Leaving School 2013

A guide for parents of young people with learning disabilities

Contents

Leaving School ...... 1

Further Education...... 2

Community Learning and Development ...... 3

What About Work?...... 4

Daytime Activities And Care...... 7

Social Work Services ...... 9

Direct Payments...... 11

Money ...... 12

Other Useful Contacts...... 14

Leaving School

When a young person with learning disabilities reaches 16 they will need to choose what they want to do next. This booklet will give you some ideas of what they can do and how they can get help to do them.

All Education Authorities must help children with additional support needs make the transition from school to adulthood. When your son or daughter is making their choices at 16 make sure you discuss all the possibilities.

These will include:-

• Staying on at school • Further Education courses - specialist or mainstream • Training for work either at college or through a specialist organisation • Work • Supported employment • Further training sponsored by the Social Work Department • Community activities provided by specialist day services and centres, or organised by you, the carer, in discussion with the young person • Requesting Direct Payments from the Social Work Department • Asking about the Independent Living Fund

Remember you can always visit the colleges, voluntary organisations or social work centres that are listed in this booklet to find out more about them.

1 Further Education

Your son or daughter may want to go on to college. They could either choose a ‘mainstream’ course with support, or they could go on a course which offers special support.

Colleges produce a ‘disability statement’ which gives information about the support they are able to give students with disabilities. It’s a good idea to contact the colleges to see what they are able to offer.

Here are the contact details for colleges in Edinburgh:-

Midlothian Campus- Edinburgh College Midlothian Campus, 46 Dalhousie Road, Dalkeith EH22 3FR Tel: 0131 669 4400 [email protected] Website: www.jec.ac.uk

Sighthill Campus Edinburgh College Bankhead Avenue, Sighthill, Edinburgh EH11 4DE Contact: Justin Noble Tel: 0131 535 4841 Email: [email protected] Website: www.stevenson.ac.uk

Granton campus 350 West Granton Road, Edinburgh EH5 1QE Contact: Wendy Robertson Tel: 0131 559 4250 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ed-coll.ac.uk

Milton Road Campus 24 Milton Road Campus , Edinburgh EH15 2PP

Student service manager: Myra McCabe 0131 344 7277

Student Service: 0131 344 7100

The Head Teacher or Careers Adviser can tell you about Further Education courses and you can talk about placements with them. If support is needed for a course you may need to ask Social Work about this.

All the colleges also offer part time courses. 2 Community Learning and Development

Your son or daughter may want to go on a course run through Community Learning and Development. They run recreational classes for groups of people including those with learning disabilities in centres throughout Edinburgh. You can get more information about these from:

Community Learning and Development Community Education Service, Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street Edinburgh EH8 8BG Tel: 0131 469 3250 Website: www.edinburgh.gov.uk E:[email protected]

Adult Education South Bridge Resource Centre, Infirmary Street Edinburgh EH1 1LT Tel: 0131 558 3545 E:[email protected]

Health Angels Courses held at the Eric Liddle centre 15 Morningside Road Edinburgh EH10 4DP Tel: 07771 416 485 Email: [email protected]

Upward Mobility Arts Complex St Margaret's House 151 London Road Edinburgh EH7 6AE Tel: 0131 661 4411 Email: [email protected]

There are also lots of leisure activities to do in Edinburgh. Get a copy of FAIR’s Leisure Guide to Edinburgh for more ideas.

3 What about work?

Many people with learning disabilities work. However, not all school leavers get a job immediately so it is a good idea for your son or daughter to get as much training as possible. Both colleges and special schemes can provide this training.

This section tells you where to go for advice, who provides training and where you can find information about some of the schemes.

People who give advice

Careers Scotland Careers Scotland gives advice to young people in schools and further education colleges and is also represented at the Future Needs Review Meetings. They work closely with schools and further education colleges and will help your son or daughter decide what they want to do when they leave school.

They will also help in the early stages of training programmes, for example Get Ready for Work.

The Careers Adviser can also arrange to transfer your son or daughter, when they are ready, to the Disability Employment Advisor in your local Job Centre Plus.

Call them on 0845 850 2502 if you want to make an appointment.

Help through JobCentre Plus

When a young person reaches the age of 18, they can also get help from a Disability Employment Advisor. The Disability Employment Advisor will be able to offer advice about adult employment and to suggest suitable training. They can be contacted through Job Centre Plus on 0845 604 3719. Ask for your nearest Job Centre.

