Garth Harkness

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Saddleworth North Ward on Oldham Council Learn more

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Is Oldham council failing to address mental ill health in schools?

by Garth Harkness on 17 November, 2019

Councillor Howard Sykes MBE highlights the work done last year at the 2018 July Council meeting.  This work by the Oldham Liberal Democrats aimed to combat poor mental health in schools.  Unfortunately, Oldham Council appears to have done nothing about it.

The Liberal Democrat Council group proposed a motion to address problems with mental health in Oldham schools.  The Department of Education stated that 10% of 5 to 16 year olds suffered from ill mental health.  On top of that, another 15% of the same group were at risk of developing mental health issues.  Councillor Sykes MBE, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Oldham Borough, fears the Council is at risk of not addressing growing problems.

“Oldham Council voted unanimously to progress this.  In July 2018, a report was promised with a 12-month deadline to detail what Oldham Council has done or can do.  Since the deadline, there has been three meetings where a report could have been given.  It is now five months past that July deadline.”

“I did not see or hear of any updates regarding mental health in schools at the July 2019 Council meeting nor any meeting since.  This is not good enough and the Council is potentially leaving young people vulnerable.”

Copy of letter to:

Councillor Zahid Chauhan, Cabinet member for Health and Social Care

Councillor Amanda Chadderton, Cabinet member for Children’s Services

Councillor Shaid Mushtaq’ Cabinet member for Education and Skills

13th November 2019

Dear Councillors Zahid Chauhan, Amanda Chadderton and Shaid Mushtaq,

Re: Addressing mental ill-health in schools

In the July Council meeting of 2018, Councillor Harkness and the Liberal Democrats proposed a motion to address problems with metal health in our schools.  This was approved on the 12th September in the minutes from the July Council meeting.

Guidance from the Department of Education states that 10% of 5-16 year olds suffer from ill mental health.  On top of that, another 15% of that cohort were at risk of developing mental health issues.  I write to you as a reminder, as I fear that Oldham Borough Council is at risk of not addressing these burgeoning problems.

The motion detailed already exemplary work that Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) do in Oldham Borough.  But what is needed is continual and considerable upward development in this sector.

Council voted unanimously to ask the lead cabinet members to work with the Health and Well Being Board to determine how the aspirations laid out in the motion can become reality.  A report was promised with a 12-month deadline to detail Oldham Council’s findings and action on this.  Since the deadline, we have missed three Full Council meetings where a report could have been given and will have failed to meet the 12 month deadline by five months.

It interests me greatly to know if this report had been realised within the 12-month timeframe for delivery?  I did not see or hear of any updates regarding mental health in schools at the July 2019 Council meeting nor any meeting since.

Yours sincerely,

Howard

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