Young Carers Improvement Group - Annual Report 2015

For Highlands Children 4 outcomes

1.  Children are protected from abuse, neglect or harm at home, at school and in the community.

2.  Children are well-equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to keep themselves safe.

3.  Young people and families live in increasingly safer communities where anti-social and harmful behaviour is reducing.

4.  Children and young people experience healthy growth and development.

5.  Children and young people make well-informed choices about healthy and safe lifestyles.

6.  Children and young people are equipped with the skills, confidence and self-esteem to progress successfully in their learning and development.

7.  Children and young people are supported to achieve their potential in all areas of development.ringen outcomesen 4XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

8.  Children and young people thrive as a result of nurturing relationships and stable environments.

9.  Families receive support, advice and guidance which is well-matched to their needs and available in ways which helps them to prepare for the various developmental stages.

10.  Children and young people are physically active.

11.  Children and young people know their rights and are confident in exercising these. They are able to express their views and be involved meaningfully in decisions which affect them.

12.  Families are valued as important contributors and work as equal partners to ensure positive outcomes for their children and young people.

13.  Children, young people and their families are supported well to develop the strengths and resilience needed to overcome any inequalities they experience.

14.  Children, young people and families are enabled to tell us what they think about services and the community in which they live, and improvement is determined with their involvement and by understanding their views, wishes, and expectations

