Supporting Children and Young People to Be Healthy

Date: 17th November 2009
Time: 2.30 – 4.30pm
Venue: Boardroom New Century House

Type of meeting: 14th

Attendees:

Shelagh Walton, – School Drug Advisor, Healthy Schools, Tameside MBC
Emma Barker-Clarke, Operational Manager, Tameside YOT
Debbie Bishop, Head of Health & Wellbeing, TMBC/NHS T&G
Bev Connolly, Service Unit Manager - Children with Disabilities, TMBC
Ian Young, Off the Record,
Adrian Holt, Health Schools Coordinator, Tameside MBC
Judith Grigg, AD Children NHS T&G
Tracy Wood, Area Coordinator, TMBC
Gideon Smith, Consultant in Public Health Medicine NHS T&G

Chair: Pat McKelvey, Head of Children’s Strategy and Partnerships, NHS T&G
Minutes

1. Welcome and introductions

Pat welcomed all to the meeting.

2. Apologies

Julie Scrymgeour, Stephen McLaughlin, Alan Bailey, Mathew Benham / Rachel Conner, Geraldine Haughton

3. Minutes of the Last Meeting

The minutes of the last meeting were agreed as a true and correct record.

Matters Arising
Item 3 Youth on Line – Unlikely to be progressed now as the data had not been shared.
Item 5 – LAC Corporate parenting group to take the issue of data collection forward
Item 7 - LifeCheck Discussion around the TeenLife launch and the need to link it to the Health Mentor service launch was held.
Item 8 – Choose Life Choose Health Handbook Consultation had been undertaken with two classes. Results indicated that teachers liked the resource but that pupils hadn’t used it. It was agreed that the booklet should be updated and linked electronically to the TeenLife website and SID to provide local information about services. A small print run could be undertaken, if finances allow for handing out to professionals. 

4. Brought Forward Items

4.1 NI 199 – Play Strategy Update
Liz Hughes talked through the Play Report Card highlighting the elements that are heartening and troubling. She reported that an audit of play areas had indicated that a number needed renovating and that as a borough Tameside had less play areas than other borough (some 30 more are required it they are to be on a par with other boroughs). Other than investment in play areas other priorities include; developing sites for 5-13 year olds, refreshing the play strategy (ensuring that links are made to all relevant areas of work), training of play rangers and volunteers and securing agreement to replace the playground manager post permanently.

Liz also tabled a monitoring grid and asked the group to read through it and to contact her if there were any elements missing.

A discussion ensued. Bev Connolly highlighted the lack of play equipment for CWD. Liz reported that all larger play areas have one piece of equipment assessable to disabled children and young people – often a bucket swing. It was agreed that parents should be made more aware of what is available to their disabled children through the CWD forum.

Debbie Bishop noted that the report card and grid failed to include the emotional health benefits of play

4.2 Health Mentor Programme Update
Judith reported that Anita Farmery had been appointed as Team Leader. She is currently based in Selbourne House. 9/10 appointed health mentors had commenced their training; unfortunately the health mentor appointed to have a specific remit around had withdrawn so recruitment to this post had to be undertaken again. The health mentors would be delivering interventions from a range of settings to suit the young person/family they are working with but bases were being sort across the district for them.

5. CYPP 2010-13 Priorities

Pat lead a group ‘brainstorming’ to identify the priorities the group would like to see within the refreshed children and young people plan.

Tracy to pass the list on to Ameena Ahmed to include with other responses she has received from the consultation.

6. Outcome Theme Groups – the future

Pat spoke to a paper reviewing the terms of reference and links for the Outcome Theme groups which had been prepared by a small working group. The proposal is that the 5 theme groups would become performance management/monitoring groups.

A discussion about the relationship between the Outcome theme groups and strategy group and the proposed membership of the new group ensued.

7. Healthy Further Education Standards

Tracy reported on a review of practice and consultation exercise undertaken amongst colleges in 2007 to identify what ‘models’ further education establishments were using to support their students attain and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Many different models were identified but there was broad agreement by college principals and senior managers that a ‘whole college’ approach, modeled on the ‘whole school’ National Healthy Schools Programme style with key aims and national criteria based on the OFSTED inspection framework and ECM would be the preferred structure to work with. Despite visiting the web-pages and emailing the contact person Tracy had not been able to find details of progress made since 2008. Adrian Holt had drawn a similar blank through his contacts. However, he had provided an example of how a college in Halton had taken the idea forward. Tracy also reported progress Early Years settings had made using the same frameworks.

Pat reported recently receiving a credit card sized fold out information leaflet on healthy colleges. She agreed to share it with Tracy and Adrian.

8. CAHMS 4th Proxy Measure Proposal

Pat briefly talked through the Emotional and Mental Health Early Intervention and Support/Targeted Mental Health in School Project recently agreed. She reported that Dawn Gretna is taking this work forward and that a Needs Assessment is currently being prepared by Swapna Mistry to support ensuring that requirements are met.

Pat reported that once all the elements had been put in place that we should be in a position to move the current score from 2 to 4 on the 4th proxy measure making us fully compliant across the indicator.

9. You’re Welcome

Tracy updated the group on progress to date with the project reporting that only one completed self assessment had been received despite the submission date having passed. The one submission was not compliant with all the criteria in the standard and therefore would not be put forward for accreditation. The main reason for this was the lack of engagement between the service and young service users. Completion of the self assessment has provided the service with an action plan which they can use to progress areas in which they are weak. Tracy reported that she is expecting two further submissions in this wave and that she is actively supporting the teams to complete the toolkits as soon as practical.

Training of young verifiers is complete.

10. Any Other Business

Judith Grigg asked for the minutes to reflect the group’s thanks for all the work supported by Tracy during the time as Area Coordinator.

11. Date of Next Meeting

No further meetings have been arranged. Future dates and a revised membership will be agreed once the terms of reference and structure of the group have been agreed