Dumfries & Galloway Health & Social Care

Short Break services report handed to Integration Joint Board

ACTION for Children have delivered their report looking at Short Break services for children in Dumfries and Galloway.

The UK children’s charity were commissioned by the Integration Joint Board to look at current arrangements for short break provisions for children, young people and their families within the region.

And on September 25, officers from Action for Children handed over their report to the Board, providing them with a first opportunity to see their findings.

IJB chairman Councillor Andy Ferguson said: “We were delighted to welcome Action for Children to our meeting, and very pleased to have them present their report.

“This was an opportunity to hear the findings of the report, led by a representative of the author.

“Following the presentation, the Board today agreed to instruct the Chief Officer of the IJB to commission a series of options taking on board these findings, to be brought back to the Integration Joint Board for consideration within that context.

“In the interim, until those options are considered, there will be no change to the existing model of service.”

Action for Children were commissioned to carry out this work on an entirely independent basis as part of a regionwide review of Short Break services.

An independent consultation was requested to capture the views and voices of children, young people, and their parents/carers from across the region who currently or have previously accessed Acorn House short break services.

Additionally, staff, key professionals, and families were invited to participate.

Following the meeting, the full report has now been made public and has been circulated to interested parties.

The full Action for Children report can be accessed at https://dghscp.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Agenda-Item-5-Acorn-House-Report.pdf

A summary report can be found at https://dghscp.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Agenda-Item-5-Summary-from-Action-for-Children-Acorn-House.pdf