CARING ACROSS SCOTLAND
Previously known as Circle of Care ISSUE 2 2015
• Positive Support - Counselling • Making a Difference • Me and My Job - Sandy Russell
IN THIS ISSUE
• Focus On...Getting it Right for Every Child • Caring Across Scotland
Children Friendly Special edition spotlighting our Children and Family Services
OUR SERVICE AREAS Untitled-1 1
• • • •
Children and Family Counselling and Support Criminal Justice Homeless People
• • • •
Learning Disabilities Mental Health Older People Substance Misuse
providing a caring future
For more information visit:
www.crossreach.org.uk 21/05/2015 11:21:27
DID YOU KNOW?
220,000 youngsters in Scotland - or 1 in 5 of the child population - are living in poverty. CrossReach is targeting resources at alleviating child poverty.
FEATURES Spotlight
Viv Dickenson explains how Children and Family Services are responding to changes in legislation and funding. Page 5 Be Part of it!
Stories about how CrossReach is teaming up with volunteers and other agencies. Page 8 and 9
Making a Difference
News EAST LOTHIAN 20 teams took part in the inaugural Moderator’s Golf Challenge at Craigielaw Golf Club in Longniddry in April. Over £5,000 was raised for CrossReach’s Children and Family Services.
GLASGOW
GLASGOW The Mallard in Springburn celebrated its 20th anniversary in March. The service offers residential and respite care for children and young adults with learning disabilities.
EDINBURGH
Editorial IIt seems like only yesterday, but in fact Tuesday 1st June 2015 marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of CrossReach. I remember being at the Caird Hall in Dundee as staff and invited guests were introduced to this new name that replaced the Board of Social Responsibility. It was very exciting as the CrossReach logo was revealed along with the strapline ‘providing a caring future’. Has CrossReach succeeded in providing a caring future for our service users in the decade since 2005? I think so, and hundreds of people and their families would agree. Many changes have taken place in social care since CrossReach came into being – not least the introduction of Self Directed Support or ‘personalisation’ which was designed to give service users more choice over the package of care they receive. In the social care sector change is a regular occurrence and providers have to adapt to meet the latest needs and legislation. CrossReach has weathered a few storms since its launch but is still an integral and vital social care agency today – as thousands of people and their families across Scotland can testify. If you would like to get in touch, please e-mail: news@crossreach.org. uk or write to: CrossReach News, Charis House, 47 Milton Road East, Edinburgh. EH15 2SR.
Read about how Daisy Chain helped Hafsah to come out of her shell. Page 6
Heart and Soul 2015 was held in Princes Street Gardens on 17th May. The theme is ‘Living Stones’ and in CrossReach’s marquee we will be sharing ‘Living Stories’ about our service users.
Hugh Brown, Editor.
Published three times a year by CrossReach. Please feel free to use any material or articles contained in this magazine, with an appropriate credit. CrossReach, Charis House, 47 Milton Road East, Edinburgh. EH15 2SR. Telephone: 0131 657 2000, Fax: 0131 657 5000, Email: news@crossreach.org.uk
2
Untitled-1 2
Social Care Council Operating as CrossReach Scottish Charity number: SC011353
A Gaelic version of CrossReach News is available to download from our website: www.crossreach.org.uk
www.crossreach.org.uk 21/05/2015 11:21:31
Partnership, Poverty, Praise and Professionalism
Peter Bailey and his grandson
As I look out of my office window on a beautiful sunny April day I am enjoying the signs of new life in the grounds; leaves and blossom on the trees and watching the careful nurturing of new plants and buds by our faithful gardeners. Although that is about the extent of my gardening knowledge it did strike me that there are parallels between this and the Children and Family work which is highlighted throughout this edition. As a society, a church and as individuals we have a huge responsibility to our children and young people to nurture them and help them to develop and grow, giving them the best possible chance in life. That is why I am so encouraged, as I hope you will be, at the range of work featured which is supporting children and young people of all ages and in some case their families. As the son of a minister I can’t escape the influence that I need 3 or 4 points in order to deliver my message! So as I read through the
Untitled-1 3
articles I thought of 4 P’s – Partnership, Poverty, Praise and Professionalism. Henry Ford once said: “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself”. There are so many stories of success in these pages, but look carefully, so many result from partnership working, working together with individuals and other organisations: Edinburgh Befriending Consortium, the THRIVE project with Perth Prison Visitors Support and Advice Centre, research work with the Confederation of Scottish Counselling Agencies and Abertay University, donations from churches like Dalgety Parish Church, through to the acoustic curtains from St Giles’ Cathedral Neighbourhood Group, all examples of partnership to benefit people who use our services.
