Update - January 2024

What we have done since our last briefing in September 2023

We have been working alongside the four areas that came forward to be part of more detailed work.

  • Aberdeen city
  • Dundee city
  • Dumfries and Galloway
  • Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)

We now have staff survey responses from these four areas.  We have reviewed these alongside all the evidence we gathered earlier this year from the national survey and our review of existing literature.

This has helped us develop our understanding of social work’s contribution to upholding the rights of disabled children and young people in Scotland. 

We have used our findings so far to help us plan our next steps and inform the key questions we will ask children, families and staff.

Our stakeholder community has continued to be involved, helping to shape our approach to engagement activities.   

Planning for our next steps is well underway in the four areas and we are grateful for all the time and effort they have already given to this review. 

thematic review timeline

Next steps

We are now entering the busiest stage of our review and will be working with our four areas on the following.

In January we will be reviewing 30 children’s social work’s records in each of the areas.  This will help us build our understanding of the effectiveness of assessments, plans and reviews in ensuring children benefit from the right help and the right time.  These records have been sampled randomly.

In January we will ask each of the four areas to share a video and information leaflet with children and their parents or carers to inform them of our review and invite them to become involved.

Between 22 January and 29 February we will open an electronic questionnaire for children and young people to complete online.  This will be one of a range of ways we will gather views directly from children and young people.  The arrangements for completing the questionnaire will be shared by each of the four local authorities.

In February we will be on-site in each of the four areas.  We want to gather the views of children and their parents or carers and the staff who work with them.  We will meet with children wherever they are most comfortable.  For some children this might be with friends or family.  For others it might be alongside workers who are important to them.  We hope the important people in children’s lives will help us to do this.  We will work alongside staff in each of the four areas to ensure we are inclusive and respect children’s rights in our approach.

If you have any questions for the review team, they can be contacted via email on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We’d like to thank everyone who has been involved in this review.

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Podcasts

We have been working hard behind the scenes for some months now to learn the way of podcasting. We’re now ready to launch our very first box set of episodes - all about the Visiting, Meaningful Connection and Anne’s Law project

The Anne’s Law project advisers have spoken with real-life people about real-life stories that will resonate with all of us. People like Jenny, manager at Glennie House; Ken, a care home resident; Natasha, the daughter of Anne, who Anne’s Law is named for; professionals from across the sector and many more. Packed with insightful, thought-provoking ideas and tips to stay connected with your loved ones, these podcasts have something for everyone. 

Listen anywhere, anytime to the episodes that interest you. Listen on Spotify, Amazon Music, Google or wherever you get your podcasts. Alternatively, you can listen on our website 


What's the Anne's Law project all about?

Barbara Lawson and Sheri Kerr introduce this podcast series and what the Anne’s Law project is about, how this will support connection for people living in adult and older people’s care homes. 

Useful links:

Meaningful connection - Literature review

Meaningful connection - factsheet 

Meaningful connection - Engagement repor


The impact of social isolation and loneliness

Barbara Lawson and Sheri Kerr introduce findings from their literature review on meaningful connection. This episode focuses on the impact social isolation and loneliness has on our physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing.

Useful links: 

Meaningful connection - Literature review

Webinar on supporting meaningful connection

Factsheet to accompany webinar on meaningful connection 


The road to Anne's Law

Sheri Kerr welcomes Natasha Hamilton from Care Homes Relatives Scotland to share the background to the Anne’s Law campaign. 

Useful links:  

Meaningful connection factsheet 

Anne's Law petition 

Anne's Law consultation information 

Anne's Law consultation responses paper 

New Health and Social Care Standards for care homes 

Twitter – Care home relatives Scotland 


Partners in care - including family carers

Barbara Lawson and Sheri Kerr focus on how family carers can be included as partners in care.  

Useful links:

Care Inspectorate - Meaningful connection webpage

Meaningful connection - Literature review 

Meaningful connection - Engagement report

Meaningful connection - Self-evaluation tool 

Webinar on family carers as partners in care

Factsheet to accompany webinar on family carers as partners in care

New Health and Social Care Standards for care homes

Guide for providers on personal planning for adults

Scottish Human Rights   


The right to connect

Sheri Kerr and Cathy Asante (Scottish Human Rights Commission) discuss the importance of a human rights-based approach and how this can support meaningful connection for people who live in care homes. 

