briefing paper

Short break support is failing family carers: reviewing progress 10 years on from Mencap’s first Breaking Point report

In 2006 Mencap produced a comprehensive review of short break provision. Now, 10 years on, they are revisiting the support available for family carers to see whether recent policy initiatives and investment have delivered the much-needed change. A total of 264 family carers responded to their survey on short breaks provision and experiences of caring. They also sent Freedom of Information requests to all 152 local authorities in England that provide social care services.

Perspectives on knowledge into action in education and public service reform: a review of relevant literature and an outline framework for change

A literature review from What Works Scotland. It draws on research from the field of health and social care on evidence informed practice and the processes through which knowledge is translated in to action. Talks about role knowledge champions and knowledge brokers and difference between research contributions and research impact

The cost of short break services: understanding the contracting and commissioning process

The aim of the research was to explore the costs of short break services for disabled children and their families. The study also sought to understand the contracting and commissioning process, including the factors that inform decision making processes and the management of budgets.

The research was commissioned by Action for Children and carried out by the Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University.

Scottish Government Respite Care Data 2014: Shared Care Scotland Summary

The Scottish Government recently released the 2014 data for the provision of respite in Local Authority areas across Scotland. The statistics are presented in "respite weeks provided or purchased by local authorities" and then further broken down into "overnight" and "daytime" respite for three age groups: 0-17, 18-64 and 65+. This paper from Shared Care Scotland provides a short summary of the data and comments on issues arising from analysis of this data. Links to the full Scottish Government data and analysis are also provided.

Short Break (Respite Care) Provision in Dundee – now and in the future

Executive Summary
Dundee Carers Centre commissioned Animate to carry out research into the current and future provision of Short Breaks/Respite for adults in Dundee, on behalf of the Dundee Partnership. The main purpose of the research was to help local service planners improve Short Break provision in line with the overall principles of the Scottish Government’s policy intentions: protecting young carers, enabling self - care and working with adult carers as partners in care, by:
• improving planning of Short Break services

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 - parts 10 and 11 (Aftercare and Continuing Care)

First in a series of briefings from CELCIS that help to explain specific parts of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. Each briefing will set out clearly the new rights and responsibilities of looked after children, care leavers and carers, and the new duties, powers and expectations placed on public bodies.

Mental health in Scotland

Briefing that gives an overview of mental health in Scotland. It first discusses mental health within a global and European context, before focussing in more detail on the picture in Scotland.

It reviews what is currently known regarding the prevalence of mental health conditions, the organisation of mental health services, the current legislative and policy framework that underpins mental health service provision, how these services are regulated and monitored, and finally, the costs and funding of mental health services.