Peter Bailey Chief Executive Officer, Secretary of the Social Care Council
In our so called modern society one can only be appalled by the statistic that 220,000 youngsters in Scotland - or 1 in 5 of the child population are living in poverty. We all have a responsibility in this situation and you will see that a number of our projects are seeking to make a difference for these children. There is so much more that should and must be done and we will continue to work in partnership to explore opportunities and funding to continue to address these issues of poverty. The results of our Service User Survey speak for themselves and it would be very easy to use them to commend the success of the organisation. But what they really reflect is the high quality and committed work that our staff are carrying out every day of the year. The results are praise indeed for these staff from the very people who are receiving their support. Our staff are our biggest resource and without them we would not be able, in Christ’s name to provide support to people in Scotland who find themselves in need of support. As examples of this take a look at the articles on the transformational stories for CrossReach Counselling and the Daisy Chain Project. Then go on and read of the 20 years’ service (and continuing!) of Sandy Russell as the manager at the Mallard and his ongoing passion for the work of that service even after all these years. ‘Getting it Right for Every Child’ is huge initiative if we are to help nature our children and young people. This affects all of us in the organisation and so I am delighted that the professionalism of our Children and Family Services managers is reflected in the plans to provide awareness training across all our services whether they be for older people, adults or children and families. I hope that this edition of the CrossReach News will inspire you when you read of our work with children, young people and families but also challenge you that their future wellbeing is the responsibility of all of us.
3
21/05/2015 11:21:34
Counselling
Positive Support
4
Untitled-1 4
“I doubt I would still be here if it was not for this service. It has saved my life.” Statements like this are not uncommon within CrossReach Counselling Services which operate from a number of locations throughout Scotland, offering counselling to children and adults. One in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives so the need for these services and the type of therapeutic support offered has never been greater. The most common reasons for people to seek help are depression and anxiety which can be triggered by different life events including bereavement, bullying, losing a home or job, abuse, or the birth of a child, which can lead to feeling a loss of control and the ability to make positive change. Many people experiencing the symptoms of anxiety and depression find it difficult to talk to others for fear of being a burden or for being misunderstood and judged. As a result they can become very isolated. Counselling offers a safe space for people to connect, make sense of what is happening to them, work through distress and find new ways of understanding and coping with their situations which can help them to live life in a more satisfying way. Understanding what works and why is a vital part of making sure that we are getting it right for children and their families. In 2014 Jacqui Lindsay from CrossReach Counselling Lothian and Anne Goldie from the Tom Allan Centre in Glasgow undertook a piece of research work with the Confederation of Scottish Counselling Agencies and Abertay University to capture clients’ views on the helpfulness of counselling and to better understand what had changed. The research was well received and Jacqui and Anne were invited to report their findings at both the British and European Associations of Counselling and Psychotherapy conferences. “Overall, what we found was that clients described a shift in their emotional landscape, commenting that they saw their lives differently as
Jacqui Lindsay and Anne Goldie
“I doubt I would still be here if it was not for this service. It has saved my life.” a result of counselling, were able to re-organise their lives, make decisions and use new coping skills and strategies. They described themselves as having ‘found a voice’.” For Jacqui and Anne it was also reassuring to hear that our counselling services are seen as ‘safe’ and ‘trustworthy’ by the clients who took part in the research. The benefits can be wide ranging, not just for the individual but for other family members, as a Glasgow Health Visitor recently shared. She had referred a new mother to the Bluebell perinatal mental health service for counselling as she had concerns not only for the mother but also for the baby who was unresponsive and not interacting with the mother. With healthy attachment
being a key factor in a child’s ability to thrive it was important to her that the right support was found quickly. On visiting the mother 6 months later she couldn’t believe it was the same baby as it was thriving and the bond between mother and baby was visibly stronger. Her parting comment was: “The Bluebell service performs miracles!” Every year hundreds of clients access our counselling services with 97% of them saying that their quality of life is better as a result of the service they received. CrossReach is committed to continuing to invest in and develop this often misunderstood area of mental health provision, so that many more people can experience the healing and hope which it can bring.
