Archived decisions
Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage 1 July 2004 |
Item 6 | |
Contact: Helen Wheeler, ext 5444
This item will be introduced by a 12 minute video presentation of "The Event3" at Calshot Activities Centre in December 2003.
1 Introduction
1.1 This report looks at the joint working between the Social Services and Recreation & Heritage Departments and how it can support the Corporate aim with regard to improving the quality of life, health, independence and personal development of the people in Hampshire, particularly the more vulnerable groups of adults and children; young people, looked after children and the elderly.
1.2 This report presents some examples and analysis of current joint working activities between the two departments, identifies some of the issues arising from those activities, and presents some of the planned projects and ideas for further development of joint working. Dates have been set for two joint conferences of staff from the Social Services and Recreation & Heritage Departments in July (children and young people) and October (older people) to identify opportunities to develop joint working.
2 Background
2.1 In September 2003 a meeting took place of the Executive Member and Director for the Recreation & Heritage Department and the Social Services Department, and the Heads of Business Development, Libraries and Sport, Community and Outdoor Activity.
2.2 At this meeting there was general recognition of the significant contribution that the services of the Recreation & Heritage Department can make to improving the quality of life for key target groups. A number of existing joint activities between the Recreation and Heritage and Social Services departments were identified which could be extended and there were discussions of some key themes and issues where greater joint working could lead to better performance and improved outcomes for both departments.
2.3 The implications of the Children Bill following the Green Paper, "Every Child Matters", introduces new duties of co-operation and for safeguarding children and will require greater partnership working and the integration of services to achieve the Government's plan to "maximise opportunity and minimise risk for every child and young person". The Information Sharing strategy also requires new and better ways of working to ensure that vulnerable children and young people are identified and receive appropriate support.
3 Joint-working initiatives
3.1 There are examples of some established projects that may become fully integrated as part of the core service in time. Links with Social Services representatives and staff in other departments have been made via the representation from the Department on various inter-departmental forums such as the Hampshire Children and Young People Strategic Partnership, the Care Action Team meetings and the Children's Fund Strategic Board.
3.2 The Event3, Calshot Activities Centre December 2003 (video presentation)
This has become established as an annual event offering a day of free access to all the activities at Calshot for looked after children organised jointly with the Social Services Care Action Team. The children have the opportunity to participate in outdoor and indoor recreational activities that are not easily accessible to them developing their individual skills, confidence and self-esteem.
3.3 Reminiscence Workshops in Residential Care Homes project
SEARCH and the Museums and Archives Service have developed the Reminiscence workshops in partnership with the Arts service. The Reminiscence Workshops are now offered as part of the "Making a Difference" arts programme in Residential Homes. SEARCH has held 3 training courses for Hampshire County Council Care Home staff in Reminiscence work and six themed boxes have been developed by the Museums and Archives service who have also offered support for the initial workshop in each Care Home.
3.4 "Making a Difference" - Arts Events and Activities into Residential Care Homes
In 2003/4 more than 1,400 workshops and 234 performances took place in the Council's 26 residential Care Homes including visual arts and crafts workshops, reminiscence sessions, exercise training and music therapy. A qualitative research study into the impact of the programme has been carried out by the Arts service. The results indicate that the therapeutic learning and social engagement that are a feature of the "Making a Difference" and Reminiscence activities are valued and appreciated by the Care Homes staff and the elderly residents.
3.5 Visit to the Hampshire Mountain Centre for Care Leavers
The Care Action Team and Outdoor Activity Service organised a weekend visit for a group of Care Leavers to the Welsh Mountain Centre in May. This was a first-time visit for a group of Care Leavers and there is an opportunity to develop a programme for future visits to offer new skills and confidence-building experiences to the Care Leavers.
3.6 Looked after Children "Right to Read" project
Following on from successful involvement in two earlier literacy events for Looked after Children, the Library & Information Service in partnership with the Education department, Social Services Department and the National Literacy Association successfully bid for funding from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation for a Looked after Children Liaison Worker. The aim of the project is to encourage a reading habit and provide access to reading for looked after children in Children's Homes and remove barriers to active library use for the children and their carers.
4 The future: Ideas
4.1 There are more planned projects and embryonic ideas to further develop joint working between Social Services and the Recreation & Heritage Services.
4.2 A proposal to mark the national "Sea Britain 2005" event with a special project as part of the "Making a Difference" Arts project in Residential Homes could include reminiscence workshops, theatre performances, arts workshops, exhibitions, slide shows, seashore wildlife talk and seaside snacks with the potential to involve the Museums and Archives, Arts, Libraries and Countryside services in the project.
