This section provides details of issues discussed at previous meetings of the All Wales Forum on Issues for Disabled Children and Young People.
June 2011
Play Our Way – Fun and Friendship
Sian Davies, Citizenship and Participation Manager at Mencap Cymru, gave a presentation about the "Play Our Way – Fun and Friendship " project that is funded through Children in Need. The project is currently operating in Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Flintshire and Conway and operates via Special Schools and SEN Units within mainstream schools. The aim of the project is to empower young people with a learning disability to identify and remove barriers to accessing leisure activities in the community while socialising with friends. Following an information and training sessions open to eligible participants, 2 young people are elected to act as ambassadors for the school. The Ambassadors canvass their schoolmates' opinions on preferred leisure/social activities and identify what barriers exist to accessing these. Activities include visiting leisure/social facilities, participating in activities offered, and assessing inclusiveness. Other activities include developing communication tools, such as DVD, digital stories, to present barriers and solutions to accessing community leisure activities and lobbying for change within local authorities.
The issues that have been identified by the project to date include the need for more specialised support for young disabled people post 16 and ensuring that support staff in schools feel more confident about disabled children and young people’s access to play and leisure as they are very concerned about issues to do with risk. In year two the Project will operate in Gwyneed, Ynys Mon, Blaenau Gwent and the Vale of Glamorgan. Four more local authorities will be added in year three. Direct support will not continue when the funding ends but it is hoped that the work will still continue. Two dissemination events about the Project will be held in October –in the North and South of Wales.
The Big Lottery – Current and Future funding
Janet Thickpenny, Policy Officer and Nia Lloyd from the Big Lottery Fund gave a presentation about the Big Lottery grant fund known as BIG. Over £600 million has been given in funding in Wales since the fund began. BIG awards lottery money to community groups and projects that improve health, education and the environment. Current programmes relevant to children and young people are People and Places which supports projects that revitalise communities, improve relationships or enhance local environments; Awards for All, a small grants scheme that gives grants to projects that support community activity including extending access and participation; Way of Life which promotes a joined up approach to healthy eating and exercise and Child’s Play which supports development of play for children. UK wide projects include Improving Futures which aims to improve outcomes for children from families experiencing multiple and complex problems such as poor health, unemployment and Realising Ambitions which supports projects that have already proven their effectiveness and provide funding that then can benefit more young people. A new grant will be launched on September 1st called Bright New Futures. Funding will be available to support young parents and young disabled people aged 14 – 25 to grow in confidence, develop life skills, extend support networks and get better access to services. Grants will be between £200,000 and £1 million and be given to 3rd sector organisations in Wales to deliver projects between 3 and 5 years. Expressions of interests are to be submitted by October 2011. Workshops will take place to encourage organisations to work together.
The Disability Focus with the Families First Programme
Catherine Lewis, Development Officer (Disabled Children) at Children in Wales gave a presentation on Families First and disabled children. Families First is a programme that promotes the developments by local authority areas of effective multi agency systems and support with a clear emphasis on prevention and early intervention for families and is particularly targeted at those living in poverty. Families First is a key response to the Welsh Government’s Child Poverty Strategy. The principles of Families First are to develop an integrated approach to family support in Wales services need to be organised so that the support is family focused, bespoke, integrated, proactive, intensive and local. It has been recognised that a distinct focus is required within Families First to ensure that the specific needs of families with disabled children / people are provided for and that services and activities take these needs fully into account. Therefore additional funding has been made available through Families First specifically to provide a distinct and sharpened focus on disability. In her presentation Cath highlighted the similarities of approaches between Families First and disabled children but pointed out the link between both is not always straightforward. Support for families for disabled children with Families First must also link in with existing provision in local authorities- such as the Early Support programme. Some issues that face disabled children that can be written into families’ plans were discussed, as was ways of how they can be met. Key issues and themes that local authorities need to be aware of when providing support for disabled children and their families were also identified.
Update on the Disabled Children Matter Wales Campaign
Cath advised the group that a meeting of the Campaign had been held in May the aim of which was to review the work undertaken by DCMW during the last Assembly and to develop a plan for this Assembly term. The meeting drew up a list of Campaign achievements which include:
1)A profile within the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Government with senior civil servants wanting to hear DCMW's views on policy development.
2) Funding allocated to disabled children services as a result of the campaign, including wheelchair services, the Early Support programme, Changing Places and the Benefits Uptake Campaign.
3) The establishment of a Task Group which led to the development of "We are on the Way" "The Journey so Far" and other policy initiatives.
4) DCMW gave organisations an opportunity to work effectively together in partnership
5) The website gave supporters the tools to engage in campaigning work and make their voices heard.
6) A supporter base was developed and these were encouraged to make contact with AMs etc.
The lessons to be learnt include:-
1) Campaigning and Task Group representation should have been separated with the latter being delegated to the Children in Wales Disabled Children Policy Group, which includes a wider group of organisations than those who are part of DCMW.
2) It is difficult to run an effective campaign without dedicated capacity or funding.
3) True participation is difficult in a "dull policy world" and sometimes we did not engage in with disabled children / young people and their families in a true participatory way.
4) We need a specific tangible issue to engage with young disabled people and their families
The Campaign has therefore been put on hold until we have a clear message emerges that can be communicated to supporters. Ongoing policy work will be led by the Disabled Children Policy Group, facilitated by Children in Wales.
Information Exchange
Members shared information about what is happening in each of their organisations.
Notes for May 2010
Notes for December 2009
Notes for October 2009
Notes for June 2009