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Back to school blues? Mental health support is available

7 September 2020
Charlene Smith
No comments
Categories: Front Page, Health, Latest News, Sefton Council, Young People

As children and young people are preparing to go back to school health organisations across Sefton are reminding residents that mental health support is available. Parents, carers, and guardians are being urged to be alert to signs that children could be experiencing anxiety, distress, or low mood as pupils head back to the classroom after months away.

 Dr Susan Gough, mental health lead for NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “It is more important than ever to look out for our children and young people and to help them access the support they need. We know it is not easy to talk about mental health, we would really like to encourage young people to have open conversations about their wellbeing, and to reach out for help if they need it.”

Signs that parents should look out for include:

  • You might find they are more upset or find it hard to manage their emotions
  • They may appear anxious or distressed
  • Increasing trouble with sleeping and eating
  • Appearing low in mood, withdrawn or tearful
  • Reporting worried or negative thoughts about themselves or their future
  • For younger children, there may be more bedwetting.

“If you’re worried about how your child is coping, trust your instinct and reach out for help you can talk to your GP, your child’s school or NHS mental health services.”

This week, The Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust has launched a mental health campaign. Using the hashtag #WellnessWednesday, the trust will share and promote information about local services and resources for children and young people on social media. The trust also has a webpage which hosts useful videos, including hints and tips to help children and parents dealing with anxiety about going back to school.

 Margaret Jones, director of public health for Sefton Council, said: “We’d like to reassure parents and pupils that they can get back to school safely and protective measures are in place. Your child’s school or college will be able to give you more information about the specific measures they have put in place, but the government has also released information and practical guidance to support parents, carers and students returning to school or college.”

 Dr Hilal Mulla, mental health lead for NHS Southport and Formby CCG, said:

“As many children start to return to school, it’s vital we continue to give them the support they need to maintain their mental health and wellbeing and deal with any feelings of uncertainty or worry they may be experiencing.

“The NHS offers a large amount of mental health support for children and young people, and if a child needs urgent mental health support or advice, check the NHS website for services in your area, including 24/7 crisis support.

“Parents should contact NHS 111 online or a GP immediately if they notice any physical injuries on a child, such as deep cuts or burns.”

Local mental health and wellbeing support and helplines available:

·       Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) – there are a number of local mental health support and advice services available to young people and their families at this time. For more information and to find your local service visit: South Sefton CCG CAMHS or Southport and Formby CCG CAMHS

·       Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust 24/7 CAMHS Crisis Care Team – if a child or young person requires urgent mental health support the team can be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0151 293 3577 or free phone on 0808 196 3550.

  • Kooth – This free online service for young people aged 11 to 18 years offers self-help materials and a safe online community 365 days a year.

National helplines and support available:

  • Childlinecall 0800 1111
  • The Samaritanscall 116 123
  • YoungMindsCrisis Messenger: text YM to 85258
  • Papyrus Hopeline UKsuicide prevention helpline: call 0800 068 4141 or text 07860 039967
  • The Mix a support service for young people. You can talk to with the online community, on social, or through the confidential helpline or our counselling service. Call 0808 808 4994 (Sunday to Friday, 2pm to 11pm)
  • If you identify as male, you can call the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)on 0800 58 58 58 (5pm to midnight, every day).

Useful links for children and young people’s mental health:

·       For information about the Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust Back to School Resources, visit: https://covid19.alderhey.nhs.uk/back-to-school-resources-for-parents-and-children/

·       To view the Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust Mental Health Help video series, visit: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4zniovSeRnCh_aHl7C7U_8lc7vjphc

Sefton consults on reintroduction of Dog Public Spaces Protection order

7 September 2020
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News

As part of Sefton Council’s commitment to promote responsible dog ownership, we are consulting on the reintroduction of dog control measures.

Consultation on introducing a new look Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) across the whole of the borough will start on the 7th September and will last until 5th October.

A Public Space Protection Order is an official measure that is an enforceable part of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

PSPOs can be used to protect the public from behaviour that is having or is likely to have a harmful effect on the quality of life of those in an area. To ensure that orders introduced are proportionate and have the support of local residents councils must hold a public consultation.

We began a consultation in March 2020 but unfortunately this was interrupted by the impact of COVID-19.