Edinburgh Job Centres Westside Plaza, Wester Hailes

11-13 South St Andrews Street, Edinburgh City Centre

199 Commercial Street, Leith

High riggs ,20 High riggs

4 People who provide Training

Real Jobs Project This is run by the Action Group and helps people with a learning disability to find and keep a paid job. It also supports them when they get a job. Contact them at:

Real Jobs (Edinburgh) The Action Group, Norton Park, 57 Albion Road Edinburgh EH7 5QY Tel: 0131 475 2315 Email: [email protected] www.actiongroup.org.uk

The Shaw Trust The Shaw Trust provides support for people with disabilities who have problems getting a job. For more information contact:

CBC House 24 canning Street Tel: 0131 272 2776 EH3 8EG Website: www.shaw-trust.org.uk

The Engine Shed The Engine Shed offers a high quality training programme designed to help people with a range of disabilities make the transition into paid employment. Training is provided over a 3 year period in a lively public setting - cafe, bakery, outside catering and food processing. A training allowance of £15 is paid weekly. For more information contact: -

Garvald Community Enterprises - The Engine Shed 19 St Leonard's Lane, Edinburgh EH8 9SH Tel: 0131 662 0040 Email: [email protected] Website: www.theengineshed.org.uk

5 Woodhall at the Inch Woodhall at the Inch runs services to help young people (16-24 years) with learning disabilities gain work experience and paid employment.

• Inch Nursery: Working in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council gardening staff, young people help in the production of over 1 million plants each year for use in Edinburgh’s parks, gardens and civic buildings. Work experience places last for up to 18 months. • Working Skills: Helps young people to find work experience in a range of employment settings and to make choices about their future work options. • Employment Support Team: Supports people with learning disabilities to find and keep a paid job. • Bridgend Volunteers: Young people learn practical conservation tasks in Craigmillar Castle Park. Volunteer placements last for up to 18 months. • Get Supported Employment Telford: Supports young students at Edinburgh’s Telford College to find work experience and paid employment.

For more information contact:- Enable Scotland - Woodhall at the Inch Employment Support Unit Inch Nurseries, 46 Old Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh EH16 4TD Tel: 0131 672 1541 Email: [email protected] Web:www.enable.org.uk

Canongate Youth Project Has training in a wide range of careers. Southbridge Resource Centre, 6 Infirmary Street Edinburgh EH1 1LT Tel: 0131 556 9389 Email: [email protected] Website: www.canongateyouthproject.org

Capital Skills Has limited opportunities for people with disabilities. Provides courses in General Building Operations and Amenity Horticulture. Inch Park, Old Dalkeith Road Edinburgh EH16 5UF. Tel: 0131 672 3540 Email: [email protected]

Skills Path Training Unit4 27 Peffer Place EH16 4BB 0131 659 5532

Into Work Employment support for people who have acquired brain injury and who have ASD including Asperger’s Syndrome. Also have limited capacity to support people with learning disabilities and mental health issues.

Norton Park 57 Albion Road Edinburgh EH7 5QY Tel 0131 475 2600 Email: [email protected] Website: www.intowork.org.uk

Daytime Activities and Care

Support for daytime activities and care can be provided in a range of different ways. Timetables can be set up to suit each individual’s needs. If you want to set up a special programme for your son or daughter, your social worker should be able to help you with this.

As some of the services can only be provided through a social worker, your son or daughter will need to have a social worker appointed to work with them. It is possible to purchase one- to-one support for specific activities, do different activities in different places throughout the day, or be based in a specialist day centre.

Here are some of the organisations that provide day time activities and care:-

Columcille Centre 2 Newbattle Terrace, Edinburgh. EH10 5PA Tel: 0131 447 3056 e-mail: [email protected] Website: www.columcille-centre.co.uk

Columcille provides day services for adults with learning disabilities, on a full or part time basis. Activities provided include arts +crafts, woodwork, café/food preparation and gardening. In the large hall we run music, drama, and dance + movement sessions.

Columcille also has a number of non centre based activities – Columcille Ceilidh Band, a Community Gardens Project, Edinburgh ALL Library Project, partners in the Library Guide Project and we run 5 Music for ALL courses each week, for 3 terms each year, in partnership with Drummond Adult Education and Goodtrees Centre.

7 Garvald Centre Administrative Offices 2 Montpelier Terrace Edinburgh EH10 4NF Tel: 0131 228 3712 Website: www.garvaldedinburgh.org.uk The Centre provides day services for adults with learning disabilities, either full or part-time. These include courses in woodwork, ceramics, weaving, puppetry, stained glass, furniture restoration and tools refurbishment. It is possible to get qualifications from these courses. There are also food production workshops – bakery, confectionery and canteen. The Mulberry Bush gives experience in shop work. Music, education and artistic therapies are available within the Centre and members go to college courses and work placements in the local community.

