Summary
SHIP provide Youth Clubs & Holiday Clubs for children with complex support needs so they can enjoy activities is not normally be available to them. This provides carers/parents and their families with vital respite to improve their quality of life and enable them to continue in their caring role.
What SHIP Playschemes and Youth Clubs did
We took children with complex needs and disabilities to recreational venues throughout central Scotland ie, The Yard in Edinburgh, Glasgow Science Centre, Carnie Fruit Farm and other amazing settings which gave the young people fabulous experiences while offering respite to families. We also set up a new youth club in Kinross to support rural families. Families have reported that they spent their time with friends and family, allowing them time to spend value time with their other children and time for hobbies/sport. Over the project we offered 8250 short break hours to children/young people which meant we supported their careers for a total of 28875 hours. To carry the project out successfully we recruited practitioners & playworkers to supervise the children ensuring they were fully trained. We also recruited and trained 67 volunteers to work one to one with the children. The project priorities were ensuring the young people with additional support needs and disabilities were supported to be included with in community, taken part in sports and building confidence to become more independent and enjoy a social life outside the family home. We also aimed to ensure that families with children under 5 with disabilities had a support network. The highlight of the project was giving the children and young people the opportunity and confidence to try new things and be included in the community and a peer group. To deliver this we underestimated how much it would cost in staff costs due to high ratios of staff/child to comply with the care inspectorate.
What Support Help and Integration in Perthshire has learned
Regarding targeting families, we have learnt that although the feedback has been very positive from the children & families who accessed the service and benefited from short breaks, we were limiting the families who could use the service. The next project will be structured differently to ensure we are including as many families with children with complex needs, disabilities and life limiting conditions as possible.
We learnt that working with other agencies, forums, & third sector agencies have improved our knowledge of local guidelines and amenities. We also helped them through training and helping to implement a ‘play policy’ for PKC. This has helped us to better understand and connect with our families and children to offer a better service in the future.
We reached out to a new rural community that required help. We had many meetings and engaged with the local community, schools and clubs to ensure a new youth club and a parent support network was set up. The challenge was finding premises to hold the service from but through community engagement the local school offered their premises for us to use. This has opened opportunities for us to use their sports halls allowing children to be involved in sports activities and an activity room to allow parents to meet and socialise in the knowledge their children are having fun. This has been hugely successful, and we are planning on starting parent support sessions in other locations.
How Support Help and Integration in Perthshire has benefitted from the funding
Without the help of Better Breaks funding we would not have been able to connect with as many families or offer them short breaks throughout the holidays. The funding has allowed us to continue to offer inclusive clubs that cater for the needs and likes of young people while supporting families and carers through what can be isolating times. We have managed to expand to a rural local offering them support and ensuring that the needs of their children are fully met.
Project Outcomes
Outcome
126 young people in Perth and Kinross will have had opportunities to experience activities which are fun, stimulating and rewarding and will have the opportunity to socialise with their peers.
Results
We achieved this by delivering 28 x 6 hours sessions through holidays times and having an extra 219 hours term time respite available to families. These sessions were all planned and implemented with the needs, like and dislikes of the children and young being taken into consideration. They also had a say in what they would like to do in their time.
Case study
A group of parents were asked what they thought about the holiday play scheme; they felt that their children’s needs were considered and acted on. They have reported that there is no other groups that would be able to cater for the needs of their children. These are some of their comments: -
My child requires 121 support to do anything so family outings with siblings is a challenge. Having a support network and 121 volunteer support allows for peace of mind, a safe and secure: fun environment. His needs are met in a way that I can’t during the holidays; ship meet those needs and keeps him calm and having fun. Mainstream clubs don’t have the knowledge or experience for me to place him in any clubs, swimming etc
‘Good choice of activities and well organised.’
‘Kids always well looked after & had fun’
Outcome
392 carers in Perth and Kinoss will have improved wellbeing as they get a break from their caring role. This positively impacts on their wellbeing improving social isolation.
Results
The project supported families giving them a break from their caring role. Allowing them to feel supported and giving them time to improve their social isolation. Within the Kinross youth club we linked in with a parents groups that allowed the parents to relax, chat and support each other.
Case study
A big thank you to everyone involved in the holiday club. It is a lifesaver for my family and appreciate every allocated day given. Holidays are particularly a very lonely and isolated time for families with children with special needs. A bit of respite really helps and you don’t know how much that really means to us as a family. Thank you so much from our hearts.
Outcome
392 carers in Perth and Kinross will be able to have opportunities to go to work, spend time with other friends and family and access other leisure activities whilst their young person spends time at S.H.I.P
Results
A Kinross youth club was set up which allows young people to relax, socialise and be part of activities within their local community. The parents who attend all access a parents group which allows them to make friends and socialise. The group supports 10 young people per week which means that we have given 240 hours of short break hours to the young people. This has allowed us to support 35 carers allowing 840 hours carers can spend living a life outside their caring role within the rural community. The group was set up in January and we aim to increase numbers over the next year. As the group was only started in January they missed the Play scheme days but were guaranteed two days in the April Holiday.
Case study
Kinross SHIP, has made a huge difference to us as a family. My son has struggled to access mainstream clubs and felt quiet isolated, here he has so much fun with other young people, with support needs, he can truly be himself. The young volunteers are amazing and have really taken time to get to know him, share his interests and have fun with him. He feels valued and loves all the attention he gets from his big buddies. As a parent of a child with support needs it can often be quiet lonely as you feel you have little in common with other parents at school. I really appreciate having the parents room, the chance to talk with other parents who truly understand the challenges. Our own space to relax, chat and support each other over tea and cake, a little oasis from the challenges of daily life, and all the time knowing he is well cared for and having fun.
Outcome
Through peer support, families with children under 5 who have complex additional support needs will find advice, support and strategies from other parents and playleaders.
Results
The under 5’s stay and play group has been running every second week in term time. This has been supported by Woodlea, the Early Years Inclusion team, social work and NHS Heath visitor teams. They have helped plan and advertise to families in the community that we did not have access to. The numbers for this have been limited however they are increasing. We have increased publicity in local nurseries & primary schools to publicise the group.
Case study
My name is Katrina, my son has down syndrome and other complex health issues. Before attending SHIP we didn't feel we could go to groups for children his age. When we did I'd have to spend my time explaining C’s history,and why he had glasses, what his hearing aid was and about his feeding tube. On top of that I'd have to see other children C’s age thrive and grow when C struggled. SHIP group allowed us a safe place to meet other families in similar situations, where we could talk and have a coffee in a relaxed environment. The staff always create a welcoming and stimulating environment for the children and an ear or advice for me when needed. They arranged some visits to let us see other agencies that can help. I know the other parents have felt the same.
Outcome
We will go out in the community to access a variety of activities and venues. Allowing all our young people to choose the places they want to go to promote choice
Results
Within the 7 weeks of the holidays we visited a total of 15 different places. These places were chosen with the children and parents/careers. The venues were all suitable for the needs and likes & dislikes of those going on the trips. The children were asked prior to the planning of the holidays places they would like to visit.
Case study
Parents have given us positive feedback regarding the choice of venue and that their children can decide where they visit. Decision making a vital life skill and can only be learnt when choice is given, this is something we are very keen to promote with our young people.
‘Great having the choice of a variety of venues’
‘Both my child and I loved that he can opt to go on the trips that are of interest to him’
‘It was well organised, and my son liked being able to choose the venues that he would like to go to.’