guidelines

Equal and expert: 3 best practice standards for carer engagement

No one would argue that unpaid family carers should not be equal partners in care, as their care constitutes over 50% of all care provided in every local authority and NHS region of Scotland. Consistent and meaningful carer engagement must therefore be at the heart of all good health and social care policy. But a great gulf remains between good intentions and good practice. The Coalition of Carers in Scotland is pleased to o!er the carer engagement standards in this document as a bridge to help planning o"cers and commissioners of services move from good intentions to better practice.

Listen, learn, act: harnessing the power of personal stories to drive service improvement

Guidance that: outlines the benefits of person-centred story-gathering; explores the skills required to gather personal stories; considers legal and ethical issues associated with NHS story-gathering; highlights the principles of good governance that must underpin such work; shares best practice; supports staff to ensure that the information shared by patients, their carers and colleagues; and produces positive results, both for the service and for the individuals involved.

Story sharing guidance: a guide to inform the process of sharing personal experiences related to mental health and recovery

Guide that aims to support and inform those wishing to assist others to share a personal narrative, as well as providing guidance for those considering sharing their own personal narrative.

It does not attempt to address issues raised by the therapeutic uses of storytelling.

Staying put Scotland: providing care leavers with connectedness and belonging

Guidance for local authorities and other corporate parents: supporting looked after children and young people to remain in care, as part of a staged transition towards adulthood and greater independence.

It has been developed in response to concerns about consistently poor outcomes for care leavers, with high rates of homelessness and low levels of engagement in education, training or employment.