Children and Young People's Online Emotional Support Service

Emotional health and wellbeing for children & young people (CYP) is a major public health issue in Cumbria . Following completion of the Cumbria HeadStart (CHS) pilot programme from 2014-16 and Healthy Child Programme (HCP) 5-19yrs Public Health service redesign , Cumbria County Council (CCC), in partnership with Cumbria CCG, is commissioning an Online Emotional Support Service from 1st June 2017 to 31st March 2019. The County Council took responsibility for commissioning public health services for 0-19 year olds Healthy Child Programme in October 2015. This transfer is providing the Council with the opportunity to review delivery of the HCP 0-19. Over the next two years, we want to work with partners across local authorities, education, health and the third sector to develop and establish a new integrated model of service delivery that is able to be flexible and respond to the changing needs of the population.

Cumbria was one of twelve local areas that received funding from the Big Lottery Fund (BLF) Fullfilling Lives: HeadStart programme to successfully develop a programme of activity between September 2014 and July 2016. The Cumbria HeadStart (CHS) programme was based on a local "test and learn" approach which trialled innovative ways of providing early support and preventative work in school, in the community, in the family and digitally. The pilot covered the Furness Peninsula and Carlisle focusing on two secondary schools in each locality, 5 feeder Primary School, 2 Pupil Referral Units/Hospital Home Tuition and 1 Special School (~ 3,200 CYP across the two areas).

As part of the CHS programme a pilot Online Emotional Support service for CYP (10-16yrs) attending CHS schools has been piloted since January 2015. Service user/school feedback has been positive and uptake has been good with 944 pupils registered (29.5%) from April 2015 to March 2017 with about two thirds of users logging in out of hours showing demand outside of usual 'office hours'. For further information please refer to The Chest. All bids must be uploaded to The Chest by the required deadline. All questions must be asked via The Chest.