SDS (Self Directed Support)

Find out more and have your say

The Scottish Government has just launched a 12 week consultation on the Statutory Guidance and Regulations which will accompany the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013. The document contains draft statutory guidance on the values, principles, legal duties and powers associated with social care assessment, support planning and review.The consultation is an opportunity for those who work in, those who use services and their families and friends to make their views known about the major changes which are being planned for social care in Scotland.
To inform NHS Highland’s and The Highland Council’s response to the consultation the Self-Directed Support Team has arranged a series of events to seek views.The events, which are aimed at health and social care professionals, service users and members of the public, will take place at:

Inshes Church in Inverness 10-12 & 1-3pm on 4th June,
Community Centre Dingwall 1-3pm on 6th June,
Kyleachin Village Hall Skye 1-3pm on 12th June,
Lochaber House Fort William 1-3pm on 20th June and
Assembly Room in Wick 1-3pm on 26th June.

The consultation closes on Wednesday 10th July.
Draft regulations to accompany the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/04/6823
Draft statutory guidance to accompany the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/04/7003
To find out more contact The Self-Directed Support Team on 01463 703561 or email SDS.Admin@highland.gov.uk or High-UHB.SelfDirectedSupportHighland@nhs.net

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Opportunity to work at the Forum!

Consultation Lead 20 hours per week

Salary scale £16.02 per hour paid monthly

The post is based in Inverness but there will be a requirement to travel across
Highland including overnight stays and occasionally, to attend events and training out with the area.

Applicants must have experience of working with children and young people with additional support needs, understand the principles of consultation and should ideally be educated to degree level in an appropriate subject.

This is a dynamic post in an increasingly important field and the successful applicant will contribute directly to policy and practice development in Highland and on occasions within Scotland.

Full information on the post and copies of the application form can be accessed on the links below:

Consultation Lead Job Information Pack

Consultation Lead Application Form

CLOSING DATE FOR THE RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS IS Monday 20th May 2013.

Interviews and selection activities will take place in Inverness on Tuesday 11th June 2013

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Notice of the
Annual General Meeting of Highland Children’s Forum

Wednesday 19th June 2013
At
12.00 to 13.30
Sandwich Lunch available from 12.00
Business from 12.30
In
The Pines Centre
Drummond Road
Inverness
IV2 4NZ

Please come along to discuss and direct the activities of the Children’s Forum and support the election of the new Committee.

Copies of the Election Nomination Form and Minutes of the last AGM are also available as links below.

Please note that nominations can only be made in advance and members attending the AGM cannot be nominated at the meeting.

Members seeking election to the Committee must be nominated by another Forum Member who should complete the Nomination Form and post it to the office at

Highland Children’s Forum
New Start Highland Offices
9 Carsegate Road North
Inverness
IV3 8DU

or

e mail a scan of the signed form to info@highlandchildrensforum.org

Nomination forms must arrive before 12th June 2013

Committee Nomination Form

Minutes of the AGM held on Tuesday 12th June 2012   

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Young Scotland's Got Talent Highland

Date :Thursday 2nd May 2013 

Where: Smithton Church

Time: 09:30-14:30

Cost: FREE

This roadshow event is for young people with learning difficulties and those on the autistic spectrum who wish to work. Families, professionals and anyone else interested are also welcome. For more details and to register go to http://www.viascotland.org.uk/content/young-scotlands-got-talent-highland

HCF are going - see you there!

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Youth Advisory Panel

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health is recruiting young people for its Youth Advisory Panel. There are more details at http://www.togetherscotland.org.uk/news-and-events/news/detail/?news=500

If you would be interested in joining and representing the views of disabled children and young people or those with additional needs then fill in the online application at http://www.rcpch.ac.uk/

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The Forum is alarmed over cuts to Children’s Services in the Highland Council Budget

Highland Council recently announced its budget for the 2013/14 year with its initial proposals for the 2014/15 year.
Council boasts of adding £1m to the Out of Authority Placements budget this year but…
Council Proposes to cut £0.979m from other Children’s budgets this year and £1.507m next year
Despite the Council leading the announcement with a claim to have added £1m to Children’s Services the Forum had lobbied Councillors hard that the budget was at risk of undermining the positive developments that are just gaining ground in children’s services. 

