Agenda item

Presentation by General Manager – Durham and Tees Valley Community CAMHS, Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust

The General Manager – Durham and Tees Valley Community CAMHS, Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust gave a presentation (previously circulated) updating Members on the Children and Young People’s Services in Darlington.

The presentation provided details of the i-THRIVE framework for delivering children and young people’s mental health services; reference was made to average wait times for assessment and treatment, with waits for treatment dependent on the support required; wait time for specialist neuro assessment; and services in place to help address waiting times, including Keeping in Touch process, transformation programme, Mental Health School Teams, with Members noting that Darlington is the first local authority in the Tees Valley to achieve 100 per cent coverage of all mainstream schools. Reference was also made to the regional work with partners to address the backlog and unmet needs of those waiting for neurodevelopmental assessments.

Details were provided of regulatory activity, including a recent independent review undertaken by NICHE in 2024; and the work being undertaken to deliver on the Trust’s priorities for children and young people service.

Discussion ensued regarding the new Keeping In Touch (KIT) process; and following a query regarding support for those waiting for a neurodevelopmental assessment, Members were advised that support was available to children and young people without a formal diagnosis, that people were encouraged to access the bubble of support which was widely promoted, and that this was a key area of focus for the Trust.

Members raised concern regarding the lack of progress being made by services for children with autism; the General Manager Durham and Tees Valley Community CAMHS acknowledged Members concerns, informing them of the challenges faced by the services in the years that followed COVID. Members were advised that there had previously been an exponential increase in wait times for assessments however this increase had started to reduce and that there was no additional funding for services.

RESOLVED – That the presentation be noted.