This consultation did run for 2 weeks and we received over 180 responses. We are taking all of these responses into account and combining the results with those of the new consultation.

We would like as many people as possible to respond to the new consultation so that we can ensure that any new order is in line with the views of all of our residents.

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Cabinet Member Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services, said: “This is just the start of the process to consult on a new PSPO in Sefton. Many other local authorities across the country have introduced similar orders to great effect, encouraging greater responsible dog ownership and promoting a cleaner and greener environment which everyone can enjoy.

She added: “The proposed order would continue the dog control requirements that were in place in Sefton for three years up to July 2020. Most dog owners across the borough already understand and do most of the things in the proposed order anyway, so if introduced it will have very little or no impact on them at all.

“Please take the time to read about the proposed order and tell us what you think about it.”

To complete the survey, visit https://yourseftonyoursay.sefton.gov.uk.

Should anyone require any assistance in completing the form over the telephone then they can call the contact centre on 0345 140 0845.

For a hard copy version and a freepost envelope for return an email can be sent to ETSContact@sefton.gov.uk

We will try to meet any other requirements that anyone may have that will allow them to engage in the consultation process. Any requests/requirements such as this can be sent to ETSContact@sefton.gov.uk

 

Tenants and landlords urged to get in touch if they need help and advice

4 September 2020
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News

Although the Government has extended the Eviction Ban it brought in in response to the coronavirus pandemic until Sunday 20 September, Sefton Council’s Homeless Prevention Service are keen to contact tenants and landlords who may be anticipating issues now.

By contacting the team at homeless.prevention@sefton.gov.uk or by calling 07966 698 065 or 07870 379586, private rented and social housing tenants can get support to help them maintain their tenancy. The Team can also provide assistance with moving on to more affordable, and suitable accommodation if required.

Landlords facing issues such as rent arrears and late or inconsistent rent payments or who have concerns about vulnerable tenants can also contact the team for support in resolving the situation.

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing said: “We know that COVID-19 has had an impact on many people’s circumstances and has had a negative effect on many households’ incomes, which could make housing costs a problem.

“The sooner tenants facing problems contact us, the better the chance that we can work with them to find practical solutions that avoid conflicts, evictions and the costs of legal proceedings.

“And by working with landlords facing difficulties, we can also help them reach solutions without the legal costs and lost rent that can arise from disputes and evictions.”

Sefton Council wants to hear from tenants who have received an eviction notice or have rent arrears, who are managing outstanding and current debts and who are trying to reduce their expenses or get the most from their income.

People having problems applying for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) and with concerns about their own or family members’ mental health, drug or alcohol issues affecting your tenancy should also contact the service.

Landlords who contact the team may be concerned about affordability issues due to a change in circumstances, anti-social behaviour, their tenant’s mental health, addiction or other vulnerabilities that are affecting the tenancy.

Cllr Hardy added: “There are a wide range of issues some of which are very difficult for any of us to face up to and talk about but our Homeless Prevention Service is there to make that initial conversation easier and then to find constructive ways to overcome the problems.

“Despite this last-minute and short-term hold on evictions for a month by the Government, I would urge any tenants who are worried to get in touch with the Team at homeless.prevention@sefton.gov.uk or on 07966 698 065 or 07870 379586, today.”

Visit the Housing section of the Sefton Council website.

Care homes, hospitals, schools among locations to benefit from new, dedicated Contact Tracing Hub

3 September 2020
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Health, Latest News

A new Contact Tracing Hub for COVID-19 infections in complex settings and cases has been established in Cheshire and Merseyside.

Led by Public Health England and the region’s Directors of Public Health, The Hub, works with the national Test and Trace programme to manage complex outbreaks of COVID-19 using data and local intelligence. It is one of many interventions put in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in local communities and prevent any future lockdowns or restrictions of movement.

The Hub’s purpose is to receive information from the national Test and Trace service and local authorities relating to positive cases of COVID-19 that are identified as a complex case or in a complex setting.

Complex settings include environments like schools, NHS settings like GP practices and hospitals, care homes and workplaces like office blocks and police and fire stations. A complex case may not necessarily be linked to a physical setting but could be a complex cohort like rough sleepers or members of faith communities, or complex individuals and households like those who are shielding, those with learning disabilities, substance misusers or those in complex socioeconomic circumstances.

