The Tower Hamlets Health and Wellbeing Board met to discuss the strategic vision for 2035, children's health, safeguarding, mental health, and special educational needs. The board agreed to the recommendations in the report on the strategic vision for 2035 and the health and wellbeing strategy, and also agreed to note the contents of the reports on the children's healthy weight plan, the Children's Safeguarding Annual Report 2024-2025, the Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2024-2025, the Children and Young People's Mental Health Needs Assessment, and the SEND Inspection Report and SEND Annual Report.

Strategic Vision 2035 and Health and Wellbeing Strategy

The board discussed the strategic vision for the Health and Wellbeing Board for 2085, aiming to better include and support residents. The current strategy ends in 2025, and a new one is being developed for 2026.

Key themes from a May 2025 workshop included:

• Housing
• Integrated neighbourhood working
• Measurable priorities
• Seamless services for residents
• Prevention embedded in working practices
• Community engagement
• Accountability and governance

Charlotte Pomery, Chief Participation and Place Officer North East London Integrated Care Board, suggested broadening the scope to a health and well-being system rather than just health and care, and to be more specific about the needs of children and young people.

Another concern was that a financially sustainable health and care system should not be the opening statement for a health and wellbeing strategy, and that health equity and inclusion should be prioritised.

There was agreement that priorities should be flexible to adapt to changing community needs over the next 10 years.

The board identified key questions to address in the next six months:

• What should the board's governance look like to reflect its goals?
• What is the vision for neighbourhood health?
• What does prevention mean in practice?
• How can resident-centred approaches be improved?
• How can financial sustainability be ensured?
• Which priorities and outcomes should the board focus on?
• How does the Health and Wellbeing Board strategy fit in with the wider Vision 2035 strategy?

Councillor Kabir Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and Housebuilding, raised concerns about how changes in national policy and potential restrictions, particularly around immigration, might impact the 10-year plan and who would bear the responsibility for care if thresholds change.

Kirstie from improvement services, shared early findings from Vision 2035 workshops, highlighting residents' pride in heritage, diversity, and support for young people, but also their concerns about housing, mental health, and crime.

The board agreed with the recommendations in the report and supported the proposed next steps.

Children's Healthy Weight Plan

The board reviewed the Children's Healthy Weight Plan, which addresses challenges such as disproportionate levels of child excess weight and lack of access to healthy food and exercise. The plan includes actionable goals to help children eat better, exercise more, and stay healthy.

Katie Cole, Associate Director of Public Health for Children and Families, highlighted achievements since 2020, including the Feed Your Way programme supporting infant feeding and work with schools and families. The National Child Measurement Programme, which weighs and measures children in reception and year six, has also been improved to better support children's well-being.

The proposed new programme structure has three elements:

• Moving well: Taking a holistic approach to physical activity, addressing affordability, safety, and enjoyment.
• Eating well: Supporting breastfeeding, access to healthy food, and a healthy diet.
• Specialist support: Providing evidence-based support for those who need it.

Vicky Scott, Chief Executive Officer THCVS, emphasised the importance of addressing poverty and linking the plan to social welfare advice. She also raised concerns about how the plan aligns with the new local plan and the potential impact of high-rise buildings.

Charlotte Pomery, Chief Participation and Place Officer North East London Integrated Care Board, suggested ensuring connectivity with tier three and tier four weight management services and taking a family approach.

Councillor Maium Talukdar, Cabinet Member for Education & Childrens Services, suggested focusing on early intervention and working with supermarkets to encourage healthier options.

Councillor Suluk Ahmed, Speaker of the Council, proposed developing heritage walks to promote both physical activity and knowledge of local history, and suggested linking the programmes with Young Tower Hamlets.

Councillor Bodrul Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Equalities and Social Inclusion, suggested using youth centre facilities and asked about the healthiness of school lunches.

The board agreed to note the contents of the report and plan.

Children and Young People's Mental Health Needs Assessment

The board discussed the Children and Young People's Mental Health Needs Assessment, which identifies areas where the needs of vulnerable children and young people are not being met. The report sets goals for improving children's mental health services, particularly around addressing under-diagnosis and mistrust in low-income and BAME communities.

Angela Burns, Public Health Programme Manager in the Healthy Children and Families team, and Grace Walker, Deputy Director of Children's Integrated Commission, presented the key findings, which included:

• Increased demand for mental health services
• Uncertainty about whether mild to moderate needs are being met
• Challenges in accessing mental health support due to time, cost, and lack of cultural sensitivity
• Lack of understanding between services and organisations about their roles
• Duplication of effort due to insights not being shared at a system level

The recommendations included enhancing system coordination, improving communication, improving data quality, addressing inequities in interventions, and maximising the impact of participation and co-production with children and families.

