Archived decisions
Hampshire County Council
Recreation and Heritage Policy Review Committee Item 8
26 May 2005
Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item 2
26 May 2005
Access to Countryside Service Sites for Hampshire County Council Cared for Children
Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage
Contact: John Tickle ext. 6000 e-mail: [email protected]
1.1 This report describes the piloting of free access arrangements for Hampshire County Council Carers and children's homes to Countryside Service sites where there are admission and/or car parking charges.
1.2 It gives the results of the pilot project including feedback from the user group and suggests how the project can be taken forward in 2005. The report also provides information on other Recreation and Heritage initiatives aimed at supporting this important target audience.
2. Background
2.1 Since its creation as a new Department, Recreation and Heritage services have been focussed on supporting corporate aims, particularly in relation to improving the quality of life, health, independence and personal development of Hampshire people. This has included particular efforts to support the more vulnerable groups of adults and children; young people; cared for children and the elderly.
2.2 On 1 July 2004 a report was presented to the Recreation and Heritage Policy Review Committee covering the wide range of joint work underway between the Recreation and Heritage Department and Social Services. The contents of that report were widely welcomed by Elected Members and in particular the ideas for future work, one of which was the pilot covered by this report.
2.3 Much of that work is carrying on apace and will remain a key focus for the Recreation and Heritage Department as part of the massive corporate commitment to the changes now arising from the Children Act. This report focuses on cared for children and includes reference to wider Recreation and Heritage initiatives supporting that group.
3. Pilot Project
3.1 Countryside Service staff from Titchfield Haven Visitor Centre have been working on a project to encourage access by people who are currently not visiting Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve. It was clear from visitor surveys that children in foster care or living in Hampshire County Council care homes were one of several non-user groups. Contact was therefore made with relevant staff in Social Services and visits arranged to a children's residential care home and to a meeting of the Hampshire Foster Carer's Network.
3.2 Care home staff and foster carers identified a number of reasons for not visiting Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve but it also became clear that these reasons applied equally to other Countryside Service sites. The opportunity was therefore taken to find out what action could be taken by the Countryside Service to encourage visits to all of its sites rather than just to Titchfield Haven.
3.3 The main reasons given for not visiting Countryside Service sites were:
· Lack of awareness of the sites and the services they offer
· Cost, whether admission or car parking
· Transport - lack of awareness of how to get to places by public transport and lack of public transport to some sites
3.4 Based on the findings from the meetings, a pilot project was set up to run through the school holidays, from July to September 2004. Foster carers were invited to apply for a special car pass to display in their car at those sites where there is a car parking charge. For sites where there is an admission fee, foster carers and children's home staff were asked to show their identity cards. A letter was sent to all foster carers and to all children's homes, giving information about Countryside Service sites and explaining how to visit sites free of charge throughout the summer. Survey forms were included so that users could feedback their views on the project. This involved close working between Recreation and Heritage and Social Services staff.
4. Results from the Pilot project
4.1 Sixty two car park passes were requested but the number of visits made to sites is not known as it was not possible to check all cars for passes during the pilot period. Free admission was taken up by twenty nine adults and forty two children, with the most popular venues being Manor Farm, Staunton and Queen Elizabeth Country Parks.
4.2 Eleven survey forms were received and provided the following feedback:
· the access arrangements were helpful and easy to use
· a map showing all the site locations would be useful together with a leaflet explaining what visitors can do at the sites, what facilities there are for different aged children, and how to get there by public transport
· 50% of the visits were first time
· Visitors used shops and Tea Rooms where provided but a figure for secondary spend is not known
4.3 Further feedback was obtained when a member of Countryside Service staff held a workshop at the annual general meeting of the Hampshire Foster Carer's Network. This revealed that people very much wanted the scheme to continue and felt that the low take-up reflected the fact that the pilot did not run for very long. Some carer families have two cars and passes were copied for the second car, increasing visitation. The need for an informative leaflet was also identified. Some carers do not have their own transport and rely on friends to take them and their children out and about. A request was made to provide a car pass for the friend in these circumstances albeit it was clearly understood that steps do need to be taken to ensure that offers are not abused.
4.4 In view of the positive feedback received the Countryside Service would like to continue this initiative on the basis of the recommendations set out a the end of the report.
5. Wider Recreation and Heritage support for cared for children
5.1 Other sections of the Recreation and Heritage Department are also heavily involved in initiatives supporting cared for children. The following examples offer just a cross section of work underway.
5.2 The Arts section is doing work in running arts activities for children both in foster care and in care homes. This has included working with them on a `Beyond Care' project in which young people work with a theatre company at the Tower Arts centre to create a performance. They are also putting together a programme of Saturday morning workshops at Staunton Country Park in support of a local Children's Unit. In addition to this work is underway on developing a magazine and web-site for young people in the care system.
5.3 Our Outdoor centres are also heavily involved in this area of work with Calshot now having run `The Event', which is a day of activities and sport for over one hundred cared for children, on three occasions now. Five groups of care leavers visit the Hampshire Mountain Centre annually and care homes are using the Tile Barn and Mountain centre for residential weekends.
5.4 All sections of the Department will continue to contribute to this work as Recreation and Heritage seeks to continue its active support for corporate initiatives in this area.
Recommendations
That the following recommendations be submitted to the Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage for her consideration:
i. That the Countryside Service continue to give free access to Hampshire County Council foster carers and children's residential care homes.
ii. That access arrangements are changed to make them more cost-effective for everyone.
iii. That consideration be given to the production of an informative Countryside Service leaflet for such users.
iv. That the offer is kept under review through liaison with Social Services staff and the Hampshire Foster Carer's Network.
v. That continuation of the wider Departmental efforts referred to in this report are both welcomed and endorsed in support of Hampshire County Council corporate objectives.
Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers
The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.
NB the list excludes:
Published works.
Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.
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