21/05/2015 11:21:34
Spotlight
Children and Family Services Update Viv Dickenson explains how Children and Family Services are responding to changes in legislation and funding
Maintaining safety, security and quality in a world of change is a tricky balance to achieve and yet this is consistently what we are generally tasked to do in the world of social care and arguably has importance for Children and Family Services in particular. It is widely recognised that nurturing and developing a secure base for building relationships will help children and their families or communities to grow in a healthy and fulfilled way. Many of the children we work with are at risk from a number of factors including poverty, disability, drug misuse, mental health stigma, discrimination and family breakdown. However they also have a wealth of natural talents and abilities. Ensuring that an atmosphere of trust and safety exists in each of the services allows us to support them to overcome these difficulties and to be given a chance to succeed. Yet change is all around us as we face the integration of health and social care, the introduction of self directed support budgets and new ways of commissioning and funding services which can lead to uncertainty and insecurity. Each of our teams is responding to these challenges in different ways and you will read about some of these developments in this edition of CrossReach News. One of our most recent initiatives to ensuring safe and supportive relationships for children and young people comes from within the residential care and education services where we have become one of only two residential services in the country to be approved by the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute (DDPI) to start the process of formal DDP Organisational Certification. The entire staff group has been developing a particular way of working with children experiencing profound trauma based on the principles of DDP. Psychologist Edwina Currie, who has been
supporting this work, reflects on it ‘as a way of being with the children and with each other which supports the development of genuinely reciprocal relationships and the giving and receiving of comfort and joy’. DDP accreditation will allow them to further develop this work which has healing relationships at its heart. Another has been working hard with our Scottish Government funding to support their aspiration to make Scotland the best place to grow up in by getting it right for every child. The ConneXions team have been leading on this initiative. They have also been helping with a number of our own research and development projects around understanding what works, sustainability and fundraising - helping build for a more certain future which people who use our services can rely on. In addition they have supported young people in 9 different churches to develop their own thinking around building stronger communities based around supporting the children and families living in them and have been an active partner with Church of Scotland Youth (CoSY) in this process. We may not be able to control the world around us, but we can choose how we respond. Our current response to the constant change is to continue to work on the secure base, seeking to understand what is important to the families who come to us for help, building strong relationships with them and allowing us as individuals and partners to grow and develop in new ways so that together we thrive.
“Many of the children we work with are at risk from a number of factors including poverty, disability, drug misuse, mental health stigma, discrimination and family breakdown.”
Untitled-1 5
Viv Dickenson is Director, Children and Family Services for CrossReach
5
21/05/2015 11:21:35
Making a Difference
Hafsah’s Story The Daisy Chain service in the multicultural area of Govanhill in Glasgow offers a place for children and their families, often in difficult and impoverished circumstances, to come together and find support, advice, practical help and friendship. Much of the work done is based around play and parenting giving children and their parents the best chance to build positive relationships and overcome problems together, building for brighter futures. Since opening in 2012 Daisy Chain has welcomed many Scottish children along with those from another 17 different countries, celebrating their rich diversity and breaking down barriers.
6
Untitled-1 6
Yasmen became aware of Daisy Chain while she was looking for a place that would help her and her daughter Hafsah who has a hearing impairment. She only could find groups that were aimed at deaf parents and none that suited her needs. She had tried one group but Hafsah couldn’t settle. Before coming to Daisy Chain, Hafsah was quiet, not speaking much and she didn’t interact; she was clingy towards her mum and hadn’t had a chance to develop her social skills. What she needed was a place that provided a structured environment that prepared her for nursery. Yasmen decided to come to Daisy Chain as it provided Hafsah with an opportunity to play in an environment that would help her to develop her fine motor neurone skills. Through coming to the play sessions and engaging
with staff who were well trained and understood her needs Hafsah began to blossom. Yasmen feels that the most important change has been the bond that has developed between mother and daughter. Having time to play gives them a chance to build their relationship and give her confidence. There are more opportunities to take part in different activities, to use more speech and develop new skills and relationships with other children, helping her become her more sociable and independent. Just as importantly, Mum has developed new friendships within the community through coming to the play sessions and also loves having a place to relax. Another important benefit of the group is the chance for the different people supporting Hafsah to come together to think about her future. Christine the local early years inclusion teacher visited
recently. She was very pleased with how Hafsah was confidently playing and communicating with the other children . She feels Hafsah is now ready for nursery in August and the team will be providing a report for the nursery to show how much she has developed both in confidence and ability. It was Mum who suggested including the support team. She was delighted that the staff at Daisy Chain listened to her too, making her feel that we valued her contribution as a parent trying to do her best for her child. The highlight for Yasmen was the Daisy Chain summer trip to the Zoo which was a rare occasion as mum hadn’t felt confident enough to take outings before. Hafsah had always been interested in animals and was able to take part fully with her friends, she was overjoyed with the whole experience.
