News Archive 2017
2 November 2017
Please see below dates of Staff Flu Vaccination Clinics.
If carers, staff or volunteers who have contact with service users require flu jabs (and this is being recommended), they are able to attend one of the clinics within the timescales on the list below. If they do attend, they need to take along their ID badge or a letter signed by their Manager on letter headed paper authorising the staff member to receive a vaccination and a completed consent form (attached). Please tick Edinburgh HSCP on the form where it asks for the authority employed by.
There is no need to make an appointment beforehand.
There is no charge.
Staff should be encouraged to be vaccinated to protect themselves, their service users and their own families.
20 September 2017
Package of help includes new Young Carer Grant.
A new Young Carer Grant – worth £300 a year – will be part of a new package of support for young carers, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced today on a visit to the Edinburgh Young Carers Project.
The grant will be awarded to young carers aged 16 to 18 who do at least 16 hours of caring a week, but do not qualify for Carer’s Allowance. It will help to improve young carers’ quality of life, assisting them to take part in employment, social or leisure opportunities.
The full package of support will be delivered throughout the course of this parliament. It will also include adding more entitlements and rewards for 11-18-year-old young carers to the Young Scot National Entitlement Card – which gives non-cash benefits to young people. Young Scot will work with young carers groups to develop the scheme.
At a later date, everyone receiving the Young Carer Grant will also be given a pass for free bus travel. This is in response to concerns that some young carers feel isolated by their caring responsibilities, and can find it difficult to meet transport costs.
The First Minister said:
“This government has always been strongly committed to enhancing carers’ rights and providing them with the right support at the right time.
“The package of support I am announcing today, including the Young Carer Grant, will give valuable extra help to this group of people. It comes in addition to a range of other measures, including the support contained in the Carers Act, which enshrines carers’ rights in law for the first time.
“Young carers make an invaluable contribution to society. The additional grant and free bus travel, along with new legislation and our ambitious changes to the social security system, will help ensure they are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
Meg Wright, Director of Carers Trust Scotland said
“We are delighted that the Scottish Government recognises the important contribution that young carers make across Scotland. Many young carers have difficulty participating in the normal activities their peers can enjoy. The Young Carer Grant will help young carers to pursue more of their aspirations and reduce social isolation through having the means to travel more widely.”
Background:
For the purposes of the Young Carer Grant, a young carer is someone with caring responsibilities aged 16 to 17, or 18 and still at school.
Work to further help young carers through the Young Scot National Entitlement Card will start in April 2018 and the scheme will be rolled out from April 2019. This will be followed by the Young Carer Grant in autumn 2019. Following pilot studies to examine technical options, free bus travel will be implemented in 2020-2021.
Advice from the Young Carers Allowance working group was that the grant, alongside other measures, should help young carers improve their quality of life and take part in activity that is the norm for other young people. This might include contributing towards the cost of driving lessons, or leisure and respite activities.
Carer’s Allowance is awarded to all carers aged 16 and over who carry out at least 35 hours of caring a week.
Today’s announcement complements the commitment to increase Carer’s Allowance in line with Jobseeker’s Allowance. This will come into effect next summer and be backdated to April 2018, with further increases for families supporting more than one disabled child also planned.
The Carers Act 2016 will take effect on 1 April 2018 and includes more support for young carers. This includes the right to a young carer statement from the local authority – a document setting out the young carer’s circumstances and support needs.
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24 August 2017
Its been a busy time over the summer at EYC
We had several trips throughout the age ranges, here are a few snaps of the 12-15 trips to Mull and Sailing…
Check out our FB, Twitter and Instagram accounts for more pictures…
27 June 2017
Cashback to the Future is a packed celebration of young people’s creativity and imagination, running from July 11th – August 4th 2017 in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ayrshire.
- Four Week Programme
- 14-19 year olds
- Free
- At the National Museum of Scotland
To apply fill in this – participant form
23 June 2017
There were so many highlights during Carers Week 2017 that it was a struggle to describe them all!!
If you want the full picture of what went on check out our facebook, twitter and instagram pages…
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12 May 2017
The Co-op are raising money for us.
Click this link to find out more and what the money will be spent on…
21 April 2017
We are delighted to attach the Spring edition of the Schools Awareness Raising Campaign E-Newsletter. We have also attached the new Schools Assessment Model, referred to in Shona’s article.
Please do not hesitate to get in contact if you would like any more information about anything in the E-Newsletter.
Kirsty.Miguda@youngcarers.org.uk
21 March 2017
EYC forum are having a conference to represent young carer views. Please could you fill this out if you are a young carers or have been in the past…
9 March 2017
"Edinburgh Young Carers Project welcomes the statement made by the Deputy First Minister in the Scottish parliament yesterday. The Named Person service is of great importance to young carers, from the very young to those over 16 years of age, as many do not know where to go to get the support they need. Having a central point of contact for advice and support, which the Named person will provide to young carers, will be greatly helpful to them. We welcome that the Deputy First Minister has made it clear that sharing information with or by the Named Person will be done on the basis of consent, except for exceptional circumstances such as where there is significant risk of harm. Young carers and their families want to be involved in discussing and arranging the help and support they need.”
Margaret Murphy, Chief Executive
Read full statement on GIRFEC website HERE
2 March 2017
Coping is difficult, but I feel proud
Perspectives on mental health and wellbeing of young carers
Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, Carers Trust Scotland and Scottish Young Carers Services Alliance report has been launched recently.
Get a copy by clicking here
26 January 2017
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25 January 2017
100 Schools Challenge!
Young Carers Awareness Day – Thursday 26th January
Edinburgh Young Carers Project’s Schools Awareness Raising Campaign is asking 100 schools across Edinburgh to display information about young carers on Young Carers Awareness Day for our 100 Schools Challenge.
We are asking the schools to email a photo of their young carers display to us on Thursday 26th January which we can post on Twitter to highlight the work that schools in Edinburgh are doing for young carers. If the school has a twitter username then we can also include the school in the tweet.
We will be using the hashtag #100schoolschallenge. Our aim is to post as many photos as possible showing schools in Edinburgh doing their bit to raise awareness about young carers. We will also be visiting a number of the schools on the day.
The challenge aims to raise awareness about young carers and to highlight the work that schools and young carers projects are doing for young carers in Edinburgh.
Aileen Campbell, Minister for Public Health and Sport, plans to visit one of the schools with us on 26th January.
Look out for us on twitter on the day!
@EYCP #100schoolschallenge #sharingourcaring
Please re-tweet and share our tweets!
Kirsty Miguda – Schools Project Manager
Shona James – Schools Development Worker
19 January 2017
Thanks to STV Children’s Appeal for their recent donation. This will go towards providing respite for lots of young carers.
