Issue - meetings

To receive an update on the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people's mental health.

Dave Carr, Head of Service, Policy, Information and Commissioning, Lancashire County Council, updated the Board on the evidence of impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had had on children and young people's emotional wellbeing and mental health and that are still continuing to emerge. The report also provided:

·  An overview of the emerging evidence of impact

·  Details of some of the significant elements of Lancashire's local system response

·  Plans for moving forward in the short term

·  Recommendations to ensure a continued support and improved system-wide response.

There were strong indications that the pandemic had had a negative impact on the emotional wellbeing and mental health of many children and young people in Lancashire, who have already required extra help or may do so in the future. Partners have made significant changes in arrangements to better support children and young people but there was much more to do. It was proposed that Partners in Lancashire continued to look forward to delivering the NHS Long Term Plan and wider strategy for children and young people’s emotional wellbeing and mental health, maintaining and enhancing current provision, but in doing so addressed the expected significant longer term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the sources of evidence detailed in the report which was circulated to members of the Board were the findings of a rapid review which had been undertaken nationally by the Anna Freud Foundation, along with further evidence which was provided by the Co-SPACE project which was again was undertaken at a national level by Oxford University which tracked the mental health of school-aged children and young people aged 4-16 years throughout the COVID-19 crisis.  Summaries of both these studies were detailed in the report attached to the agenda.

Evidence shows that more young people have sought support during the lockdown period, and will continue do so as the impact of COVID-19 continues to affect the way that young people live their lives. Equally, for those young people who have found it easier spending more time away from their school environment, the prospect of returning may be challenging.

With regards the Local System Response during COVID-19, many services have continued to operate to provide support for children and young people with many changing their offers to deliver more online and telephony based services and increased the use of technology, as well as continuing face to face contact if required.

There has been a huge amount of resource made available to support children and young people's emotional wellbeing and mental health and this can be found on the Lancashire and South Cumbria Healthy Young Minds Website (https://youngminds.org.uk/training/mental-health-training/) which has been expanded to include COVID-19 specific resources alongside the planned launch of information, advice and resources to support children, young people, parents/carers and professionals identify and manage emotional wellbeing and mental health issues.

As discussed at this Board, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) 0-19 service provision (which previously stopped at 16 years of age) has changed in order to address the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7