The Children and Young People's Overview and Scrutiny Committee of County Durham Council was scheduled to discuss several key areas impacting children and families. These included updates on the Best Start in Life agenda, the 0-25 Family Health Service, and the progress of the Family Hubs programme. The committee was also set to review the financial outturn for Children and Young People's Services and the overall performance of the council.

Best Start in Life

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the Best Start in Life agenda, which aims to improve health, development, and future outcomes for children in their first five years. The report highlighted three priority areas: injury prevention, where hospital admissions for unintentional injuries in children aged 0-4 remain above the England average, though recent reductions have been noted; breastfeeding rates, which have improved but are still significantly below the national average, with wide variations across communities; and reducing tobacco dependency in pregnancy, where the rate of mothers smoking at the time of delivery has fallen below 10% for the first time, though inequalities persist. The report recommended that the committee note its contents and support the continued effort to give every child in County Durham the best possible start in life.

0-25 Family Health Service

An update was scheduled on the 0-25 Family Health Service, which delivers the Healthy Child Programme (HCP) across County Durham. The HCP is a nationally mandated framework providing universal and targeted support from pregnancy to age 19 (or 25 for those with Special Educational Needs and/or Disability (SEND)). The service is delivered by Health Visiting and School Nursing services, ensuring developmental reviews, screenings, and immunisations. The report detailed the HCP's five mandated contacts and three additional universal contacts, as well as the Enhanced Parenting Support Pathway (EPSP) and specialist roles within the service. The committee was asked to note the report's content.

Family Hubs

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the Family Hubs Programme and the Start for Life programme. County Durham is a Trailblazer Authority in this government initiative, which aims to provide integrated, accessible support from conception to age 19 (or 25 for those with SEND). The programme has established 15 Family Hubs and six outreach sites across the county, offering a universal front door to services. The report highlighted key innovations such as the Parent Carer Panel and targeted support for dads, and noted that continued funding has been confirmed through 2029. The committee was asked to note the report and presentation and provide comments.

Quarter Two 2025/2026 Forecast of Revenue and Capital Outturn

A report was scheduled to detail the quarter two forecast outturn for Children and Young People's Services (CYPS). The projected outturn indicated an overspend of £9.524 million, representing a 5% overspend against the revised annual budget. This was a significant deterioration from the quarter one forecast. The overspend was primarily attributed to the Children's Social Care budget, with particular pressures identified in Children in Care (CiC) placements, including an increase in external residential and crisis response placements. The report detailed various mitigation measures being implemented, such as expanding in-house residential care and growing the in-house foster care market. The committee was recommended to note the overall revenue position.

Quarter Two 2025/2026 Performance Management Report

The committee was scheduled to review the Quarter Two 2025/2026 Performance Management Report, which provides an update on progress towards the council's strategic ambitions and objectives. The report indicated strong performance across several strategic ambitions, including Caring For Our People, with front-door demand for children's social care remaining high but with good performance in areas like re-referral rates. However, challenges were noted, including an increase in the number of children in care, with County Durham having a high rate of children in care and child poverty in the North East. This increase in children in care, particularly those requiring higher-cost placements, was forecast to lead to an overspend against the Children in Care placements budget. The report outlined four key improvement areas to address this, including investing in preventative offers and growing the in-house fostering and children's homes provision. The committee was recommended to note the overall position and direction of travel and the actions being taken to address areas of challenge.