21/05/2015 11:21:35
Getting It Right For Every Child
Tips for churches:
1 For the last few years the Scottish Government have been inviting agencies, groups and individuals to play their part in helping make Scotland the best place to grow up in. Recognising that there are many inequalities within Scottish society, the initiative ‘Getting It Right For Every Child’ (GIRFEC) concentrates on helping people to understand what really makes a difference to the lives of children and their families and how they can act to make that difference. As children and young people grow up some may have temporary difficulties, some may live with regular challenges and some may experience more complex issues. The Children and Young People’s Scotland Act (CYPA) was passed in February 2014 and received Royal Assent in March 2014. It has the welfare of children and young people at its heart and is designed to bring about the changes necessary to help them to achieve their full potential. The GIRFEC approach is based around wellbeing which takes a holistic view of childhood. The eight indicators of wellbeing are: Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible and Included. We are asked to consider them when thinking about how we serve children and young people in our communities. CrossReach is committed to ensuring that all our of our services work to GIRFEC principles. We are also supporting the wider Church to reflect on their practice around children and young people. Jamie Hayward is CrossReach’s first official apprentice. She will be studying for a Business and Administration SVQ Level 3. If you would like to know more information about any aspect of GIRFEC, please contact Jamie on: 0131 657 2000.
‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me’ How welcoming is your church and its spaces to children young people and their families? Look at the notices around and the way information is communicated. Consider the practices which have grown up which may unintentionally exclude young people. Are there small changes which could be made which might extend a powerful welcome?
2
How safe are the children and young people coming to your church or in your local community and do you know where to discuss any concerns you may have or share information in a supportive way? The Children’s Act has made provision for every child to have a named person who will be the main point for co-ordinating information in the future - this is most likely to be the Health Visitor for children under 3 and the Head Teacher of the school for school-aged children.
3
We all want children to be healthy and grow up full of vitality and life. Whilst your church might concentrate on helping children to be spiritually healthy and active, how well does your church and those who use it provide other healthy opportunities for children - from the food/snacks on offer to the types of activities they can take part in?
4
What voice do you give children, young people and their families when it comes to planning activities and events for them or thinking about the space they use? Children can come up with creative ideas about how to make things better both for themselves and the communities around them - even very young children can give good feedback.
5
If you are serious about involving children and their families in the life of your church and making things better for them in their communities how much do you know of what their hopes and aspirations are and what barriers are in the way? Ask how your church might help remove those barriers.
6
Have some FUN! Many experts will tell you that the family which plays together stays together. Playing and laughing (at whatever age) can help us to feel included and have a strong connection to community. What opportunities are there to play and encourage play as a church family? How is this translated into our people and the spaces around?
7
Untitled-1 7
21/05/2015 11:21:36
Partnerships
Edinburgh Befriending Consortium
8
Untitled-1 8
CrossReach is one of the partners in the Edinburgh Befriending Consortium, officially launched by Deputy Lord Provost of Edinburgh Deirdre Brock in October 2014. Applauded by both Lloyds TSB Foundation and the City of Edinburgh Council for making it work, a consortium of CrossReach’s Sunflower Garden, Children 1st and the Broomhouse Centre has developed a city wide befriending service to improve the life chances of children and young people aged between 5 and 16 who are affected by parental substance use. With a target of providing a befriender to 60 young people annually in Edinburgh, the consortium also contributes to Child Planning processes towards preventing an escalation of need and necessity for statutory measures. Outcomes for children include improved emotional health, increased resilience, improved engagement at school, more activity for the young people in their communities and an increase in their social network. When asked how the service might be improved, one parent said: “How can you improve on perfection?”, whilst another parent said: “My son’s befriender is like an angel in disguise!”
