Agenda item

RESOLVED that the Council enters into a grant agreement with DCC Public Health to receive an allocation of £100,000 funding for a two-year period aimed at improving the emotional well-being of young people in the District through a model of social prescribing.

Executive considered a detailed report which sought Member’s approval to receive £100,000 from Derbyshire County Council (DCC) Public Health to be used to commission services for young people in the District.

DCC Public Health had ringfenced £100,000 for activities to boost general well-being of young people in Bolsover District aged 14 to 18, and those aged 19-25, if they had additional needs.

The funding would be allocated to the Council via a grant agreement and would cover a two-year period. The Partnership Team were working closely with the Public Health Locality Lead for Bolsover to design a tender specification to commission social prescribing activity that would boost general well-being using a non-clinical approach.

The aim of the project was to improve outcomes for young people by giving more choice and control over their lives and an improved sense of belonging where young people were involved in local community groups / activities.

It was envisaged that a paid link worker/social prescriber would work with a variety of young people but would target:

·       Those with complex needs

·       Young people on the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) waiting list

·       Those not in employment, education, or training

·       Those who are lonely and isolated

·       Those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Updates on commissioned activity would be provided within the Bolsover Partnership’s Annual Report. Activity would be monitored on a quarterly basis to ensure that project aims and objectives were being met.

Members welcomed the report.

In response to Member’s questions, the Commissioning and Contracts Manager advised that the paid link worker/social prescriber, would be paid from the £100k. It was also likely that the paid link worker/social prescriber would have more than one work base across the District.

Councillor Dooley announced that this would be the Commissioning and Contracts Manager’s last meeting as she would be leaving the Council at the end of December. Members thanked the Commissioning and Contracts Manager for all the work she had carried out over the previous 18 years and wished her well for the future and in her new job role.

Moved by Councillor Mary Dooley and seconded by Councillor Duncan McGregor

RESOLVED that the Council enters into a grant agreement with DCC Public Health to receive an allocation of £100,000 funding for a two-year period aimed at improving the emotional well-being of young people in the District through a model of social prescribing.

Reasons for Recommendation

This funding would be used directly to improve the emotional well-being of children and young people. The funding came at a time when schools were reporting much higher social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs and special education needs (SEN).

Alternative Options and Reasons for Rejection

An alternative option would be for the grant to be awarded to another organisation. This had been rejected as DCC had awarded this funding directly to Bolsover Partnership to ensure that local activity commissioned met local needs of young people.

Do nothing – this was not considered to be an option as it would mean that Bolsover young people would not be able to benefit from commissioned activity.

The Commissioning and Contracts Manager and the Client Programme Manager left the meeting.