The Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission of Hackney Council convened for its inaugural meeting of the municipal year, chaired by Councillor Pascale Fraser-Carroll. The primary focus of the meeting was a detailed review of childhood immunisation rates in Hackney, addressing concerns raised by recent outbreaks of measles and meningitis. The Commission also discussed the support provided to young parents in the borough and began planning its work programme for the upcoming year.

Childhood Immunisations in Hackney

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to examining the concerningly low childhood immunisation coverage in Hackney, which is among the lowest in England. Recent outbreaks of measles in Enfield and Hackney in 2026, and meningitis in Kent and Oxfordshire in 2026, have heightened concerns. The Commission sought assurance from local agencies regarding the effectiveness of surveillance systems and vaccination programmes, as well as efforts to tackle inequalities in vaccination uptake.

The report presented highlighted that Hackney's average childhood immunisation coverage for children aged 12 months, 24 months, and five years was approximately 72% in 2024/25, significantly lower than the London average of 80% and the England average of 89%. While the rate of decline has slowed for some programmes, Hackney remains vulnerable to vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. The report detailed that inequalities in uptake are linked to wider determinants of health, including poverty, housing conditions, and structural racism, rather than individual choice.

The 2025 measles outbreak in Hackney, which disproportionately affected the Charedi Jewish community in North Hackney, resulted in 133 laboratory-confirmed cases. A multi-agency response, including 51 vaccination clinics, administered 2,600 vaccinations to 1,500 children. The cost of this outbreak response and associated hospitalisations was estimated to be between £51,000 and £82,000.

The City and Hackney Immunisation Strategic Action Plan (2024-27) aims to address these issues through five priorities: reducing inequalities, community engagement, data enhancement, service optimisation, and Making Every Contact Count. Progress has been made, with over 50% of the plan's objectives achieved, and a stabilisation or improvement in uptake trends for some programmes.

However, significant risks and challenges remain, including the absence of a sustained funding pipeline for the Enhanced Immunisation Service in North East Hackney, which has relied on non-recurrent funding. Restructuring within the NHS North East London Integrated Care Board (NEL ICB) has also led to a reduction in vaccination leadership and workforce capacity. The planned transfer of immunisation commissioning from NHS England to ICBs has been postponed, creating further ambiguity.

Despite these challenges, collaborative system-wide work is progressing. The City and Hackney Children and Young People's (CYP) Immunisations Forum, the Charedi Working Group, and regular meetings with primary care and ICB personnel are in place for oversight and coordination. Lessons learned are being shared through local and regional forums, and Hackney's approach has received national recognition, including in the Chief Medical Officer's Annual Infections Report 2025.

Support for Young Parents

The Commission reviewed the Cabinet members' response to its recommendations regarding the Enhanced Health Visiting Service (EHVS), which provides intensive support for vulnerable families with complex needs. The EHVS was commissioned in 2023 to replace the Family Nurse Partnership programme, with eligibility criteria widened to include families beyond young, first-time parents.

The Cabinet response indicated that a service review is underway, including an evaluation of the intensive service, a benchmarking exercise, service user engagement, and stakeholder consultation. This review aims to clarify the service's purpose, ensure alignment with evidence-based models, and improve data collection and performance reporting.

Progress has been made in implementing a comprehensive service user engagement plan, including surveys, focus groups, and one-to-one interviews. Targeted engagement work is planned to understand and address barriers for families who have declined or struggled to engage with the service. Staff have received training from Hackney's PAUSE Team to enhance their ability to support hard-to-reach service users.

Significant improvements in data collection have been noted, particularly regarding demographic information and additional contacts with families. The service is also developing a more robust outcome metrics framework. The engagement strategy is being refined to be more targeted, culturally responsive, and flexible, offering alternative venues beyond home visits and simplifying communication about complex care pathways.

A refreshed benchmarking exercise confirmed that the EHVS aligns with established intensive home visiting models and is adapted to meet the specific needs of Hackney's local population, supporting a more vulnerable caseload than many other services.

Work Programme

The Commission discussed the development of its work programme for 2026/27. This process involves public engagement surveys, consultation with stakeholders, and engagement with young people's consultative forums. The Commission will also consider performance monitoring, budget reviews, and emerging national policies. Topics suggested for scrutiny will be collated for discussion and agreement at the September 9th, 2026 meeting.

Two items were agreed to be carried over from the previous municipal year to enable active scrutiny: Childhood Immunisations in Hackney and an Update on the Child Safeguarding Practice Review of Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy.

Other Business

The meeting also included the confirmation of the Chair and Vice-Chair for the municipal year, Councillor Pascale Fraser-Carroll and Councillor Aaron Briddon respectively. The Commission also noted the overview of scrutiny business and procedure rules, and apologies for absence were received from Councillor Rachel Maguire. No declarations of interest were made. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 16 March 2026 were also noted and agreed.