Be Part of it! A place to play – ‘Loc de Joaca’ The importance of play is increasingly recognised as a vital part of a happy childhood as well as being crucial to children’s development as individuals and members of society. Over the last year Daisy Chain have successfully introduced a play based project to Romanian Roma families with children from birth to age 5 living in Govanhill. Project manager Liann Weir told CrossReach News: “This area of Glasgow is one of multiple deprivation and our work to date has shown us that many Roma families living in the area have little or no access to toys or play resources at home. The relationships we have built
with the families accessing the service have taught us that many of these parents didn’t have the opportunity themselves to play as children and so find it difficult to engage in play with their own children. Supported by Early Years Scotland and Glasgow Life the service has already made a huge difference to Roma Families, helping them to develop family relationships and those with the wider community, with a number of families now feeling confident and able to access education and health services. We recently attracted further funding from ‘Go To Play’ helping to deliver the National Play Strategy in Scotland.”
21/05/2015 11:21:36
Volunteer Freya wins award Over 200 volunteers offer us their time and talents each year to improve the lives of children and families all over Scotland and we are blessed by their involvement with us. There are many different ways to get alongside our services and we are constantly finding that our volunteers bring new enthusiasm and energy to different projects. Here’s the success story of one of our volunteers… Congratulations to ConneXions volunteer Freya Boyes won the Saltire Awards Summit Award in March. Here’s her story: “I have banked 386 hours of volunteering work since moving to Edinburgh and most of those were through my time at ConneXions while I was getting back on my feet (quite literally!). It was beneficial for me to get involved in an office job and organise an event. I genuinely believe that had I had remained unemployed throughout that year, my condition would not have improved as fast and that I would have second-guessed myself about applying to re-enter full time education. It was great to get out of the house and to use my time productively to complete a project.” Tanya Anderson (Assistant Implementation & Change Manager for CrossReach) is full of praise for Freya: “She consistently surpassed expectations in the tasks she was given, managing and organising her own work while at the same time helping team members. Her energy and smile assisted everyone in the team. Joining a team of Project Scotland volunteers working with the ConneXions Team, there were a bundle of new projects materialising. Freya took on the task of administering the office, ensuring everyone had the necessary office equipment. Initially allocated a task of formatting a comprehensive database
Untitled-1 9
of relevant contacts, Freya then took the initiative to suggest that she become the Events Co-ordinator for a new training event for the Church of Scotland Youth Partners. She even took one of the lead roles in an in-house promotional film for the event, broadcast on various social media channels. Freya worked tirelessly to ensure as many people as possible had been contacted and followed up. She would always address the relevant people tactfully and with a friendly manner. In addition to serving the needs of the speakers, she provided all 30 guests with support - from co-ordinating special dietary requirements to last minute travel arrangements. She visited the hotel herself to speak to the Manager and asked if she could see some of the hotel’s guest rooms. When speaking to guests about the hotel facilities she certainly knew what she was talking about! She made the organisation of the event look effortless, but we knew how hard she had worked. The Youth Partners were travelling from as far as Inverness and some had never stayed away from home, but Freya managed to make them feel ‘at home’. Everyone commented on how well run the event was which was due to having the extraordinary spirit of Freya on our team. We are delighted she has won the Saltire Award and in my opinion it is thoroughly deserved.”
Perth Prison Visitors Support and Advice Centre works in partnership with a number of agencies one of these being THRIVE. This project is led by Barnardo's Scotland in partnership with Perth & Kinross Council, Angus Council, CrossReach and Enable, and associate partners Perth Prison Service, Just Play and NHS Tayside. THRIVE works with children who have a parent in prison aims to improve outcomes for children under 5 and their families who are affected by parental imprisonment and promote their access to community supports. They work through a relationship-based and client-led approach. The work takes place in prison and in the community, uniquely crossing both to integrate a family led service.
Tackling
Poverty
Child poverty is a real area for concern for CrossReach and we work with a number of partners to alleviate the impact of child poverty. In many of our services we are targeting specific resources at alleviating child poverty by providing for the basic needs of children or linking into other organisations which can. Some of our services are registered to distribute food bank vouchers and can help with access to educational materials and clothes. We were pleased to be supported by a small grant from the STV appeal in 2014 which will help us to make a direct difference to children in poverty over the next year.