Young Carers Improvement Group

FHC4 Outcome 9
Families receive support, advice and guidance which is well-matched to their needs and available in ways which helps them to prepare for the various developmental stages.
Improvement priority 2: Develop a training plan for staff
The Highland YC Network has been resurrected. Involving wider staff who may have contact with YC. Positive feedback. They will be looking at a pan Highland Leaflet.
Training has been delivered to NHS staff students – average 12 – 15 per year (S&LYC).
S+LYC also do awareness training on an annual basis for all first year pupils going in High School (Plockton and Portree).
Training delivered to 15 professionals (CYC)
Development and introduction of Young Carers Strategy
Training has been delivered to several schools around Highland by local groups and this has been well received. Training packs are on GLOW for access by school staff.
Evaluation and future priorities
Training plan for staff. Millburn Academy to pilot schools training in 2015/16 session. CPNs to be included.
FHC4 Outcome 13
Children, young people and their families are supported well to develop the strengths and resilience needed to overcome any inequalities they experience.
Improvement priority 1: Develop a Public Awareness campaign to ensure Greater consistency in assessment, identification and support across Highland.
Tykes have opened a charity shop. Young carers will be offered work/volunteering experience in the shop. There will also be opportunities for other local groups to raise money for themselves. They have recently received the Investors in People award.
Travel issues and increase in costs for Badaguish Lodges have been overcome by introducing day trips (at higher costs), 4 respites – around 70 children in total will benefit.
Caithness YC has just taken on additional staff. 10 hours and 3 hours per week. In addition to 2 staff 20 hours per week. Supporting around 30 young carers.
S&L YC has worked with Education on awareness presentation for HT covered 50 schools on the West Coast. Developed Training Pack for use in schools, evaluation toolkit. This was put on GLOW. Created leaflet for distribution.
Columba 1400 to tailor leadership Programme to meet needs of YC. Pilot over summer.
One ex YC is one of trustees of S&L YC.
Mad Hatter’s Tea Parties are hosted by YC twice a year (160 people at last one). Teas and Activities. North and South Skye
Young Carers consent on entry to secondary to go on SDS database.
Developed Moods and Action Toolkit.
3 YC doing Saltire Awards for volunteering.
Minibus donated by Highland Cross. Columba 1400 (6 nights spit), Landmark, Gairloch day respite trips.
Given evidence to SG Carer’s Bill.
YC package endorsed by EPIC.
CYC has delivered Young Carer Awareness training to almost 400 pupils and staff. They also had a highland young carer on the national STV appeal raising public awareness of young carers in highland and 2 MFR public awareness raising campaigns highlighting the issues faced by young carers, one which was around the 'superhero' campaign that MFR undertook and the second was at the time of the Commonwealth Games where the young carer issue was re-visited several times a day for several weeks.
Participation in the Youth Philanthropy initiative has raised a huge amount of awareness locally and throughout the young carers' peer networks. Cyc have taken part in this with 5 different schools and it is estimated that this has increased awareness in a further 500 pupils and a number of school staff. This initiative is an excellent way to increase public awareness.
The purpose of the Young Carer Youth Ambassador Forum is, in part, to increase public awareness of young carers and the issues they face as well as encouraging engagement with young carer support services.
Evaluation and Future Priorities
Transition from young to adult carers. Research into support options undertaken by S&LYC. They now continue to provide support as this was expressed as preferred by YC. Work was funded by the Adult Carer Improvement Group which is looking at ways to support – CYC is acting as liaison between the groups.
Tentative discussions are taking place to explore the viability of jointly managed facilities
Agreed to start to monitor destinations and qualifications for YCs. Add columns to data bases of YC orgs. Ensure that all Highland YCs are entered into SEEMiS.
ASDAN – possible link to Airport House for the YC group in Caithness.
Improvement priority 4: Improve the quality of young carers child’s plans
Research was carried out on child’s plans. Most YC should have a plan do have a plan. As a result of this work Portree High School now have all of their YCs recorded on SEEMiS, but this is not carried out in all schools.
Evaluation and future priorities
The research identified that quality was variable. The higher the level of need the better the information, but a lack of information and poorer quality of information where it is a schools based single agency plan. SEEMiS is not being universally used for YC. To address this it was agreed that a one page information sheet be developed on what is required and processes required for CPs for young carers, this to be shared as part of equality and diversity training and shared on Heads Up and GLOW and work to be done to ensure consistency across Highland on use of SEEMiS.
FHC4 Outcome 14
Children, young people and families are enabled to tell us what they think about services and the community in which they live, and improvement is determined with their involvement and by understanding their views, wishes, and expectations
Improvement priority 3: Develop consultation & engagement with young carers
Strategy and transition consultations
YC involved in developing video resources for training
YC attendance at Young Carers Festival – 35 this year. CYC took 15 last year?
Contact during respite
Ongoing contact
Dedicated YC section in Highland Lifestyle Survey – results available in autumn.
The youth ambassadors are an integral part of the YC service. They act as the steering group for CYC and have an input into the development of all materials and service delivery.The youth ambassadors will lead on the development of training tools and resources for CYC’s professionals training and will be undertaking the Training for Trainers course to enable them to assist in the delivery of the professional training sessions.
Highlights from Connecting Young Carers evaluations:
Who do you help care for?
Mum 33% Brother 18% Dad 8% Sister 8% Mum and Dad 8% Mum and Brother 6%Mum, Brother & Other 2.5%
Mum and Grandparent 2.5% Brother, Sister & Grandparent 1% Dad and Sister 1% Stepdad and Sisters 1% Brothers and other 1%
Mum and Cousin 1% Mum and Brother 1% Sisters 1% Other 4%
24% of YCs care for more than one person. 4% of YCs care for 3 people.
What is their difficulty?
Physical Disability 33% Learning Disability 25% Mental Health Problem 32% Addiction 10% Other 30%
27% of YCs care for people or persons with more than one difficulty.
1 YC cares for people or persons with 3 difficulties.
1 YC cares for people or persons with 4 difficulties.
Support from any other services? Yes 68% No 10% Feel school is understanding and supportive? Yes 47%No 46%
Evaluation and future priorities
Continue to keep YCs central to the work we do to support them and ensure their views are prioritised within any strategic decisions we make.
Please comment on the extent to which the group has demonstrated involvement / engagement of service users in Improvement Group activity this year.
Strategy and transition consultations.
YC involved in developing video resources for training.
YC attendance at Young Carers Festival – 35 this year. CYC took 15 last year
Contact during respite.
Ongoing contact.
Involvement of YCs in the development of resources and service delivery through the work of the Youth Ambassadors.
Dedicated YC section in Highland Lifestyle Survey – results available in autumn.
Evaluations from ALL YC Groups demonstrate a high level of involvement from the YCs themselves.