The films feature learners, teachers and parents discussing in their own words how the new curriculum has changed education in Scotland.

They comprise of three sector specific films (early years, primary, secondary) and one combined film with highlights from all three and were developed in co-operation with the National Parent Forum of Scotland.

The Child and Family Outreach Service within Headway (Dumfries and Galloway) will this year be celebrating 10 years supporting children with acquired brain injury and their families. To mark this occasion their  2012 conference will be an opportunity to learn about the challenges, changes & choices these children and their families face on a daily basis.

It is hoped the conference will raise awareness and understanding of the needs of these children. It will enable delegates to ask questions and discuss issues to ensure these children no longer slip through to adulthood without the appropriate support and understanding they require.

Date: 28 June 2012

Venue: Dumfries and Galloway

For further information and booking information contact Karen.pickering@headway.plus.com

The Scottish Ministers must collect information annually from education authorities, including the principal factors giving rise to additional support needs of children and young people in their area and the types of support provided to these children and young people. Scottish Ministers will also provide information from other organisations, such as Enquire, to give a more detailed picture of the implementation of the Act. To read the report click here.

• The Knowledge network. NHS Education for Scotland has developed a new learning disabilities ‘portal’ to provide a ‘one stop shop’ for finding and sharing knowledge – including evidence, learning resources, legislation, standards and guidelines, publications,and topics such as nutrition, profound and multiple learning disabilities, autism spectrum and many more.

• Better Info Better Lives has been developed by the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland. The website contains accessible social care information for people with learning disabilities, their families and people who work with them.

The Action Group is a charity working across the Lothians and Falkirk to make life better and easier for anyone with a support need. They run playschemes for children and young people and action packed adventure camps with hiking, rafting, biking and climbing. They also have a one to one service that aims to develop young people’s confidence and independent living skills and help them access sport and education.

The Action Group has recently begun a new project to support young people from black and minority ethnic communities to make positive transitions in their lives. This project, called the BEMAS Transitions Service, offers young people the opportunity to work with dedicated co-ordinators who can help them to identify goals and plan for their futures and support them to put these plans into action. Support can be given in a wide range of areas, such as education and work, housing, leisure opportunities, meeting new people and being active in their communities. Young people are also offered a comprehensive welfare rights service, to ensure that they get the help they are entitled to.

The project puts young people in control and focuses on what their goals and aspirations are. Families and other people who are important in a young person’s life are also involved. The service does not aim to replace the transitions planning which happens in school, but rather to offer an additional service working alongside young people and their families to maximize opportunities for them to achieve their goals as they define them. While referrals usually come through parents, the service welcomes referrals through schools as well.

Why is this project needed?

The project is still in the process of finding out from young people and families about the key issues they are facing with regards transitions. The picture so far is that there is a lack of information available about the options open to young people with support needs, and that planning for the future often starts too late and focuses too much on services rather than on the goals of young people. Families too are very worried about the plans for the future, especially when young people leave colleges. The services available to help young people may also be limited in some areas, particularly for leisure opportunities and routes into employment.

How to find out more?

For more information on the Action Group, visit http://www.actiongroup.org.uk/

Getting your project added to Your Area is quick and easy. Complete the online form at http://www.enquire.org.uk/yp/your-area.php or contact us for a paper copy.

Given the current financial climate and commitment to ‘get it right for every child’ – Willie’s presentation was a good reminder that improving relationships with parents is not about spending more time and money on ‘relationship building’ but is often about how we engage with people. Here are a few of the points Willie raised:

• Trust should be two-way – parents trusting practitioners and practitioners trusting parents.
• Small acts of kindness or consideration mean a lot to parents and can help build positive relationships.
• Parents are only ‘amateurs’ at looking after a child with complex needs. For some parents it can feel like a second job, one they are not trained for.
• If a child has a bad day at school this can have a knock on effect on how the child behaves at home and vice versa. However, only sharing ‘the bad bits’ can have a negative effect on relationships, so it is important to share good and bad information.
• Parents often fear the worst. Honesty is important as the reality of a situation is often not as scary as what parents have been imagining.
• Avoid surprises – give parents plenty of notice of the times of meetings, when decisions are going to be made, changes to support etc.
• Understanding how a parent may be feeling about a given situation is helpful, particularly if it involves changes to support.
• Question parents – ask parents what works for them and why.

Willie stressed that we do not need to reinvent the wheel. Over the years considerable effort has been made by the many agencies working with families to collect their views on what works for them in their relationships with professionals. The key messages are distilled down to a useful set of guiding principles in the Working with Children and Families section of the Supporting Children’s Learning Code of Practice. Importantly, the benefits of spending a few extra minutes thinking about how to engage with parents or considering their situation may have long-term benefits in the future, helping to avoid any disputes or disagreements.