9
21/05/2015 11:21:37
News in brief
Prayer Points
CARING ACROSS SCOTLAND
For those who wish to pray, please consider • T he thousands of people who have been helped by coming into contact with CrossReach since it was launched in June 2005 • T he work of the Mallard in Springburn over the last 20 years and the staff who continue to offer care and support to the service users • T he Convener of CrossReach Dr. Sally Bonnar as she presents the report of the Social Care Council at the General Assembly • A ll the individuals and churches who fundraise for CrossReach in so many ways. The money raised helps CrossReach to continue to provide care for Scotland’s most vulnerable people
A Great Harvest
‘Pop-Up Shop’ raises over £3,000 Vacant shop units on our high streets make an excellent venue for a ‘pop-up shop’ – a temporary shop to raise awareness or funds for a particular cause or charity. CrossReach Counselling: Lothian recently took advantage of one such empty shop front in Dunbar for a week. Selling donated items such as CDs, books and household goods, the shop raised the fantastic sum of £3,334 (including gift aid) which will be used to provide counselling sessions for people in East Lothian.
Dalgety Parish Church in Fife decided that the proceeds from their Harvest Thanksgiving Appeal would go to CrossReach’s Perth Prison Visitors Support and Advice Centre. The appeal co-ordinator is Robin Arnott: “We sent a written appeal to each household in the congregation asking for a donation. We had Viv Dickenson speaking at our Men’s Breakfast, we held a family Harvest Quiz evening, had Elaine Waugh (co-ordinator at the Visitors Centre) speaking to the congregation on Harvest Sunday and rounded it off with a congregational lunch. At the end of the appeal, we had raised the magnificent sum of £3,220 which we handed over to the Visitors Centre.” Thanks to Dalgety Parish Church for their wonderful support.
• T he partnerships with other agencies which enable projects like the Edinburgh Befriending Consortium to be successful • T he many volunteers like Freya and Jamie who give of their time, experience and energy to assist CrossReach. If you would like to receive our free Prayer Diary three times a year, please call: 0131 657 2000, or download a PDF version from:
www.crossreach.org.uk Our Mission Statement
10
Untitled-1 10
I n Christ’s name we seek to retain and regain the highest quality of life which each individual is capable of experiencing at any given time
Curtains for Cunningham House!
Running for CrossReach 11 brave Charis House staff will be taking part in a 5k run on 30th May, part of the Edinburgh Marathon Festival to raise money to refurbish the creche at Bluebell PND services in Glasgow. If you would like to sponsor the runners, please visit: justgiving. com/crossreach5k. Meanwhile, Tanya Anderson from ConneXions completed the challenge of the Boston Marathon on 20th April in a fantastic time of 3 hours 51 minutes. She is also raising funds for Bluebell PND services. Donations are still welcome at: justgiving.com/ TanyaBluebellPND.
St Giles’ Cathedral Neighbourhood Group is a longstanding friend of Cunningham House in the Cowgate, a lively area of Edinburgh, which means that noise can become quite loud, so the group chose to raise funds for ‘acoustic curtains’ costing over £7,000. In February, they hosted an evening with Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith. Chaired by Rev. Calum Macleod, the audience enjoyed a ‘conversation’ between the author and literary editor of The Scotsman David Robinson, followed by a Q&A session and a book signing. Together with funds previously raised and the money from the event, the target was reached. Cunningham House’s Service Manager David Marsland says staff and residents are looking forward to enjoying the benefits of the new curtains.
21/05/2015 11:21:40
Our Staff
Me and My Job We recently said goodbye to a young man who has lived at the Mallard for 12 years. The taxi arrived to take him to his new home - these are the bittersweet moments. Knowing that Jamie is happy in his new home and that we have been able to support him and his family over the years makes it easier for all of us. It’s the end of another story. By the afternoon I was involved in organising the admission of another young person - another story about to unfold. On 2nd March 1995 the Mallard was officially opened. I brought out photographs of the opening and displayed them on the wall. No-one seemed to recognise me in the pictures - 20 years is a long time! I’ve been travelling the same road every morning, going through the same door and into the same office – and I wouldn’t have changed it for anything. Staff have come and
gone, each bringing their uniqueness to the project, some more than others! Hundreds of children and their families have used the service. What makes this place so special? I think it’s because of the one thing that has remained at the heart of our service. Every morning the staff group comes together and take time to share our faith. Devotions allow us a time for Bible reading and prayer, as well as a time of reflection. It’s also a time to catch up on everyone’s news over a cup of tea and biscuit. I do fear some things have slipped; I remember the days when the milk was always in a milk jug and the tea in a tea pot - no milk cartons, tea bags and jug of hot water. Moira wouldn’t have allowed that! 8 years ago I had the opportunity to set up a new service (the Garratt) which was very special and it’s been good to see how it has developed. There are always new things to do and opportunities to explore. Today I’ve spent time with my line manager George (couldn’t do it all without him) planning the development of a new service supporting