Useful links:

Scottish Human Rights website 

Scottish Human Rights - Care about Rights 

European Convention on Human Rights 

Human Rights Act 1998 

Webinar - A human rights based approach including the Health and Social Care Standards 

Factsheet to accompany webinar on A human rights based approach including the Health and Social Care Standards

Scottish Human Rights - Human Rights Based Approach 

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 

Human Rights Bill Scotland consultation 


Safe to visit

Barbara Lawson speaks with Andrea Wyllie (CEO of Greenock Medical Aid Society) to find out how visiting was introduced and supported during the pandemic. Andrea shares the background to the human rights-based approach that influenced and ultimately supported all care homes to enable safe visiting during this time of crisis.  

Useful links:

New Health and Social Care Standards for care homes 

Scottish care home team’s efforts to bring loved ones together during pandemic wins nursing accolade (qnis.org.uk) 

Open with Care: supporting meaningful contact in adult care homes – principles  


The chance to connect

Barbara Lawson and Dr Edel Roddy, My Home Life Facilitator, explore how meaningful connection can be enhanced by recognising opportunities to be present with someone, how connection can be enhanced for people living with advanced dementia.  

Tools and resources can help people recognise everyday opportunities to be present and capture the moment of connection and emotion. 

Useful links:

My Home Life Charity resources 

My Home Life Charity - A place in the fun 

My Home Life Charity - lingo of connection 

My Home Life Charity - rights made real 

Hearts and Minds 

Namaste Care 

New Health and Social Care Standards for care homes 

Care Inspectorate - Come on in  


Positive peer relationships

Barbara Lawson and Sheri Kerr look at what research tells us about positive peer relationships in care homes, how services can create a culture of connection to enable friendships through intentional practices, such as know your neighbour, lounge and meal experiences, and how some barriers can be overcome through thoughtful personal planning and consideration.  

Useful links: 

Care Inspectorate - Meaningful connection webpage

Meaningful connection - Literature review

Meaningful connection - Engagement report

Webinar on positive peer relationships 

Factsheet to accompany webinar on positive peer relationships

The Kings Fund - Is your care home dementia friendly? 

Health and Social Care Standards 

Guide for providers on personal planning for adults 


Supporting loss

Barbara Lawson and Jenny Karimlar manager from Glennie House Care Home, explore death and dying and how services can support people living in care homes with the loss of a peer.  

Useful links: 

Guide for providers on personal planning for adults 

Anticipatory care planning guidance  

 


Getting out and about

Barbara Lawson and Louise Kelly from the Care About Physical Activity (CAPA) project discuss the importance of getting out and about to support wellbeing and connection. They explore ways to connect with nature, becoming aware of the seasons, the benefits of bringing the outside into the care home and including intergenerational opportunities.  

Useful links:

Care Inspectorate - Care about Physical Activity  

Trellis Scotland

Paths for All  


Ken's story

Barbara Lawson and Ken Graham who moved into Glennie House Care Home during the pandemic. He shares his story and what is important to him to remain active as someone living in a care home.  

Useful links:

Guide for providers on personal planning 

The Hub - Care about physical activity 


Person-centred personal planning

Barbara Lawson and Sheri Kerr discuss the importance of person-centred personal planning and how this can support meaningful connection. 

Useful links:

The Hub - Health and Social Care Standards 

The Hub - Guide for providers on personal planning for adults 

The Hub - A quality framework for care homes for adults and older people

Care Inspectorate - Come on in 

Mental Welfare Commission - Rights, risks, and limits to freedom 


A family carer's perspective

Sheri Kerr is joined by Catharine Fletcher, who is a family carer and Care Inspectorate volunteer. Catharine shares her experiences and gives her views on what is important.  

Useful links:

Care Inspectorate - Meaningful connection webpage 


How inspection supports connection

Barbara Lawson, Sheri Kerr and Marie Paterson (Chief Inspector for Adults Regulation at Care Inspectorate) discuss the values of connection and how the inspection process and ways of working support this.

