Caring Communities of Change: Stakeholder Meetings
The stakeholder network meetings are for a journey filled with learning, sharing, and exploring innovative practices across Wales.
These meetings are your passport to respite, short breaks, transitions, and community activities. Whether you’re a dedicated family member or a seasoned professional, join our ever-expanding network, united across sectors to empower families in their quest for alternative respite solutions.
Speakers
We’ve worked with partners on the network to bring you interesting ideas and opportunities across transitions, short breaks and community activity. We are pleased to announce the following presenters at the upcoming stakeholder meetings.
Christy Hoskings – Regional Patient Experience Lead Children’s Services
Project/Topic: 100 Stories Project
Description: New project to inspire and influence future leaders to generate change – Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (nhs.wales). Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is the largest Health Board in Wales covering 6 different counties severing the physical and mental health needs of these communities.
Links to useful information: Neurodevelopmental Service – Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (nhs.wales)
Partnership opportunities: The Patient Experience Leads work closely with children and young people and their families to ensure their voices are heard and they are actively involved in service development and design and we would love to be able to share learning with and learn from the partnership to build on our work and create shared understanding across Wales.
Josh Law – Projects and Partnerships Manager
Project/Topic: Break from the Routine Report – the respite and short breaks theme of the Caring Communities of Change project.
Description: Short-breaks and the lack of choice for learning disability family carers accessing them has been identified as an area of concern. Some of the current provisions if often described by families as inflexible and unresponsive.
The Break from the Routine strand will focus on three schemes to improve respite and short break options –
Staycation – LD Families needing breaks will build peer connections to retain choice and flexibility through exchanging accommodation options
Direct Breaks – LD Families are empowered and enabled to utilise Direct Payments together as a real choice-led option for respite support
Respitality – LD Families can trail the experience of meaningful breaks within their community’s hospitality industry
The report draws out key issues, opportunities and learning from the project so far and scans the horizon as to where these ideas go next.
Links to useful information: Break from the Routine report to be released before Christmas 2023 on the Foundation website and social media
Website: https://www.allwalesforum.org.uk/
Social media: @allwalesforum
Kim Dolphin – Carers Services Development Manager
Organization/project: Monmouthshire Carers Team, Monmouthshire County Council.
Description: Development of a booklet aimed at parent carers. The aim is to inform Monmouthshire parent carers of the potential milestones they may incur during their child’s transitional milestones. Once this booklet is published it will be made available to other partners’ organisations to utilise for their locality.
Link to useful information: Welcome to Monmouthshire Carers Network – Monmouthshire
Partnership opportunities: The Monmouthshire Carers Team would like to continue working with the network to explore what other information leaflets/booklets can be developed that specifically support and put parent carers at the centre.
Jenna Clifford – Assistant Psychologist
Project/Topic: Practical Steps to Supporting Transition
Organization: Iris Care Group – Transitions at Beechwood College (10 minutes)
5-minute discussion
Description: The presentation was Practical Steps to Supporting Transition and designed by our Consultant Clinical Psychologist Dr Vaughn Price. Beechwood College is a specialist residential college for young adults with autism, learning disabilities, and complex mental health needs. I’ve attached our clinical leaflet here for a bit more information on our role within the college.
Links to useful information: https://www.iriscaregroup.co.uk/sen-education/overview/
Partnership opportunities: Engagement opportunities and various training sessions around autism and therapeutic support.
Clare Rymer – UK Account Manager for My Life My Way
Project/Topic: Self Direction: The New Zealand Way
Organisation: Manawanui – My life my way
Description: Founded in 2004 they are New Zealand’s largest and most trusted recommended provider of Self Directed support services. So, what is My life My Way? Well, Manawanui developed this amazing platform used by 9000+ users and 30,000+ Personal Assistants – All of whom can access the Platform to manage their employees or submit a timesheet. And realised there isn’t anything like this out there in the world – Research told them, most Funders or Providers use good old paper.. Fragmented systems that don’t talk to each other and clunky processes. Therefore, they decided to take their platform to Market and share the system with others…Because no one can say Manawanui they created the Brand My Life My Way – With Manawanui now being a user/customer of their own Platform.
Links to useful information: https://www.manawanui.org.nz/en-US/
Partnership opportunities: Explore how self-direction can be implemented in Wales!
We want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your time and attendance at the stakeholder meetings and we look forward to working closely with you in the future.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email us or call us on 02920 811120.
Best,
The AWF Team
