A snapshot of issues in the last week or so relating to CYP services demonstrates just how much a lottery services currently are for young people. I would not even start to pretend this is a comprehensive analysis of the state of affairs but just look at the contrasts.

With election looming what will we hear from the parties about their plans?

• Calls for Government Action: 14th May: Young people have expressed their concerns to cross-party MPs in Westminster, stating that they are not just asking but begging the next government to change the system around children’s social care. Young people: 'We are begging next government to improve children's services' | CYP Now

• Inadequate Children’s Services: 17th May: Ofsted has rated the children’s services of Cheshire East Council as ‘inadequate’. The report pointed out that, despite improvements, the quality of experiences for young people remains too varied. Cheshire East children services rated as 'inadequate' - BBC News

• Outstanding Local Authority Services: 20th May: Brighton and Hove’s Local Authority children services received an ‘outstanding’ rating from Ofsted, highlighting the excellent support provided to young people. Outstanding result for city’s children’s services (brighton-hove.gov.uk)

These articles are a mere sample of the current state of CYP services in England. A mix of challenges and commendations – about sums it up doesn’t it? That the current issues so obvious is clear to most. But also that solutions are relatively simple too. Most require local authorities, health and associated to work together to develop a coordinated and integrated way of working.

There has been a major shift in the configuration of England’s health system in recent time. The invention of “place-based” healthcare was long overdue and has established a much-needed way to ensure local health and wellbeing services are truly localised. That most people have never heard of an ICB or a place-based partnership is shocking. The amount of public expenditure that feeds into these bodies is huge. All those working in local systems are working very hard to change the direction of a behemoth that almost has a life of its own. We need local people to understand, care and participate in those required changes we all moan about. Nowhere is that clearer than in the way we help our young people in the issues they face.

Maybe we must build up the pain even more before something happens. Or maybe people working in these increasingly complex systems have so much to do they cannot deal with such big changes? Whatever the reason, the examples above are unlikely to be the last ones that demonstrate how good, and at the same time, how bad things have become