Useful links:

Care Inspectorate - Meaningful connection webpage

Meaningful connection - Self-evaluation tool

The Hub - Improvement support section

The Hub - A quality framework for care homes for adults and older people  

Scottish Government - Open with Care  

New Health and Social Care Standards 

Webinar on family carers as partners in care 

Factsheet to accompany webinar on family carers as partners in care


What our inspectors are looking for

Sheri Kerr and Barbara Lawson explore what inspectors in adult services would look for when considering care and support around meaningful connection.  

Useful links:

The Hub - A quality framework for care homes for adults and older people 

The Hub - Health and Social Care Standards 

The Hub - Improvement support section  

The Hub - Guide for providers on personal planning for adults 

Meaningful connection - Self-evaluation tool


Technology enabled care

Sheri Kerr is joined by Nicky Cronin, who is Care Inspectorate’s Senior Improvement Adviser for Technology Enabled Care. They discuss why technology has become increasingly important to support people’s human rights and the need for a person-centred approach to support meaningful connection.  

Useful links:

The Hub - Technology practice guide 

The Hub - Guide for providers on personal planning for adults 


Connecting with dementia

Sheri Kerr and Gareth Hammond Care Inspectorate Service Manager highlight some considerations around supporting people living with dementia in a care home to remain connected.  

Useful links:

Care Inspectorate - Meaningful connection webpage 

Care Inspectorate - Enriched model of psychological needs poster 

Care Inspectorate - Come on in 

The Hub - Guide for providers on personal planning for adults 

The Hub - Dementia 

The Bradford Wellbeing Profile  

The Kings Fund - Is your care home dementia friendly? 

Scottish Government - Coronavirus (COVID-19): living with dementia in care homes 


Infection prevention and control

Barbara Lawson and Marie McKerry (Care Inspectorate Chief Nurse) look at some of the considerations around infection prevention and control, and why essential visiting is important.  

Useful links:

National Infection Prevention and Control Manual

The Care Inspectorate - Meaningful connection webpage. 

Scottish Government - Open with Care 

New Health and Social Care Standards 

Public Health Scotland 

 

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Update - September 2023

What we have done so far

Following the notification of the thematic review, we issued a survey to social work teams across Scotland.  By mid- august we had received responses from all 32 local authority areas.  We are now looking at the information from the survey.  This is helping us to build a picture about social work’s contribution to how well disabled children and young people’s needs are assessed, planned for, and met.

We have been reading national reports and research to find out what disabled children and young people have already said what is important to them, and about their experiences of support.

Conversations with our key stakeholders, are helping us to develop our ideas about our engagement approaches with children and young people.  We are keen that we explore opportunities to ensure that our approach is rights based, accessible and is inclusive.

We will use all the information we have gathered so far to help us identify our focus during the next stage.

Next steps

Four areas have volunteered to help us better understand children and young people’s experiences and the difference social work services are making to their lives.  We are pleased to welcome them to this next stage of the review.  The areas are:

  • Aberdeen city
  • Dundee city
  • Dumfries and Galloway
  • Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)

We will be working with these social work teams from September 2023 to March 2024.

More information can be found on our website here.

If you have any questions for the review team, they can be contacted via email on:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We’d like to thank everyone who has been involved in this review.

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Disabled children and young people: Thematic review 2023-24

On this page you will find information about our national thematic review.  We will keep this page updated as we move through the different stages.

Our approach

In April 2023 we notified all local authorities of our intention to undertake a national thematic review with a focus on disabled children and young people up to the age of 18 years.  Within the scope of our review, we will focus on the experiences of children who are considered disabled under article 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:

“Persons with disabilities include those who have long term physical, mental intellectual or sensory impairments which any interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others”      

We will provide a national overview of social work’s contribution to how well disabled children and young people’s needs are assessed, planned for, and met.  This will include hearing from children about the things that are important to them, their experiences of participation and of receiving care and support.  To do this we will structure our review under the following two statements:

  • Children and young people are actively heard, informed, and meaningfully involved in decisions about their lives.
  • Children’s and young people’s wellbeing has been promoted through high quality child centred planning and bespoke support.

We will carry out the review between May 2023 and May 2024.  We will publish a national report in Spring 2024.

More information about the thematic review can be found in the following links:

Update January 2024

Update September 2023

Thematic review timeline

Working with four local authority areas – a deeper dive

Briefing paper - May 2023

Privacy statement

 

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