Vicky Scott, Chief Executive Officer THCVS, offered the voluntary and community sector's help with system coordination and integration.

Richard Fradgley, Deputy Chief Executive at East London Foundation Trust, emphasised that mental health is a shared responsibility across all health services and suggested including the impact of mobile phones and social media in the assessment.

Councillor Maium Talukdar, Cabinet Member for Education & Childrens Services, raised concerns about the term assessment being off-putting for young people and the need to make services more accessible and culturally sensitive.

Councillor Bodrul Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Equalities and Social Inclusion, noted the lack of communication with residents who do not speak English as their first language.

The board agreed to note and consider the key findings and recommendations of the assessment.

Children's Safeguarding Annual Report 2024-2025

The board reviewed the Children's Safeguarding Annual Report 2024-2025, a partnership report signed off by Steve Reddy, Corporate Director, Children's Services, representatives from the Integrated Care Board (ICB), and the Metropolitan Police. The report highlights achievements and challenges, with a focus on anti-racism, infant safety, neglect, and peer-on-peer harm. Priorities for the coming year include adolescent safeguarding and a think family approach.

Councillor Kabir Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and Housebuilding, and Councillor Sabina Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, asked about the impact of overcrowding on safeguarding. Steve Reddy, Corporate Director, Children's Services, noted that the independent scrutineer is conducting a piece of work on housing and safeguarding, and that case reviews have been conducted due to injuries to children related to overcrowding.

Councillor Sabina Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, asked about the challenges related to budget pressures. Steve Reddy, Corporate Director, Children's Services, explained that while there is good partnership working and contributions, the budget is stretched, and a significant case review could lead to overspending.

The board agreed to note the contents of the report and support sharing it with senior teams in their respective agencies and organisations.

Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2024-2025

The board reviewed the Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2024-2025, the first report under the leadership of Fiona, the new chair. The report outlines the board's achievements, strategic plan, and five key areas of focus.

Councillor Sabina Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, asked how to outreach more effectively to communities, especially the BAME community, and address the under-reporting of cases. Fiona explained that the board is prioritising addressing inequalities in data collection, holding a residents' conference in November, recruiting lay members, and starting a project to hear the lived experiences of people with safeguarding concerns, focusing first on BAME communities.

Councillor Bodrul Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Equalities and Social Inclusion, asked about the fact that 68% of safeguarding inquiries ended with the results desired by the residents who raised them, and how Tower Hamlets compares to other boroughs. Fiona stated that 68% is relatively good compared to other local boroughs, and that there is always room for improvement.

Steve Reddy, Corporate Director, Children's Services, noted the strong section on learning from adult reviews and asked if the Care Quality Commission (CQC) would be interested in the board's work. Fiona confirmed that she has an interview booked with the CQC and will showcase the good work being done.

The board agreed to note the report and support sharing it with senior teams in their respective agencies and organisations.

SEND Inspection Report and SEND Annual Report

The board reviewed the SEND Inspection Report and SEND Annual Report. Steve Reddy, Corporate Director, Children's Services, highlighted the positive inspection outcome, noting that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are genuinely noticed and valued in Tower Hamlets. He also acknowledged areas for improvement and stated that the actions will be incorporated into the SEND and Inclusion Strategy delivery plan.

Charlotte Pomery, Chief Participation and Place Officer North East London Integrated Care Board, pointed out a potentially misleading statement on slide 260 regarding the withdrawal of joint funding by December 2025, clarifying that joint funding for complex packages will continue.

Andrea, from Healthwatch, noted a lack of awareness and services for children with sensory impairments in Tower Hamlets. Steve Reddy, Corporate Director, Children's Services, agreed to provide a list of available services.

Councillor Maium Talukdar, Cabinet Member for Education & Childrens Services, raised concerns about the 20-week requirement for completing assessments and asked about efforts to reduce waiting times. Steve Reddy, Corporate Director, Children's Services, explained that additional investment and staffing have helped improve performance, with 60% of assessments now being completed within the required timeframe.

Councillor Kabir Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and Housebuilding, asked about streamlining the process between diagnosis and the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) to improve access to services. Steve Reddy, Corporate Director, Children's Services, acknowledged the importance of early intervention and support and expressed hope for national reforms to improve the system.

The board agreed to note the attached SEND inspection report.