Agenda item

Dame Andrea Leadsom DBE MP to attend

The Chair introduced the report which looked at The best start for life: a vision for the 1,001 critical days, which set out six key actions to improve health outcomes in the period between conception to two years of age.

The Chair welcomed Dame Andrea Leadsom MP, who is leading the review and attended the Board meeting to provide an update and hear from members about key areas of concern, areas of good practice, and how best to support councils with this agenda.

Dame Andrea Leadsom DBE MP informed the Board of the six key actions areas:

·       Seamless support for families: a coherent joined up Start for Life offer available to all families.

A welcoming hub for families: Family Hubs as a place for families to access Start for Life services.

·       The information families need when they need it: designing digital, virtual and telephone offers around the needs of the family, including digitising the personal child health record, commonly known as the ‘red book’.

·       An empowered Start for Life workforce: developing a modern skilled workforce to meet the changing needs of families.

·       Continually improving the Start for Life offer: improving data, evaluation, outcomes and proportionate inspection.

·       Leadership for change: ensuring local and national accountability and building the economic case.

The following question were put forward to the Board:

·       Were there any particular thoughts on what Start for Life could do to help local authorities in building their own Start for Life services?

·       How do families in your local authority’s access Start for Life services?

·       Who could be the single leader in your local authority responsible for Start for Life services?

·       Are there barriers to delivering support through digital channels?

·       How are you evaluating and inspecting Start for Life services in your area?

·       Do you offer birth registration outside of registry offices?

Following the presentation and discussion, Members made the following comments:

·       Members welcomed the digitalisation of the ‘red book’ and agreed that the lack of communication between professionals needed to be improved.

·       Members raised how non-traditional families would be catered for within the plan. Dame Andrea responded that non-traditional families were a core part of the review and specifically have tried to identify a range of family types.

·       Members commented if the funding for services would be ring fenced, as it was crucial to understand where the funding and resources were coming from. Also, the digitalisation of services included in the review needed to consider that during the COVID-19 pandemic digital connectivity especially within education highlighted that not all families had access to smart phones, tablets or laptops. Dame Andrea replied that within some councils people have said their local Sure Start hours weren’t convenient and wanted the convenience of being able to join virtual groups online to get support and advice. Ring fencing funding would be down to individual local authorities but would not be advised except where there might be a specific task e.g., publishing Start for Life offer.

·       Members asked  what the transition would be from early years into child mental health services within their local authorities and adult mental health services supporting parents.

·       Members raised that local authorities should be given the opportunity to spend funding in the best way they can for their locality and not mandated.

·       Members commented that the role of public health needed to be clearer moving forward including the funding, they could have a greater role of pulling together a much wider view than just statutory services. Flexibility was key as this would allow innovation and better fit around local need. Andrea replied that flexibility was a fundamental aspect of the review, allowing local authorities to be able to influence and learn from each other.

The Chair thanked Dame Andrea Leadsom DBE MP for attending the meeting and sharing an informative presentation with the Board. 

Decision:

            Members of the Children and Young People Board noted the report.

Action:

·       Officers to continue to engage with the review team and identify ongoing opportunities for councillors to share their expertise and insight.