The Children and Young People's Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Durham County Council met on Tuesday 7 January 2025 to discuss several key areas impacting children and young people in the county. The meeting's agenda included an update on the area's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) inspection, a review of child poverty initiatives, an update on the sufficiency strategy for children in care and care leavers, and a financial forecast for Children and Young People's Services.

Area SEND Inspection of County Durham's Local Area Partnership

The committee was scheduled to consider the findings of a joint inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Ofsted into County Durham's arrangements for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The inspection, which took place in June 2024, concluded that the local area partnership's arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The report highlighted strengths such as collaborative leadership and children feeling valued, but identified four key areas for improvement: intensifying work to improve Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan quality and timeliness; reducing delays in accessing CAMHS and neurodevelopmental pathways; ensuring easier access to needs-led services; and strengthening the monitoring of strategic plans and policies. A co-produced strategic action plan has been developed to address these areas.

Child Poverty in County Durham

A report was presented on the progress of the Child Poverty Working Group (CPWG) in mitigating the impact of poverty on children, young people, and their families in County Durham. The report noted that approximately 30% of children in the UK live in poverty, with the North East experiencing steep increases. In County Durham, 19.3% of children aged 0-19 were living in relative poverty in 2022/23. The CPWG's work focuses on four key priorities: co-production activities with families, ensuring professionals have the skills to identify and support families affected by poverty, promoting social inclusion, and raising aspirations. Initiatives discussed included the Fun and Food programme, the Start for Life Fund, Financial Inclusion in Education Settings, and Free School Meal Auto Enrolment.

Sufficiency Strategy for Children in Care and Care Leavers 2022-2024 Update

The committee was to receive an update on the achievements and progress made against the current Sufficiency Strategy for Children in Care and Care Leavers, published in May 2022. The strategy aims to ensure sufficient accommodation to meet the needs of children in care. The report highlighted increasing demand and pressure on councils, with the number of children in care in County Durham rising to 1,192. Challenges include an increasing number of older teenagers with complex needs entering care, a rise in the use of external residential provision, and the need to increase the number of foster carers. The report detailed progress in areas such as growing in-house foster carer numbers, developing children's homes, and broadening the short breaks offer for disabled children. A review by Newton Europe has informed plans for a new Sufficiency Strategy.

Quarter 2 Forecast of Revenue and Capital Outturn 2024/2025

A report detailing the projected financial outturn for Children and Young People's Services (CYPS) for 2024/25 was scheduled for discussion. Based on the position at the end of September 2024, a cash limit overspend of £9.517 million was forecast, representing a 5% overspend against the total revised budget. The majority of this overspend is attributed to Social Care, particularly within Children in Care placements, with a forecast overspend of £10.220 million. Underspends were forecast within Education and Skills, and Early Help, Inclusion and Vulnerable Children. The report also outlined the capital programme budget and expenditure.

TEWV CAMHS Waiting Times

Information was provided on the waiting times for Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in County Durham and Tees Valley. As of 11 December 2024, there were 201 patients waiting for a mental health assessment, with most waiting less than two months. The report noted that these waiting times compare favourably with national benchmarks. However, a significant concern was raised regarding neurodevelopmental assessments, with 5,389 young people waiting post-referral, an average wait of 544 days, and a maximum wait of 1,366 days. This is attributed to demand far exceeding commissioned capacity. Work is ongoing with stakeholders to address these long waits.