Agenda item

Cabinet Member – Councillor Dilwyn Morgan

To consider a report on the above  (attached).

A report was submitted providing Members with an update on the implementation progress of the 'A Healthier Wales' (Children) Transformation Programme in Gwynedd. Members were reminded that 'A Healthier Wales' was Welsh Government's long term scheme for health and social care, published in 2018 in response to the Parliamentary Review of Health and Social Care. In relation to the Healthier Wales Scheme, there was an action plan, arranged in the form of a national programme of transformation and supported by the Transformation Fund. It was added that the North Wales Regional Partnership Board had responded to 'A Healthier Wales', securing resources from the transformation fund for four fields of work. It was highlighted that one of those fields was Transforming Integrated Early Intervention and Intensive Support for Children and Young People. An update was provided on the programme's main work streams.

-       Piloting of the 'Effective Child Protection' model - the pilot was operational in Gwynedd only, in an attempt to ensure that child protection practices were effective. The other north Wales regions were eager to see whether the project was successful

-       The Intensive Support Multi-disciplinary Team - the establishment of a team across Gwynedd and Anglesey to ensure support for a small percentage of families who would benefit from intensive intervention due to complex needs

-       Early Support Hub - work was ongoing to develop the Hub, which had already drawn together the Children's Social Services Admissions Team, the Information for Families Team and the Team around the Family. The hub would use one procedure for admission, assessment and referral, and would be a gateway for information, early support, preventative services, care and safeguarding.

-       Children and Young People's Mental Health and Emotional Well-being - this work stream was being led by Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board. The first meeting of the Steering Group, arranged for January, had been postponed.

It was reported that the work streams supported by designated Project Managers reported to the North Wales Children and Young People Transformation Group.

During the discussion, the following observations were made by Members:-

·      That postponing the Children and Young People's Mental Health and Emotional Well-being Steering Group was unacceptable, given the importance of the field

·      There was a concern that Council services would have to fill the gap if the Health Board did not provide services

·      There was a need to ensure that the effective child protection model continued beyond the pilot period.

In response to a concern regarding the fact that the first meeting of the Children and Young People's Mental Health and Emotional Well-being Steering Group had been postponed, it was noted that it was a challenging situation in terms of delivering the right service for children, and that it was the Steering Group's intention to have open discussions with the Health Board to improve the provision.

In response to an observation regarding the effective child protection model, it was noted that the work would continue as it was led by the Service's internal arrangements. It was added that Gwynedd would be launching a good practice model, and that the practice would be cascaded to the entire service over the coming year.

The service was thanked for its work

RESOLVED to receive an update in 12 months' time