School services in North Yorkshire face cuts

Some children’s services in schools are set to be scrapped as part of cuts by North Yorkshire County Council.

Hearing and vision screening for four and five-year-olds and sexual health drop-ins are among the services facing the axe.

The council executive will next week discuss the plans, which aim to save £750,000 over three years on the local authority’s healthy child programme.

The council hopes these cuts will help it meet its overall plan to save £4 million.

If the plans are approved, they will go to consultation on October 26.

The programme, which supports 130,000 young people aged 0-19 in North Yorkshire and their families, is worth £70m over 10 years.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, North Yorkshire’s director of public health, said:

“We must take account of the national changes in public health funding, which will see a reduction across the board of around 15%.

“We will continue to deliver mandatory health checks for children under five years old and will continue to support new parents with a focus on those children and families most in need.”

‘Not the same level of service’

A report prepared for the executive meeting says:

“The proposed programme will not be able to provide the level of service that it currently provides to school aged children. Some services provided in school settings will stop, including hearing and vision screening for children aged 4-5 years and sexual health services drop-ins in schools.”

Currently children receive five in-person check-ups to the age of five, but under the new proposals three of these could be done virtually.

The report says the proposals would prioritise children aged under five.

Under the proposals, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, which delivers the programme in partnership with the council, would be awarded a 10-year contract.

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Suzanne Lamb, head of safeguarding at the trust, said:

“While the trust recognises that the future model will need to look very different to what is being offered now, we appreciate the opportunity to continue to work closely with North Yorkshire County Council in a longer term arrangement.

“This will ensure more targeted support in relation to need and new ways of working including support via digital channels.”

Harrogate councillor Geoff Webber, who is the Liberal Democrats leader on the council, criticised government cuts for forcing the council to reduce its services. He said:

“It is disgraceful the government have chosen this time to reduce public health spending in North Yorkshire by £4 million over the next few years.

“I am sure that members of all parties will support the effort to maintain the healthy child service and we look forward to seeing the result of the public consultation.”

Harrogate charity receives grant to support pupils during holidays

A Harrogate bereavement and emotional wellbeing charity has been awarded a grant boost of more than £30,000.

Just ‘B’ will use the money to provide workshops and therapy sessions for vulnerable students during the school holidays. Themes covered will include gangs and youth violence, domestic abuse, and digital media risks.

The grant is part of £6.5m from the Youth Endowment Covid-19 Fund and has been offered to 130 organisations across the country. It aims to limit the number of people being drawn into violent crime as well as tackling issues young people have experienced as a result of covid.

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Tony Collins, chief executive of Just ‘B’ said:

“The challenges and hardships that some of our most vulnerable young people face have been exacerbated by covid… we are proud to be one of the organisations chosen for this grant and it will enable us to build on the work we are already doing to help children and young people to overcome difficult circumstances and face a more positive future.”

Just ‘B’ is also calling for the community’s help to win £1m in a charity competition. Persimmon Homes Yorkshire has shortlisted three charities across the county to represent the region in its Building Futures scheme. Voting closes on September 18.