Care Experienced Flexible Fund
October 2023
Stirling Council has received Scottish Government Funding to support children and young people (aged between 0-26 years old) who have experience of care.
In Stirling, some of this money has been set aside for a Flexible Fund that can be accessed by children and young people or on their behalf by professionals who support them.
What is the Flexible Fund?
The Flexible Fund is a pot of money that has been set aside to directly support positive outcomes for care experienced children and young people. Applications are welcome from:
Educational Establishments for projects or interventions to support CECYP
An adult on behalf of a CEC (aged 0-11 years old)
A CE young person/adult (aged 12-26 years old)
Applications can be made up the maximum value of £500 for Educational Establishments or £250 for individuals.
Individual applications must be supported by a referee e.g. Social Worker, Family Support Worker, Education professional
What can the Flexible Fund be used for?
Applications to the Flexible Fund should aim to improve outcomes for CECYP in one or more of the following areas:
Educational outcomes
Qualifications
Health and Wellbeing
Access to work or training
Engagement with learning or work
Some examples of things to apply for:
Literacy/numeracy intervention
Fees for a training course or extra qualification or extra curricular activity
Textbooks/ study notes/ extra tuition
Interview or work clothes
Leisure course eg yoga,
In some cases, if the Flexible Fund cannot support an application, it will sign post applicants to other more appropriate support.
Flexible Fund Panel
Applications to the Flexible Fund are anonymised and then scrutinised by a panel made up of representatives from:
Education
Social Work
Stirling Champs Board
Skills Development Scotland
NHS Forth Valley
Sharing of information on application forms:
Personal Data that is shared will be held and processed in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018, including The General Data Protection Guidelines.
Full Guidance
The complete Guidance for The Flexible Fund should be read before making an application.
The guidance can be accessed through this link:
VHT Flexible Fund Guidance 2023
This deadline for applications are as follows:
Friday 15th December 2023
Friday 26th January 2024
Friday 1st March 2024
Friday 19th April 2024
Friday 24th May 2024
Application Form
Applications can be made using this link:
VHT Flexible Fund Application Form 2023/24
If you have any queries or question, please email:
VHT@stirling.gov.uk
Evaluation: So what?
It is really important that you share with us how you used the money allocated through the Flexible Fund. It helps the VHT plan for future interventions and report back to the Scottish Government.
This link will take you to a short evaluation form:
Thank you very much for your cooperation with this evaluation