4.3 The possibility of offering opportunities for residential work experience to Care Leavers at Tile Barn Outdoor Centre is being explored. Work experience placements for Care Leavers could also be expanded to include other Recreation & Heritage services. The County Council has a sub-legal responsibility for those leaving care. This is an area where the Recreation & Heritage services may be able to contribute in providing opportunities for these young adults to enhance their self-esteem, sense of social responsibility and to learn new practical and social skills equipping them for a better future.
4.4 There is a proposal that the Recreation & Heritage Department take a lead in increasing awareness of and access to leisure, recreation and cultural facilities for those in deprived areas focussing on looked after children and their carers. A pilot project is under discussion in Rushmoor and Yateley to pool information on the facilities available in the area and provide directional signposting to the opportunities available locally. The project will also look at the problems of access to facilities, cost, staff supervision and transport.
4.5 The Arts service plan to expand the arts events and activities programme to Day Care Centres to reach people while they are still living independently. By providing enjoyable activities that contribute to improving their quality of life through stimulating mental and physical health, and by focussing on delivering services to the individual, Recreation & Heritage services can contribute to encourage and sustain the ability of the elderly to live independently in their own home.
4.6 The Countryside Service is working with Social Services on a number of ideas to increase access for looked after children, foster carers and their families to Countryside sites such as free or concessionary admission and better provision of information about facilities, events and the activities available appropriate for different age groups and public transport access to the sites.
4.7 The Library & Information service has put together a detailed proposal of options for increasing the operational capacity of the Home Library Service to address the unmet needs of housebound people across the county. The proposals consider the type of vehicle suitable for delivery, dedicated stock collections of materials in demand, making IT and the People's Network available to the housebound and a newsletter to encourage a feeling of belonging to a community. There are clear possibilities for joint working and information sharing with Social Services in this and other aspects of service delivery to the housebound and for other groups with special needs. The Equal Access Manager is engaged in discussions with Social Services on many other options for expanding library services for specific target groups.
4.8 The Library Service has an existing distribution network of static and mobile library service points, Community Link mobiles visiting most of the Care Homes, housebound delivery service and School mobiles across the County. These links offer potential to other services for the delivery of information e.g. circulating the Reminiscence collections.
4.9 The Library & Information Service, working in partnership with North Hampshire Travellers Forum run by Hart Voluntary Action, has been making weekly visits to two Traveller sites in Yateley and housed Travellers on the Forest Bus. Children and adults regularly borrow books taken to the Bus and participate in storytelling sessions. The service has purchased Traveller books for this project. Other organisations are also part of the Forum and visit the Forest Bus on a less regular basis including Social Services , Health Visitors, Connexions, and the Citizens Advice Bureau.
5 The future: Issues
5.1 At present there are links between key personnel in the two departments including meetings between the Arts Service and the Area Managers of the Residential Care Homes, attendance at meetings of the Care Action Team, the Departmental summit meetings and the planned Conferences later in 2004. There is a need to establish further links and contacts with key personnel at a local level in the Social Services areas so that the value and importance of the joint-working projects can be communicated to other staff throughout the services and to facilitate the exchange of information between the Departments.
5.2 Ensuring the future sustainability of joint-working projects is a concern of some staff involved in the projects. New initiatives require additional financial and staff resources to maintain them and to integrate them as part of the core service. They also require commitment, recognition of their value alongside core service delivery and understanding from all parties involved to be successful.
5.3 There is recognition by those involved in the projects reported here that working with specific groups such as looked after children or the elderly, infirm or mentally ill requires special skills, training and expertise. There is an opportunity for the two Departments to share skills and expertise, knowledge of the needs of specific groups, and information about services available through joint staff training and through sharing the lessons and experiences of the current projects.
5.4 Some qualitative research of the impact, outcomes and lessons learnt from the work in Care Homes has been done by the Arts and Museums service. In order to inform the formal Corporate reporting and support the Best Value inspection processes there is a need to establish a structure for the evaluation and reporting of these projects against specific aims and outcomes.
5.5 The Recreation & Heritage Department is presently undertaking research into the needs of children and young people. The links established through some of these projects may offer access to the views of young people and an opportunity for their participation in focus groups to develop ideas for improving services e.g. Discovery Centre design and recreational access to Country Parks.
6 Conclusions
6.1 The other County Council Departments tend to focus their provision for the more vulnerable groups of children, young people and the elderly on aspects of education, health and social care. The Recreation & Heritage services are able to contribute to these aspects and also enhance the leisure and recreational opportunities helping to improve the quality of life for these groups.
6.2 The examples of joint working between Social Services and Recreation & Heritage illustrate the contribution that can be made to achieving two of the key objectives of the Social Services department;
· Promoting independence and personal development
· Protecting vulnerable adults and children
Recommendation
That the joint working between Social Services and Recreation and Heritage be noted and supported, and submitted to the Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage for his consideration.
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