Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC)

1. Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) Rod BurnsGetting it right for every child/Children’s disability teamNMCN for Childrenwith Exceptional Healthcare Needs:GIRFEC and Children’s DisabilitySeptember 29, 2010

2. Why Getting it right for every child? • Long-term programme of change, foundation for work with all children and young people • Well-being of children and young people at the heart of thinking, planning, action • Strong emphasis on flexibility • Transformative - shifting the way services function in regard to children • Involves major culture, system, practice change

3. Why is the GIRFEC approach necessary? Looked After Children Young runaways Workforce Skills Additional Support for Learning Curriculum for Excellence More Choices More Chances Equally Well Child Protection Young Carers Children’s Hearings Early Years Framework Achieving Our Potential Youth Justice Public Services Reform Parental substance abuse Domestic Abuse Disabled children Parents and carers

4. GIRFEC and Children’s Disability • Traditionally, policy affecting disabled children fragmented • Disconnect between education, social work, health, housing, third sector and so on • Added to challenging landscape • Occasionally impenetrable, even within SG! • Opportunity in late 2009 to fuse children’s disability remit into GIRFEC team, approach to children’s services

5. GIRFEC and Children’s Disability, contd • But much more than structural change • Fundamental compatibility between the GIRFEC approach and needs of disabled children • Strongly child-centred • Children’s individual needs determining flexible approaches • Streamlining, minimising bureaucracy

6. GIRFEC and Children’s Disability, contd • Improved assessment, info-sharing – reducing need to constantly retell information • Focused on outcomes – positive change and better lives • Leadership at all levels essential – strategic, operational, practitioner, family • Not a new system, initiative or structure but redesign, refocusing of existing processes • Culture change perhaps most important, challenging

7. Wider Work – FSDC • Work with FSDC Liaison Project – key to assisting better lives • Significant achievements so far • Charter for Scotland’s Disabled Children • Diary Project, Baseline Survey • Large membership, supporter base • New challenges as first project manager moves on, but also new opportunities within rapidly developing context

8. Wider Work – National Review • PSR bill process, large interest in children’s disability amendments • Negotiation, consensus • Opportunity to work in partnership – SG, CoSLA, FSDC – during influential time (late 2010, into 2011) • Commitment to broad look at children’s disability services, better outcomes for children • Working through 2010 to end of year report on progress

9. Wider Work – Moving and Handling • In addition to strategic work, leading practical change • Ministers accepted all but two recommendations, Handle with Care • Currently running four drafting groups • Programme of meetings, work through winter • Drafting process into 2011, with launch and communications activity to follow

10. Wider Work – Organisational Support • Perhaps ‘old-fashioned’, but still hugely important • Directly sponsoring a range of groups providing direct support to families • Advice, advocacy, maximising resources • Very well known, large – Contact a Family, Family Fund, Capability • Also smaller – Butterfly Trust, Sleep Scotland

11. Care Co-Ordination/Lead Professional • Not dwell on this issue (detailed Highland, D&G and Borders experiences to come) • Important to stress that key working/care coordination already established (with relevant skillsets) prior to GIRFEC; by doing one you’re doing the other • GIRFEC not about replacing, or displacing, existing good practice which works • Key balance – holistic approach to supporting child and family, drawing on specialist expertise around children’s complex needs

12. Going Forward • Excellent position for children’s disability • At heart of long-term vision for flexible child-centred services in Scotland • Not complacent – transformation GIRFEC seeks must also happen in support for all children across allagencies • As GIRFEC rolls out, momentum for change will boost children’s disability agenda, including focus on children with complex needs

13. Contact Details • Rod Burns • Getting it right for every child/ • Children’s disability team • 2-B North, Victoria Quay • Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ • (0131) 244 0253 • rod.burns@scotland.gsi.gov.uk • www.scotland.gov.uk/gettingitright