areas.

·         The school employed a number of initiatives to support this work, such as ‘worry wallets’, ‘safety maps’ peer support, ‘Buddy Bus stops’, as well as ensuring pupils felt empowered and confident to raise concerns.

Secondary Sector (The Kingsway School) – Jane Maxey, Head of Lower School

The following issues were highlighted:-

·         Personal wellbeing was given the same priority as learning.

·         Important to engage parents.

·         Provision of onsite counsellors, aligned to need and not time limited. Waiting lists were managed and no pupil was turned away.

·         Close work with Behaviour Support Unit and dedicated social workers to respond quickly to emerging problems.

·         Student mentoring and peer monitoring used, particularly around transition.

Further Education Sector (Stockport College) – Susan Hartley, Mental Health Support Coordinator

The following issues were highlighted:-

·         Dedicated team to support student wellbeing, including counsellors, wellbeing practioners, to address a range of physical and mental wellbeing issues.

·         A responsive service with short waiting lists due to dedicated team.

·         Wellbeing agenda embedded within student services and close work with other support areas to provide assistance with issues such as housing and benefits.

National Health Schools Standard - Tanya Cross, Operational Leader, Stockport Council

The following issues were highlighted:-

·         Work with schools to train staff and develop resources to help embed wellbeing in the curriculum and in particular to enhance PSHE.

·         Emphasis given to equipping young people with skills to cope and be resilient.

Behaviour Support Service – Janette Braithwaite, Head Teacher

The following issues were highlighted:-

·         Approximately 1500 referrals ‘on the books’ at any one time for the Service. Inevitably a high proportion of those will involve mental health issues.

·         Use the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) tool. This was no longer a government priority and so there was concern that the agenda would lose its impetus.

·         Success with developing restorative approaches in schools to change the ethos to focus on repairing harm rather than focussing on punishment and blame.

·         Primary Jigsaw Service was an education based multiagency team who took referrals from schools and CAMHS panel. In 2012-13 there were 298 referrals, 150 from schools, 137 from CAMHS and 11 from other agencies. They did 221 assessments and interventions, representing a 22% increase from the previous year.

·         Gaps and areas of concern included pressures on resources and funding; difficulties in engaging with hard to reach parents; lack of interventions for attachment issues.

Pupil Referral Unit (Pendlebury Centre) – Janice Cahill, Head Teacher

The following issues were highlighted:-

·         Service involved with those pupils at risk of exclusion and who had been excluded.

·         The Centre provided mental health interventions through its Cedar Unit, which were more intensive interventions for those with Tier 2/3 mental health need.

·         Work was also undertaken with those pupils with medical conditions that kept them out of school and in hospital.

·         There was an increasing awareness of mental health issues connected to young people involved with the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To consider  a report of the Director of Public Health.

The report sets out ideas for promoting mental wellbeing amongst children, young people and families, in particular through school, and the role of the Public Health Team in these efforts.

Officer contact: Duncan Weldrake/ Catherine Johnson,  0161 474 2443/ 2446, Duncan.weldrake@stockport.gov.uk / Catherine.johnson@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Director of Public Health submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) summarising activity undertaken by the Public Health service in promoting wellbeing of children, young people and families and where there was scope to enhance and support work already being undertaken by partners.

The following issues were discussed:-

·         Importance of prevention, and the role of the health visitor in supporting parents when issues first presented. There was only so much any school could do if their efforts were not supported/ undermined at home. The work at an AGMA level on troubled families may assist for those with very high need.

·         The role of parent support advisers in schools was discussed and the scope for schools to buy-in such services, perhaps jointly to minimise the cost to each school.

·         Training was key to ensure staff in schools and other settings involving young people were able to refer and signpost appropriately and early.  Discussion earlier in the meeting to increasing the amount of training on pastoral support as part of the teacher training programme was welcomed.

·         The relatively low levels of young people from Stockport in Tier 4 services was an indication of the good work being done at Tier 3 and enhancing this through integration with Tier 2 should bear further fruit.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.