Conservative councillors in Wolverhampton have challenged new council Leader Ian Brookfield to “put his words into action” and commit to funding a successful programme tackling emotional and mental health problems in children.
On becoming Leader of the Labour-run authority in May, Cllr Brookfield said his priority would be looking after “the youth of our city” by investing more money into council services. Now Tory councillors are demanding that he commits to funding the HeadStart programme, after the £9.5 million budget from the Big Lottery Fund expires in 2021.
The council recently carried out a stakeholder consultation on HeadStart, and found that participation in it had led to “an increase in social and emotional skills in children, young people and parents/carers” as well as “a greater sense of community ‘belonging’”.
Councillors are due to discuss the consultation’s findings at a meeting of the council’s Children, Young People and Families Scrutiny Panel next week. The report also states that HeadStart “has represented an incredible opportunity for Wolverhampton to ‘test and learn’ within the children’s system”. However, it goes on to state that “in terms of funding, system leaders are clear that it is extremely unlikely any core statutory health or Local Authority funding will be made available to sustain HeadStart activities”.
Tettenhall Regis Conservative councillor Udey Singh, who sits on the scrutiny panel, said:“The HeadStart programme has been very successful in preventing emotional and mental health problems emerging in our children. The consultation clearly shows that its activities have had a positive impact, and need to be sustained. Having emotional resilience allows children to go into adulthood with a greater chance of getting a job and enjoying a healthy life.
“Councillor Brookfield has said that he wants to prioritise youth services – now he needs to puthis words into action, and commit to funding this valuable scheme so that it can continue beyond 2021. It is not enough for Labour to draw up a wish list – they are in control of the council and it’s down to them to act.”
