Priority Theme : Additional support needs and disabilities
Priority – Children and young people with additional support needs and/or disability and their families are well supported to achieve their potential.
Introduction
The GIRFEC Children with Additional Support Needs and/or Disability Thematic Group focuses on actively seeking, promoting and supporting high quality outcomes for children and young people in Aberdeenshire who have additional support needs and or a disability.
Membership: NHS Grampian, Education, Live Life Aberdeenshire, Social Work, Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP), Skills Development Scotland (SDS), North East Scotland College (NESCol), Barnardo’s, Planning & Economy.
Aims and Goals
The key aims for the group are to:
- Ensure young people have access to service and support they need to thrive educationally, physically, and emotionally through the implementation of the Aberdeenshire Lifespan Autism Strategy and Delivery Plan
- Ensure young people are supported to transition from school to young adult life and receive support to thrive and succeed.
Thematic group members continue to be connected with national improvement activity, for example, National Autism Implementation SCERTS Regional Network and National Autism Implementation Team.
Current work
The group has continued to collaborate closely with AHSCP and other partners to develop and deliver on the Aberdeenshire Lifespan Autism Strategy and Delivery Plan. The Strategy was published in August 2023 and shared widely across all partners and stakeholders, including the Autism Strategy Easy Read version and Autism Strategy Video detailing the 7 key themes.
An Aberdeenshire Autism Strategy Oversight Group has been created and includes members of the GIRFEC thematic group, which provides opportunities to feedback progress on actions.
A Professional Learning Framework for Education Staff has been developed to ensure that there is an Aberdeenshire-wide core level of knowledge and understanding across the education workforce, as well as recognised pathways for developing more advanced knowledge and skills.
Actions continue to progress across schools to promote capacity building in support of autistic children and young people, including alternative visual communication approaches and workforce learning and development.
NHS Grampian continues to develop a neurodevelopmental pathway involving Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Paediatricians, Allied Health Professionals, Education and Community Services.
Following the engagement work carried out in 2022, the Additional Support Needs Transitions subgroup have been developing a Transitions Charter and Transitions Checklist for young people and their parents/carers, taking account of the 3 key themes identified – support, communication and starting discussions about transitions earlier. The Charter and Checklist are based on The Principles of Good Transitions 3 | Autism Network Scotland |. The group will be engaging with children, young people, families and wider stakeholders on the Charter and Checklist in Autumn 2024
In August 2023 a Transitions Workshop took place with representatives from the Central Adult Services Teams, Children and Families Team Managers and schools. The workshop focussed on developing our current process for providing support for young people who have been identified as requiring extra support when leaving school and the support that can be provided to those young people who do not meet adult services eligibility criteria. The Central Transitions Group agreed a new format for this process which will be trialled for a year and evaluated thereafter.
Resources
Independent Living Fung Transitions Fund – Transition Fund | ILF Scotland
Independent Living Fund Technology Grant –Technology Grant | ILF Scotland
Online Application for young people, families and professionals for Transition to early adult life – Compass – Available now!
Information and Advice Service for those wanting to know more about Self Directed Support – Home – Cornerstone SDS Information, Advice and Support Service for Unpaid Carers – Aberdeenshire Carers – VSA