Thanks to
those constituents who have got in touch with regard to children and young
people’s wellbeing and the included digital care package.
Improving
children and young people’s mental health is an area I am very passionate about
and am proud to have been able to support record levels of funding and
investment to tackle this rising issue.
This year
will see the roll out of additional NHS mental health trailblazer sites,
Cornwall being one of them. This will establish new Mental Health Support Teams
will provide early intervention support on wellbeing, as well as encouraging a
‘whole school approach’ to improve the mental health and wellbeing of pupils
and staff.
Additionally,
Cornwall is one of 6 local authorities to have been awarded funding from The
National Lottery Community Fund for the HeadStart programme which commenced in
2016. Locally the programme is known as HeadStart Kernow. As part of this
programme an annual survey of Cornish secondary school children is undertaken
and wellbeing is one of the measures captured.
This
funding also provides the opportunity for all school staff in Cornwall to
access HeadStart Kernow funded training in mental health, resilience and trauma
to enable them to better support pupils and staff wellbeing. There is also
funded places on intensive, 10-day courses for two staff members within school
to enable them to provide one-to-one and group support for pupils will
additional emotional health needs.
I
understand that funding for the HeadStart programme is due to end in 2021,
however I have been informed the Council are committed to continuing as much of
this work as possible and are exploring ways to continue annual surveying of
children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing in
Cornwall.
As
Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) for the Department of Health and Social
Care, I am in a good position to champion this issue and would like to assure
all my constituents that I will continue to highlight the importance of this work.
I am confident from previous conversations with colleagues, and recent
commitments from the Prime Minister, that this agenda will continue to be a
priority.