HCF Members' Bulletin

List of Cuts to Children's Services Council Budget Paper

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HCF at Highland Council

On January 23rd Graeme Colgan and Bec Nicholson, 2 of the 4 members of the Festival of Politics winning team, gave a short presentation to the Adult and Children’s Services Committee. They played their podcast ‘Do you know what its like?’ and video ‘Don’t put us in a box’ and showed the Curriculum for Excellence resources that have been developed to support disability awareness in schools. They are being uploaded to GLOW, the virtual learning environment and will be available to all Highland Schools.

The group are now planning resource materials to enable the podcast and video to be used for disability awareness training for adults.
If you want to know more contact celia@highlandchildrensforum.org

You can watch a webcast of our presentation on the Highland Council website http://www.highland.gov.uk/

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Have your say at Inverness Leisure

Inverness Leisure are looking for 'mystery visitors', volunteers who visit the leisure centre and then fill in on-line, secure feedback about their visit. They are keen to hear the voice of young people with additional needs, so if you think you would be interested in being a mystery visitor follow the link http://www.invernessleisure.co.uk/?s=Customer+Forum

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Innovative swimming scheme for ASD children.

Inverness Leisure have recently launched their ASD swim scheme, helping children with autism and their families to enjoy swimming, acknowledging that a child with ASD may have particular sensitivities to aspects of the pool environment necessitating the whole family having to leave.
They have worked closely with the National Autistic Society Scotland to ensure that the arrangements they have in place give the best chance of inclusion.
It is a carefully structured process of familiarisation with the swimming pool environment, designed to prepare the child for the experience, pre-empting some of the anxieties they may have and encompasses parents’ open evenings, a simple and comprehensive booklet offering explanations and suggestions to help the child feel comfortable with the experience and an explanation of the various admission cost structures. The booklet is available from Inverness Leisure or can be downloaded from the website http://www.invernessleisure.co.uk/?s=ASD+Access
The scheme gives families from Highland the opportunity to introduce children with an ASD to swimming one step at a time, offering 6 family tickets free of charge to families who register with the National Autistic Society in Inverness, to support the familiarisation process. This, in conjunction with the booklet, will help children and their families over any challenges and into regular and hopefully lifelong swimming.
For more information call Inverness Leisure on 01463 667500 or The National Autistic Society Scotland on 01463 720056

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Disability Rights UK – ‘If Only 2013’

“If only I’d known that a year ago 2013 - A practical guide to the help, services and equipment available for disabled people”

The 2013 edition is a must buy if you are newly disabled, a carer, a parent of a disabled child or have lived experience of disability or health conditions.
It explains what support systems, health services, equipment, benefits and organisations are out there to support you.

Buy your copy - starting from £7.99 from the link on:

http://www.radar-shop.org.uk/Detail.aspx?id=75

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Forum Reports used at launch of national parenting strategy

Bill Alexander, Director of Health and Social Care at Highland Council commented:

"I used “It’s about Empathy and Intuition” and the “Young Parent’s Recipe for Parenthood”. Both were very well received, and the subject of a number of tweets after the conference. The reports reflected many of the other messages at the event, and did so in a powerful and articulate way.

Thanks, as ever, to HCF, for the benefit we get from our partnership – which once again is helping Scotland."

The Forum is delighted to see its reports being used to take the voice of young people and carers into the policy debate.

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Children's Champion's Bulletins

The bulletins contain extracts from news and political briefing services accessed by Highland Children’s Forum including amongst other articles, national consultations, parliamentary proceedings, statistics. We hope that you find them of interest and assistance.

Latest Bulletin:

Children's Champions' Bulletin 23rd May 2013

Back copies of the bulletin are available in the history section.