children and young people to access community activities. It’s hoped Go2 will be up and running this summer. There are challenges to face every day. I understand that it’s not just me that’s affected by the highs and lows of work; it affects my whole family and without their support it wouldn’t be possible. Working with children is a great responsibility and requires working as a team. Families expect a lot from you - after all, they are handing over their most precious gift to you and that’s not easy to do. It will soon be time to go home for the weekend. I always take a walk around the house just to see how things are before I go. As I pass Jamie’s door and look in I see that the bed has been stripped and the room is ready for a new arrival. I take down Jamie’s name plate and put it alongside mementos of other children who have passed through the Mallard. Sandy Russell, Service Manager, the Mallard and the Garratt
I wish to support CrossReach by donating £................................. on a single monthly annual basis If single: Please post us a cheque (payable to CrossReach) or donate online at www.CrossReach.org.uk If monthly: I would like to make my donation on the 1st/15th (delete as appropriate) of each month starting: ........../........../................ If annually: I would like to make my donation on: ........../........../................ and each year thereafter
Your account details Name of bank: ........................................................................................... Address of bank: ........................................................................................ ...................................................................... Postcode: ............................. Account number:........................................................................................ Sort code: ...................................................................................................
Your personal details Name (inc title): .......................................................................................... Home address: ............................................................................................. ................................................................... Postcode: .................................. Phone number: ............................................................................................ Email address: ..............................................................................................
To the manager (Bank/Building Society): Please pay Bank of Scotland, 38 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH2 2YR on the date indicated above and thereafter until further notice the sum indicated above for the credit of CrossReach Account No 00227186, Sort Code 80-41-21 If you pay tax, please sign this form and the tax office will give us 25p for every £1 you donate. I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of UK Income Tax and/or Capital Gains for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all charities that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand that the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give. Please notify CrossReach if you want to cancel this declaration, change your name or home address or no longer pay sufficent tax. Signature: .................................................................. Date: ...../...../........... If you have any questions, call our Supporter Relations team on 0131 657 2000. Please send this completed form to: Supporter Relations, CrossReach, Charis House, 47 Milton Road East, Edinburgh, EH15 2SR 05/15
Untitled-1 11
11
21/05/2015 11:21:40
SERVICE USER SURVEY 2014 The annual Service User Survey was held in November 2014 and was open to all Service Users who used a CrossReach service. A 72% response rate was achieved.
SERVICE USER AREAS - of the 1,269 forms returned SERVICES To oLdER pEopLE
596
AdULT CARE
600
ChILdREN ANd FAmILY SERVICES
73
ToTAL poSITIVE RESpoNSE the highest total positive response received was 99.4% who agreed or strongly agreed they feel safe in the service. strongly agree 65.4% | agree 34.3% | disagree 0.5% | strongly disagree 0.1% ToTAL poSITIVE RESpoNSE all questions were answered very positively – the lowest total positive response was 94.5% where service users agreed or strongly agreed they liked the meals provided in the service. strongly agree – 51.2% | agree – 43.3% | disagree – 4.1% | strongly disagree – 1.3% oVERALL SATISFACTIoN service users were asked – overall you are satisfied with the service you receive – 98.9% agreed or strongly agreed. strongly agree – 63.8% | agree – 35.1% | disagree – 1.1% | strongly disagree – 0.1% QUESTIoNS ASkEd Service Users were asked a range of questions: total positive response Choice on type of service and support polite and friendly staff Feel supported and cared for Feel treated fairly Quality of life is better because of service
98
99%
99%
96
96.9% 94
95.9% 92
0
Untitled-1 12
95.9% 99.4% 99.0% 99.0% 96.9%
Compared with the 2013 survey, 9 out of 12 questions were answered more positively in 2014.
“since coming to the service my days are very enjoyable and all staff are courteous and helpful. a very enjoyable afternoon with good company, courteous and kind. many thanks.”
100%
99.4%
CompARISoN wITh 2013 SURVEY
“without this service i wouldn’t be here. they give me a reason to get up on the days iattend.” “this is a fantastic place to be. it has given me the tools to get my life back. the staff are great, easy to approach. you get what you put in, so thanks.”
“i enjoy coming and doing new things and seeing all my friends at the centre. otherwise i would be isolated and lonely.”
21/05/2015 11:21:41