Agenda item

Councillors received a presentation from Head of Housing & Community Services regarding the current concerning rate of mental health difficulties experienced by young people within the district which has led to three suicides in recent months. It was noted that while the provision of mental health is a WSCC responsibility HDC are able to provide additional services to expand on/compliment these.

HDC have plans to provide additional provisions to young people over the summer holidays including professional counselling where appropriate.  The Council is also working with schools to provide an information card (credit card sized to fit in phone cases or wallets/purses) to be available to young people that will give information on mental health provision.

The Council will also be running drop in centres in HDC parks 2 days a week over the summer as well as a drop in centre at the United Reform Church 3 days a week. Consideration is also being given to wardens running pop up ‘talking tents’ throughout the district to provide a listening ear and signposting to mental health provision.

The Council is working with Allsorts to secure a location to deliver sessions on an ongoing basis. There is also currently plans at the Health and Wellbeing centre to focus on young people’s mental health for the week beginning the 2^nd of August with information for parents and young people with sessions from WSCC Early Help, Allsorts, and Sexual Health resources.

Next steps: There is obvious concern from key partners regarding the mental health of young people in the district which have been presented to the Council, however as HDC does not own the agenda significant change is beyond our scope. The Council will work with partners to assist in identifying gaps in services and lobbying for these to be resolved. The Cabinet Member has a meeting with the local MP to discuss this and other issues.

It was noted that it is important that the Council works with young people to identify services they want and will engage with rather than deciding the services they need for them, without their input.

There was extensive questions and discussion on this item with members expressing their concern for young people and identifying areas where provision can be expanded. There was support for increasing the support given to parents to identify at risk children, however it was noted that provision for children from dysfunctional families must also be considered. Questions were asked about the accessibility of the service and it was noted by the service manager that this needs to go beyond the Council’s website if it is to make an impact on the lives of young people. 

Concern was raised about the current waiting time for mental health provision to young people and a lack of resources/ funding to increase this provision at WSCC. The effect of Social media on mental health was also discussed.

Councillors asked if the Council had a strategy for young people’s Mental health moving forward that clearly defined HDC’s role in the provision of mental health care for young people. Councillors expressed support for the Parents group and there was discussion on how the Council can best support them going forward.