Positive cases are triaged locally and the Hub works to identify contacts who will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days. This happens quickly, minimising the chance of wide transmission of the disease in local communities.

The Hub is currently staffed by a team of 25 local contact tracers, who have received training from Public Health England and are supported by Consultants and Senior Health Protection Practitioners. In addition, local authority teams are available to support with on-going operational issues and consequence management.

This work is a collaborative effort between Public Health England and Cheshire and Merseyside’s Directors of Public Health, and represents a scaling up of existing arrangements. It is hosted by Wirral Council and day-to-day operations are facilitated by the Champs Public Health Collaborative Support Team.

Julie Webster, Director of Public Health for Wirral and lead for the Contact Tracing Hub, said: “I am extremely grateful to colleagues across Cheshire and Merseyside, who have worked tirelessly to establish this Hub within an incredibly tight time-frame.

“It is internationally recognised that containing and managing a disease like COVID-19, especially within complex settings and with complex cases, is only achievable with robust contact tracing. I am confident that as we continue to scale up the Hub, we will play an important role in reducing the spread of the disease.

“This is, of course, only one method of preventing the spread of COVID-19 in local communities and I cannot stress enough how important it is for each and every one of us, no matter our age, to continue to maintain social distancing, wear a face mask or covering when appropriate and wash our hands regularly.”

Margaret Jones, Sefton Council Director of Public Health said: “Although children are returning to school and more people are going into work and socialising and travelling on public transport, COVID-19 is still very much with us and Test and Trace programme is an important way of helping prevent its spread, particularly in complex settings.

“This new, Cheshire and Merseyside Hub will be a vital tool in speeding up the identification process and reduce the likelihood of restrictions needing to be re-introduced locally.”

Find out more about Test and Trace.

 

New blue bins for glass recycling approved

3 September 2020
Martin Driver
No comments
Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Waste & Recycling

At their meeting today (Thursday 3 September), Sefton Council’s Cabinet approved the procurement of new wheelie bins for glass recycling.

With the Government requiring some items of recycling waste to be collected separately as part of its new Environment Bill, Sefton Council is planning new, separate glass collections. This is due to the weight of glass collected, which is around 7,000 tonnes annually. Collecting glass separately produces much higher quality material which can be used for closed loop recycling, and used for re-melt rather than aggregate, making it infinitely recyclable into new glass jars and bottles.

The quality of the other materials (paper, cardboard and tin cans) collected in brown bins will also be much higher delivering better quality material for recycling, this is vital in improving recycling in the UK, allowing it to be reprocessed in local facilities.

Purchasing 100,000 new, blue wheelie bins will be required to achieve this plan. The cost of this and the updating of the cleansing vehicle fleet will be offset by £400,000 of recycling income generated annually over 10 years from the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority, as a result of Sefton Council removing glass from its general recycling collections.

Peter Moore, Sefton Council’s Head of Highways and Public Protection, said: “This change to collecting glass recycling items will make a positive contribution to Sefton’s Climate Change Strategy as well as to the Region’s environmental impact.

“I realise it will mean we are asking residents to separate out their glass items from other recycling but residents across the Borough have been supportive of recycling and our climate change agenda, particularly as it as a way of us keeping down costs too.”

In its Environment Bill, which could become law in late 2020, the Government is asking for one ‘core’ item of recycling to be collected separately. Having reviewed the core items, due to weight of the product, the ease with which it can be separated and the potential for generating income, Sefton proposed removing glass from the current brown bin collection.

The new bins will be procured through a competitive process for delivery in February and March next year. Separate glass recycling collections would start in March and April.

Mr Moore added: “This fits well with other actions we are taking to improve waste storage, collection and recycling. This Autumn we will be providing wheeled bins to approximately 5000 houses that currently rely on black bin bag collections. and, in early 2021 European-style, communal bins to approximately 5000 others where a wheeled bin isn’t practical.”

Peter Moore also thanked Sefton Council’s cleansing teams whom he said had made a ‘sterling effort’ to provide the Borough’s residents with regular refuse collections throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

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