The Children and Young People Policy Development Committee of Redbridge Council met on Thursday, 11 April 2024, to discuss the outcomes of their work on children's mental health and the progress towards achieving UNICEF Child Friendly Borough accreditation. The meeting's agenda focused on reviewing the committee's recommendations and considering future work programmes.

Children and Young People's Mental Health and UNICEF Child Friendly Borough Accreditation

The committee was scheduled to discuss the outcome report stemming from their investigations into children and young people's mental health and the borough's progress towards becoming a UNICEF Child Friendly Borough. This report, detailed in the Public reports pack 11th-Apr-2024 18.30 Children and Young People Policy Development Committee.pdf, outlines the recommendations made by the committee and the provisional responses from officers.

The committee's work on mental health involved extensive engagement with various council teams and external organisations. These included the Redbridge Children in Care Council, Child Friendly Redbridge Ambassadors Groups, Children's Centres, the Families Together Hub (Early Help), the Redbridge Educational Well-being Team, the Youth Justice Service, and the Fostering and Children Looked After service. External partners such as ELHAP (Every Life Has A Purpose), Free Your Mind, NELFT (North East London Hospital Trust NHS), the National Centre for Mental Health, and the NVR (Non-Violent Resistance) Consortium were also consulted.

Key themes explored included the barriers young people face in accessing mental health support, such as social media pressures, concerns about confidentiality, stigma, and a lack of trusted peer support networks. The committee also examined national evidence reports on children and young people's mental health and reviewed local demographic data.

The report highlighted recommendations for developing a comprehensive 5-year mental health strategy for children and young people, focusing on early intervention services. It also suggested embedding trauma-informed approaches in schools and early years settings, reviewing the mental health and well-being components of Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs), and exploring intergenerational support and mentoring opportunities. Recommendations were also made regarding the remodelling of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), lobbying for increased investment, and encouraging schools to adopt well-being toolkits for both staff and students. The committee also recommended joining the Mentally Healthier Councils Network and appointing corporate parenting champions.

Regarding the UNICEF Child Friendly Borough accreditation, the committee was to receive an update on the progress made. Redbridge is working towards becoming London's first UNICEF-accredited Child Friendly Borough by 2025. This initiative aims to ensure that children and young people have a say in local decisions, services, and spaces that shape their lives. The programme encompasses areas such as safety, health (including mental health), place, culture, communication, cooperation, and leadership. The committee's work has involved gathering evidence to support this accreditation, with recommendations including promoting UNICEF webinars, clarifying the meaning of Child Friendly Borough recognition for the council and young people, and engaging former mayors for their insights.

2024/25 Work Programme

The committee was also scheduled to discuss and consider potential themes for its 2024/25 work programme.

Update from Overview and Scrutiny Committee

A standing agenda item involved receiving verbal feedback from the Chair on activities undertaken at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7 March 2024.

Report of the Last Meeting - Actions Log

Members were expected to review and note updates on the actions logged from the previous meeting.