Our Children - 09 October

Our Children Forum 

We would like to share some local and national updates, as well as a request for feedback from Renfrewshire Child Protection Committee. Our next Our Children Network Meeting is scheduled on Wednesday 22 November 10am – 12pm, at Engage Renfrewshire, 10 Falcon Cres, PA3 1NS. You can join us in person by signing up on Eventbrite or email jhamilton@engagerenfrewshire.com to request a Teams link. We will share the agenda prior to the meeting.
 If you have anything you would like to share with the network, or if you would like to showcase your work at our next meeting, please get in touch with Jane Hamilton on 07841 426511 or email jhamilton@engagerenfrewshire.com

The Our Children Network has updated our Terms of Reference, please see attached. If you have any questions, or suggested amendments please get in touch. We plan to agree these at our next meeting.
Terms of Reference

Information
Renfrewshire Child Protection Committee (RCPC) quarterly newsletter
Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Good Practice Guide - September 2023 - NHSGGC

Renfrewshire Child Protection Committee (RCPC) is trying to understand how practitioners and managers are currently accessing information about child protection, how easy they find this and how they would like to be able to access information. We would be grateful if you could complete this short questionnaire to help the committee to determine the best way to provide information  – including policies, procedures, information about RCPC, and information to support children, young people and families – to practitioners and managers across Renfrewshire.

Children in Scotland - Supporting The Third Sector
Supporting The Third Sector (STTS) Project Survey 2023: Third Sector Participation in Children’s Services Planning
We are really pleased to share with you all the finished report outlining the findings from the Annual survey of third sector involvement in local Children’s Services Planning.
The report presents the findings from the 2023 STTS Project survey, which was designed to understand the extent of third sector involvement in Children’s Services Planning (CSP) arrangements in the 30 Children’s Services Planning Partnerships (CSPPs) across Scotland.
STTS CSP Project Survey

PIMHS Membership
Our vision is that PIMHS becomes the national representative organisation in the field of perinatal and infant mental health, a network of clinicians, academics, third sector workers and experts by experience, offering information, research and training, coordination and representation, influencing and awareness raising under one roof.  We will be independent of any agency and will be the only organisation in Scotland to do this.  Membership will be FREE until at least April 2024. 
As the first stage of this journey we are refreshing our membership and have chosen to invite key organisations and individuals to join us in shaping our work going forward. 
Between now and April we would plan to:

• Have 2 Members Forum meetings (1 before Christmas and 1 between January and March).  These would be a chance to hear key pieces of news from the sector and from PIMHS itself.
• Establish focus groups from each sector and around key pieces of work (focus groups would ideally meet from April 2024 onwards).
• Distribute 2 PIMHS-specific newsletters, including updates from our membership.
• We will also share news and updates (including job vacancies) from our members on our website and social media channels if requested.

Children in Scotland's Early Years Conference 2023 - #BuildingBlocks23
Join us on Monday 6 November at The Studio in Glasgow for our Early Years Conference 2023! 
This conference will explore the current landscape of the Early Years sector in Scotland and share learning on how we can ensure the diverse needs of children and families are supported.
The theme of the day, ‘Building blocks for change’, reflects our aim for this conference to be an active learning experience, and one that equips practitioners, managers and service providers with practical strategies they can apply to their role.
Children in Scotland's Early Years Conference 2023

Training

Going through changes: supporting transitions for neurodivergent children - 14 November. 10am-12:30pm.
Neurodivergent children can struggle with change more than their neurotypical peers. This session explores why this is and how we can support them. From big transitions like moving schools to smaller transitions like leaving the house, we will focus on practical strategies, tools and resources you can use in your everyday practice to make transitions a little easier. This session is delivered by a neurodivergent practitioner who uses these strategies within their practice daily. Going through changes: supporting transitions for neurodivergent children

 
It’s good to talk: navigating challenging conversations - 27 November 2023, 10am–1pm
Professionals will explore the theoretical basis and research on emotional intelligence and communication in the workplace. The training gives attention to diversity and issues of intersectionality. There will be opportunities for small group work to explore solutions and overcome challenges. This course is for solution-focused people working in the children’s sector. You may be in a leadership or managerial role, working as part of a team, or working with distressed young people. It's good to talk: navigating challenging conversations Tickets, Mon 27 Nov 2023 at 10:00

Funding

Tesco Stronger Starts
Funding from your local Renfrew Tesco Stronger Starts
We are currently looking for applications to the Renfrew Tesco store to their Stronger Starts / blue token voting funding initiative.
Do you have or know of a project, ideally involving young people, that could benefit from up to £1,500 in the city centre?
We are looking for applications submitted by 20 November to the Jan – March customer vote with awards in May ‘24
This is also a great opportunity for groups to promote the good work that they do locally.
More info can be found here Apply for a grant – Tesco Stronger Starts and please don’t hesitate to get in touch with tamara@greenspacescotland.org.uk or phone 07825 671968 with any queries and application support.

Magic Little Grants Programme
The Magic Little Grants programme for 2023 is now open for applications. The programme provides grants of £500 to local charities for projects that promote social inclusion and improve health and well-being.
To be eligible for a grant, organisations must be in their first year of operation or have an annual income of less than £250,000.
Funding can be used to support new or existing projects, or cover core costs associated with ongoing work.
The Magic Little Grants programme is open to organisations and their projects located in England, Scotland, or Wales. Schools can apply if they are a registered charity. Each group can only apply once in 2023 for a grant. Groups may only apply once in 2023 for a grant.
Applications can be submitted at any time until 31 October 2023.
Find out more

Funding for Youth Groups in Rural Areas
Youth groups operating in Scottish rural communities can apply for grants of between £100 and £750 to provide more and/or better youth work opportunities for young people.
The funding is being made available in response to the challenges which rural youth groups are facing in funding the delivery of community-based youth work. The funding is provided through the Youth Scotland Rural Action Fund, and is supported by the Gannochy Trust.
The next deadline for applications is 12pm on 20 October 2023.
Find out more
 
Funding to Support the Education of Young People with Physical or Learning Disabilities
The John Watson Trust awards grants for educational purposes to children and young people under the age of 21 who have a physical or learning disability or who are socially disadvantaged.
Whilst the Trust operates primarily within Edinburgh and the Lothians, it may also award grants Scotland-wide to eligible individuals and organisations that include schools, established charitable organisations and other groups supporting disadvantaged young people.
The next closing date is 27 October 2023. Find out more