The Children and Young People's Overview and Scrutiny Committee of County Durham Council met on Monday 27 April 2026 to discuss a range of important issues concerning the well-being and development of children and young people in the county. Key topics included an update on Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), a review of mental health and emotional wellbeing support, a forecast of revenue and capital outturn for Children and Young People's Services, and a performance management report for the third quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year.

Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services in County Durham

A presentation was scheduled to be given by the General Manager of Children and Young People's Services for County Durham and Tees Valley regarding Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). This presentation was expected to cover the i-THRIVE framework, which aims to provide a whole-system, evidence-based approach to supporting families with their emotional wellbeing and mental health needs. The framework distinguishes between treatment and support, with children, young people, and their families being active decision-makers. The presentation was also intended to provide an overview of Tees, Esk and Wear Valley's NHS Trust (TEWV) provision for children and young people, including expected population spread across different levels of need, from Thriving to Risk Getting Support. Details were to be shared on waiting times for triage, assessment, and commencement of support, as well as performance against national access standards for specialist services like eating disorders. The report also highlighted neurodevelopmental assessments, noting a significant average wait time in Durham, and outlined ongoing efforts to improve capacity and efficiency. Regulatory activity, including a NICHE visit and a CQC inspection, was also to be discussed, indicating progress in clinical practice and governance.

Children and Young People's Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing

The committee was scheduled to receive a report from the Corporate Director of Adult and Health Services and a presentation from the Public Health Strategic Manager concerning children and young people's mental health and emotional wellbeing. This discussion was framed within the context of the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which prioritises improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. The Mental Health System Partnership Board provides strategic coordination for this agenda. The presentation was to detail support and services available across County Durham, aligning with the i-THRIVE framework's tiers: Thriving, Getting Advice, and Getting Help. The report noted that while most children and young people in County Durham thrive, some require accessible and timely support, including specialist clinical services. The discussion was intended to provide an opportunity for members to understand the help and support available and to identify areas for signposting. The report also touched upon legal implications, including the duties of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and local authorities under various Health Acts, and highlighted the importance of mental health and wellbeing in relation to human rights, overall health, and crime and disorder.

Quarter Three 2025/2026 Forecast of Revenue and Capital Outturn

A report from the Corporate Director of Resources was scheduled to provide details on the quarter three forecast outturn position for Children and Young People's Services (CYPS). This report was expected to highlight significant variances compared to the annual budget. The projected outturn indicated an overall overspend of £8.136 million, representing a 3.6% overspend against the revised annual budget. This overspend was primarily attributed to an £11.599 million overspend against the Children's Social Care budget, particularly in Children in Care (CiC) placements, which has seen an increase in numbers, especially in family-based placements. Conversely, there were combined underspends of £3.463 million across other areas of CYPS, including a notable underspend of £2.824 million against the Home to School Transport budget, attributed to successful tendering exercises and route optimisation. The report also detailed capital expenditure, which stood at £24.484 million against a full-year budget of £58.071 million. The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) forecast outturn showed a projected overspend of £18.899 million, primarily within the High Needs Block, with significant pressures in post-16 provision, mainstream top-up funding, and alternative provision.

Quarter Three 2025/2026 Performance Management

The Chief Executive's report was scheduled to provide an update on progress towards achieving the strategic ambitions and objectives set out in the Council Plan 2025-2030. The report was to focus on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and present performance through dashboards, highlighting trends, direction of travel, benchmarking, and performance against targets. Data available as of 31 December 2025 was to be presented alongside contextual information on activities during the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. Key performance messages were to be aligned with the council's strategic ambitions. Under Supercharging Our Economy, the report was expected to note that while the proportion of young people in education, employment, or training (EET) was higher than regional and national averages, the percentage of children achieving a good level of development in Early Years and meeting expected standards at Key Stage 2 was below national benchmarks. Under Caring For Our People, the report was to highlight positive performance in children's social care, particularly in the timeliness of assessments, and the increasing registration numbers for Family Hubs. However, it was also to address high demand in statutory children's social care, with increasing numbers of children on child protection plans and entering care, often with more complex needs. The report was also to cover the rise in children being electively home educated.