Growth and development.pdf

StirlingThe Council has appointed a Community Worker working within Community educationServices, but only with people who have experienced or are still experiencing mental healthproblems. The Community Worker focuses on all areas of adult learning and essential skills,and sets up and runs a range of groups from self-help to recreational. Working across thewhole of the Stirling area, the Community Worker liaises closely with health and local voluntaryagencies.A multi-agency group oversees progress on the implementation of single shared assessment.An assessment tool, part of the Council’s work on e-Care, and a protocol for sharing informationhave been formulated. Occupational therapy assistants already do an assessment, deliver andfit single equipment in one visit, and community care staff are being trained to do single sharedassessments for nursing equipment.Progress is being made towards a more coherent service for people with sensory impairments,through a multi-agency group and a Sensing Progress implementation group of the Council.The focus is on ensuring that people have access to the services they need, and on partnershipworking. Services for children with sensory impairments are included, and the Council issupporting a bid by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf for an advocacy service for deafchildren.Joint working with health services is evident at the Stirling Royal Infirmary visual impairmentclinic and the joint loan equipment store. Stirling is to have access to a Resource Centre beingdeveloped in Falkirk. Various avenues are being followed – in collaboration with voluntaryorganisations – to ensure that people have access to appropriately trained staff and to interpretingservices. The numbers of referrals and assessments have risen markedly.A Joint Community Care Forum has been formally constituted by Stirling Council and its healthpartners, a joint senior management group set up, and a joint action plan agreed for jointresourcing and management. It is anticipated that budgets will be aligned in the first instance.A Forth Valley-wide multi-agency human resources group is developing an action plan, buildingon an organisational development strategy agreed in 2000.3. Performance: Children and FamiliesBalance of care – Looked afterchildren (aged 0-17)1999-2000actual1999-2000per 1,000Quartile2000-2001actual2000-2001per 1,000QuartileAt home 68 3.7 3 65 3.5 2With friends/relatives/other community 23 1.3 2 13 0.7 3With foster carers/prospective adopters 61 3.3 1 65 3.5 1In residential accommodation 16 0.9 3 17 0.9 3Total 168 9.1 2 160 8.7 2Key performance indicators1998-1999actual1998-1999per 1,000Quartile1999-2000actual1999-2000per 1,000QuartileChild protection (CP) referrals 204 12.5 1 151 9.3 2(aged 0-15)Children subject to a CP case 52 3.2 2 41 2.5 2conference (aged 0-15)Children placed on CP register 36 2.2 2 29 1.8 2(aged 0-15)Adoption applications in year 2 0.1 4 8 0.4 2(aged 0-17)Stranger adopter applications 1 0.1 4 2 0.1 4(aged 0-17)253