APPENDIX 2: SUMMARY OF ENGAGEMENT PROCESS
Evidence base of visits and meetings undertaken to identify current practice
Between September 2008 and June 2009 the project team met with the following individuals, groups and organisations:
NHS Boards (14 out of 14) | 14 Health Boards |
25 AHP groups and 6 individual AHPs |
4 networks of managers |
Local authorities (29 out of 32) | 29 groups |
School staff | 15 groups |
Grant-aided special schools | 3 |
Parents, children and young people | 13 groups and individuals |
Other stakeholders | 17 organisations |
Using a semi-structured interview format, the meetings explored the following issues:
- What was considered good practice in partnership working and local examples.
- The challenges to successful partnerships.
- How national guidance might promote and support partnership working.
- How partnership working makes a difference to outcomes for children and young people.
While efforts were made to gain children's and young people's perspective, it was difficult to specifically identify their views of the partnerships between adults working with them.
Over the two years of the project the development officers also met regularly with colleagues from Scottish Government working in related policy areas (Table 1) and a broad range of relevant stakeholders (Table 2):
Table 1.
Health directorates |
Getting it right for every child |
Curriculum for Excellence |
Additional support for learning |
Positive behaviour team |
Early years team |
Parental involvement team |
National continuing professional development team |
Mental health |
Equally Well - Health and wellbeing in schools project |
Table 2.
Allied Health Professions Children's Services Action Group |
AHP Therapy Managers Networks |
AHP Directors and Leads |
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education ( HMIE) |
Learning and Teaching Scotland |
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland |
NHS Education for Scotland |
Art Therapists |
The Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland |
Children in Scotland and Enquire |
Association for All Speech Impaired Children ( AFASIC) |
I CAN - working to support children, families and children's services (speech, language, communication needs) |
Capability Scotland |
Contact a Family Scotland |
Downs Syndrome Scotland |
For Scotland's Disabled Children |
Independent Specialist Educational Advice ( ISEA) |
National Parent Involvement Co-ordinator |
Mediation Services: Resolve, Common Ground |
The project consulted with academic colleagues from:
Queen Margaret University |
University of Strathclyde |
University of Aberdeen |
Scottish Teacher Education Committee |
Communication Aids for Language and Learning ( CALL) Sense Scotland (Edinburgh University) |
We also consulted with AHP professional bodies:
Chartered Society of PhysiotherapistsCollege of Occupational Therapists |
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists |
Allied Health Professions Forum Scotland |
Consultation process
Following the engagement process a draft document was published on 4th December 2009. In addition to written comments, the consultation involved further engagement with parents and professionals during focus groups. After the consultation period concluded (4th February 2010) this final document was produced taking account of the evidence gathered during consultation. A response document summarising what people said and how this final document responded to comments has been published on the Scottish Government website 26. The responses submitted for sharing are also available on the Scottish Government website. 27