Carers Parliament - 1 October 2012

Are you caring for someone and want to make your views known?
Now's your chance!  Apply to take part in Scotland's first Carers Parliament!
You can find out more and make your application online via www.carerscotland.org.
The closing date for applications is 14 July 2012.

Short Break fund applications

The Creative Breaks Programme is now open for applications and is generating a great deal of interest.

Are you working on an application to Creative Breaks Programme? 

If so don't forget that we have applicant phone-in days on Thursdays and Fridays for the next 3 weeks, this is an opportunity to talk through your proposal with the Short Break Fund Manager Alison Stevenson.

Please phone 01383 622462 and ask to speak to Alison Stevenson.

THE SCOTTISH STRATEGY FOR AUTISM

Nominations are sought from the autism community to join the ASD Reference Group’s User and Carer Sub-group to ensure that the needs of people with autism, their parents and carers are reflected and incorporated in the implementation of the strategy.

The Minister for Public Health launched The Scottish Strategy for Autism on 2 November 2011 in partnership with COSLA announcing that the Scottish Government was allocating funding of £13.4 million over 4 years to deliver the recommendations of the Strategy. The funding will be used to build on improvements to autism services and access to these services. The Strategy details our goals over a 10 year period and these will help us to make sure that we have addressed all the Recommendations by the time the strategy concludes.

The ASD Reference Group consisting of users, carers and professionals will work in Sub-groups, with additional representation, to deliver the Recommendations of the Strategy and provide annual progress reports report to Ministers. The ASD Reference Group, chaired by the Scottish Government leads in the monitoring and tracking of improvements in service provision for people with autism and their families.

The Scottish Government is seeking volunteers to form a User and Carer Sub-group to represent people on the spectrum in the delivery of the Strategy’s Recommendations.

The remit of the User and Carer Sub-group Group is to ensure that the needs of those on the spectrum are taken into account in the implementation of the Strategy by:

• Working collaboratively with other sub- groups by taking forward specific pieces work delegated to the User and Carer Sub-group by other sub-groups
• Provide regular progress reports on the work that the sub-group is taking forward.

• Provide regular reports back to each meeting of the Reference Group by completion of the sub-group template
• Forge and develop links to wider user groups both locally and nationally

• Identify gaps and challenges, and offer practical solutions to these gaps and challenges.

Nomination Process:

·         There are a maximum of fourteen places on the ASD User and Carer Sub-group.

·         It is essential that we have a wide geographical membership. , Ideally we would like to have representatives from throughout Scotland on the Sub-group.

·         The deadline for submitting nominations is 27 April 2012.

Representatives will be required to attend bi-monthly meetings of approximately 2 hours; reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed. Potential membership interested in joining the Sub-group should contact Kirsty Butts, The Scottish Government, Adult Care and Support Division at email address kirsty.butts@scotland.gsi.gov.uk for an application for and completed forms must be returned by 27 April 2012 with a view to having the first meeting in May 2012.

Please tell us what you think!

Did you know that some of the funding that Fife Carers Centre receives comes from the Big Lottery?  As you’d expect The Big Lottery want to make sure that that the money they award is getting spent in a way that they initially approved – in this case to help the carers of Fife.  To help us give evidence that we are meeting their requirements we hope you will have a go at completing the survey that I have attached to this email.

If you’d like to have a go at the survey please click on this link Fife Carers Centre Survey.

We look forward to hearing from you and a BIG THANKS for your help!