Agenda item

The Children First Board, being accountable to the West Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board, as a sub-group of the Board, will provide a formal update at its quarterly public meetings.

29.1   The Assistant Director (Early Help & Children’s Social Care) provided a formal update on the Children First Board, being accountable to the West Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board, as a sub-group of the Board.

29.2   Members were reminded that the Children First Board is made up of a wide range of West Sussex organisations and groups including young people, parent, carers and others who look after children on a daily basis. It also comprised of members from practitioners, officers of the County Council; people elected to represent the views of the people of West Sussex, Districts and Boroughs, schools, colleges, police, health partners, and representatives from the voluntary and community sector.  The voice of young people was noted as being provided through four young people on the Board with the Board’s vice-chair also being a young person.

29.3   Since its last report to the Health and Wellbeing Board the Children First Board had been working on the development and production of a Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP). Following a twelve week consultation process  (April 2022 - June 2022) a number of important changes were made to the draft plan and incorporated into the final version. The plan would now focus on five priorities noted as:

1.   Keeping children and young people safe from harm

2.   Providing the earliest support to families on low incomes to minimise the impact this has on their lives

3.   Closing the disadvantage gap for children and young people across all key stages

4.   Improving children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing

5.   Strengthening multi- agency approach to identifying and meeting the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

29.4   It was informed that the final plan would be made available in an electronic format in the first instance, so it could be circulated and accessed virtually. It would then be put into a range of formats so it would be accessible to all.

29.5   The last meeting of the Children First Board, held on 17 October 2022, received an update on the Children and Young People Plan as well as receiving reports on the progress being made on emotional health and wellbeing and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

29.6   In receiving the report members asked how the Children First Board would be responding to the Cost of Living Crisis. It was answered that this was seen as a priority and joined up work, between partners, was taking place to support families whilst also addressing poverty. The primary focus was taking place at local level and the Children First Board was being kept informed.  The Assistant Director (Communities) confirmed that all partners were working hard to ensure a collaborative approach at a local level. One example was where direct feedback from schools was being used. Free holiday club places were being made available over the school Christmas holidays for children who receive means-tested free school meals; 41 organisations are assisting with delivery of the Holiday Activity and Food programme (HAF) across the county, with a wide range of activities on offer, and each child given a meal for every day they take part. Separate to the HAF programme the County Council was also providing a £15 supermarket food voucher to eligible families, which would support over 17,500 children in West Sussex.

29.7   Resolved – that

i.   the content of this report be noted; and

ii.  the key message from the Children First SEND group, ensuring that all stakeholders are fully aware that children’s special educational needs can be met at SEND Support rather than through an Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) and that children and young people with EHCPs can have their needs met in mainstream schools and don’t necessarily need specialist provision, be promoted.