What we will do 2017-2020:

• Address the attainment gap for looked after children at home as well as those looked after away from home

• Ensure compliance with the Carers Act by continuing to work with young carers and partners providing services and support to young carers

• Continued support to children and young people experiencing grief and loss

• Continued support for children and young people affected by disability and issues of mental health

• Prioritise the needs of children and young people looked after in the community

What are the plans and structures that will support us to succeed?

• Health and Social Care Partnership Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Reports

• Education Services Service Plan and Annual Performance Reports

• CPP Inspection Improvement Action Plan

• West Dunbartonshire Council Local Housing Strategy

• Child Protection Committee Improvement Plan

progress made

Destinations for Young People in West Dunbartonshire 2008-2018

Senior Phase - School Leaver Transitions

The Scottish Government provide a grant to the authority to support delivery of the Scottish Government Opportunities for All commitment, and contribute to the National Indicator "To increase the proportion of young people participating in Learning, Training and Work", delivered through Post-16 transition planning and support for young people preparing to move on from school.

School Leaver Transitions is a bespoke and tailored personal and social development intervention for young people in their Senior Phase. The offer is for those pupils identified at risk of entering a negative destination upon leaving school, including looked after and care experienced young people. The early intervention approach increases the young person's chance of moving into a positive and sustained destination.

Young people in the Senior Phase and their last 6 month of education are eligible for this support. Practitioners work closely with Schools and Skills Development Scotland (SDS) to successfully identify potential young people at 16+ meetings using our own Risk matrix indicators and local factors.

The following groups of young people are identified as being at higher risk of disengaging from education and more likely to require Transition Support

" Looked after children and care experienced

" Young carers

" Young parents

" Young offenders

" Young people with low attainment

" Young people who are persistently truant

" Young people with physical or mental health problems or disabilities

" Young people involved in alcohol or drug misuse

" Young people with behavioural issues

" Young people with additional support needs

" Young people for whom English is a second language

" Winter leavers

" Young people leaving special schools

" Young people who are homeless

" Young people who are a risk to themselves or others

" Young people who do not sustain their initial move on from school

The Senior Phase Officer also maintain regular contact with lead partners and schools. The Officers share information on the progress in order to plan for progression to a sustained positive destination.

The Senior Phase Officer also have the responsibility to provide aftercare support to the young person for an agreed period under the terms of the funding of the programme delivery.

Improving outcomes for Young Carers

We have implemented the Carers Act and supported Young Carers by:

• Working together to ensure joint approaches to planning and supports;

• Ensuring all Young Carers are supported to have a Young Carer statement if they choose;

• Supporting their engagement and representation at the Carers Rights Day;

• Establishing young carers groups for a range of age groups;

• Establishing a Young Carer Support worker for each school.

YSort-It our partner organisation has been instrumental in leading this work and collaborated with HSCP and Educational Services to ensure robust systems of support and planning have been established.

These trips were specially designed to allow our young carers to gain confidence, make new friendships, build resilience while exploring the outdoors. 24 Young People ranging from 10-16years old and 2 staff attended these residentials. At the end of the trip the Young People were awarded their John Muir Certificate. In August 2019 we set sail on a 5 day voyage on the Alba Explorer sailing from Greenock up towards Dunoon, then onto Isle of Arran, followed by Rhu then back to Greenock. Throughout this trip the young people learned all aspects of sailing by hoisting sails, preparing all meals, scrubbing the deck, reading graphs and planning their trip. At the end of the Trip the 12 Young People gained their Level 1 Certificate in Basic Sailing.

The Annual Scottish Young Carers Festival took place in July 2019 and 9 young carers came along with 2 members of staff to enjoy all the activities on offer and also participate in group activities and consultations with other young carer services across Scotland.

Our young carers have also benefited from day trips to Trampoline Parks, Ten Pin Bowling, Tree Top Obstacle Course and meals out as well as overnight stays at our Eco Friendly Hut in Carbeth. They also participated in annual Y Sort It events such as our Halloween Pumpkin Hunt and Christmas Family Party

In response to a YC Focus Group and at the request of our young carers we have since developed a “Youngers” group for ages 10-15 year olds. This was developed in a youth club setting with various activity stations available such as board games, arts and crafts, outdoor sports and issue based information sessions. The Young Carers team also provide a ‘Pick Up & Drop off’ service, as transport and time was highlighted as a barrier for many of our young carers.

The initiative means that care leavers in full time education and living in their own council property will not be required to pay rent while they study.

West Dunbartonshire Council introduced the scheme in 2019 with the aim of allowing young care leavers the opportunity to focus on studying without worrying about finances.

At the start of the pilot year, 11 young residents were benefitting from the exemption, with eight continuing their studies throughout while receiving rent abatement. Those eight are currently continuing their education for 2020/21.

The scheme will now be extended on a permanent basis as part of the Leaving Care Housing Protocol, and an additional two young care leavers are due to benefit from it when they begin their further education this year.

It is hoped the roll out of the scheme will encourage more young care leavers to consider furthering their education.

Those eligible will be expected to use the period where their rent is being covered to build modest savings.

The scheme has been created in a partnership between the Council’s Housing team and West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership.

While it is currently only available to Council tenants, the possibility of extending the scheme across West Dunbartonshire will be discussed with other Registered Social Landlords in the area.

The Leaving Care Housing Protocol ensures young people who were previously looked-after have support to achieve independence and stability in the community.

The initiative provides tailored support to people between the ages of 16 and 26, providing them with the securest form of tenancy available to them.

They are then offered guidance along the way by a dedicated support worker.

Looked After Children and Young People Nursing service;

This service was further developed in the last year to include a support aimed at children and young people age 6 and over, who were in kinship care or looked after at home. As the service remains a relatively small resource, the process for referral originated in Team Around The Child (TATC) arrangements where the health outcomes of children and young people are reviewed.

The LAAC nursing service receives data in respect of all children looked after away from home, at home with parents or in kinship care. For those looked after away from home the service is applicable to all. For those in kinship or looked after at home the service is an opt in based on the view of the TATC as to their health needs and whether these are being adequately met by community health services.

Further, the service has adapted to offer a flexible service, seeing children and young people in a range of locations in order to improve accessibility. This was based on a small scale test of change which identified barriers to access in offering a clinic based service, and has since been successful in operating from a range of sites including within the social work service.

Supporting Children and young people EXPERIENCING GRIEF AND LOSS

Last year approximately 21 Seasons groups took place in schools and parental evaluation always indicate how supportive these groups have proved to the children and the difference they have noticed in their own children’s well being.

The Psychological Service ran 2 training sessions to training new companions last year and organised 4 reconnector sessions ( 2 online) to share good practise and develop skills in our trained companions.

The EP Seasons coordinator continues to provide regular support and advise to Companions running groups and organise the distribution of Seasons journals. This organisation ensure the children and young people in WDC benefit for the well run groups with skilled staff supporting their wellbeing.

Educational Psychology had worked with the national seasons team to develop training for schools on a universal approach to aid the recovery of children following lockdown and the affects of covid19 on their lives.

3 universal seasons teacher training sessions were delivered to teachers and psychologists in June to prepare school staff to manage the mental health and well being of children as a result of the pandemic and I session of the children’s training was delivered to staff .

Going forward the recovery plan is for this to be used by schools to support children following the massive change in their life following the outbreak of covid19.

Feedback from staff indicated that the training delivered had reassured staff and given them the confidence they required to support children on their return to school.