Capability Scotland New Trinity Centre, 7A Loaning Road Edinburgh EH7 6JE Tel: 0131 661 1212 Website: www.capability-scotland.org.uk This is a day service for people who have a range of disabilities. It offers opportunities in sport, recreation, education, art and culture, and business enterprise. There is also access to a therapy team.

E2 11 Ellersly Road Edinburgh EH12 6HY Tel: 0131 347 1078 Website:www.capability-scotland.org.uk

Also run by Capability Scotland, this centre caters for people from 16 to 65 who have physical or learning disabilities. The centre provides specialist assistance and equipment, allowing the service users to try out different things and learn new skills.

Redwoods Caring Foundation Kirk Farm House, 6 Lasswade Road Edinburgh EH16 6RZ Tel: 0131 672 2999 Email: [email protected] Website: www.redwoods.org.uk Redwoods Day Centre in Leith is run by the Redwoods Caring Foundation. It has 16 places for adults, either on a full time or part time basis. People going to the centre can choose things either at the centre or in the community. These include cooking, art and craft, aquafit, multigym, access to college courses and work placements.

8 Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association 1 Hay Avenue, Craigmillar Edinburgh EH16 4RW Tel: 0131 659 4702 Website: www.castlerockedinvar.co.uk Castle Rock Edinvar is able to offer support to people with learning disabilities with their daytime activities. This could be in a variety of ways, for example by taking someone to classes at a college and helping them throughout the day, or it could be by taking them swimming. This help is usually provided as part of a care package agreed with the Social Work Department.

Teens+ Inch Community Centre 225 Gilmerton Road Edinburgh EH16 5UF Tel: 0131 672 2555 Email: [email protected] Website: www.teensplus.org.uk

Teens+ is a transitional education programme that assists young people with extra support needs to make the transition towards adult life.

Social Work Services

A Social Worker can do a community care assessment and this can be used to obtain services and funding.

You might be offered support hours which can be used in any way to meet the person’s needs.

To organise a care assessment call

Alternatively support can be offered through one of the day centres (see list) or a local base provided by staff from an existing day centre. A programme of activities will then be arranged either at the centre or in the community.

Some day centres and support services run by Social Work can only be accessed through a social worker.

Here is a list of the day centres run by the Social Work Department – in most cases you can expect to use the day centre nearest you. Remember you can always call the manager to arrange to visit them.

9 Day Centres in Edinburgh

Deanbank Day Services 35 Canaan Lane Edinburgh EH10 4SG Tel: 0131 447 7688 Contact: Bill Ewen

Longstone Resource Centre 62 Longstone Street Edinburgh EH14 2DA Tel: 0131 443 3837 Contact: Bill Ewan

Pefferbank Day Centre 157 Duddingston Road West Edinburgh EH16 4UY Tel: 0131 652 1986 Contact: Jill Smith

10 Direct Payments

If you don’t want to use Social Work support you may be able to organise a programme of activities for your son or daughter yourself using Direct Payments. Direct Payments is money given by the local authority so that help and services can be purchased in the way you want them. However, you will need a community care assessment completed by the Social Work Department to obtain a Direct Payment.

If you are interested in this call:

LCIL Norton Park Centre 57 Albion Road Edinburgh EH7 5QY Tel: 0131 475 2350 Website: www.lothiancil.org.uk

11 Money

If your child is over 16 he or she can claim benefits in his or her own right. However if your child stays on at school you can still get Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit. You will need to find out which is the best benefit for you to claim. The benefits system is complicated so it is important to get help.

Here are some of the benefits you, or your son or daughter, might be able to get:

Disability Living Allowance PIP Income Support Working Tax Credit Child Tax Credit Carers Allowance Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA’s) Pensions Credit Child Benefit Employment Support Allowance

There may also be some changes to your own benefits when your child leaves school. You may need some help with these too.

Golden Rules If you think you may be entitled to any benefit - claim it.

If you have any problems claiming or are refused - get advice.

If you disagree with a decision - appeal in writing.

If your son or daughter needs money for holidays, special equipment or for some other special need it is possible to ask for money from trusts. The following organisations should be able to help you find out more about both benefits and trust funds.

FAIR 95 Causewayside Edinburgh EH9 1QG Tel: 0131 662 1962 Email: [email protected] Website: www.fairadvice.org.uk

Grapevine: Lothian Disability Information Service Norton Park Centre, 57 Albion Road Edinburgh EH7 5QY Tel: 0131 475 2370 Email: [email protected] Website: www.lothiancil.org.uk

Action Group Norton Park Centre, 57 Albion Road Edinburgh EH7 5QY Tel: 0131 475 2315 Email: [email protected] Website: www.actiongroup.org.uk

Advice Shop 249 High Steet EH1 1YJ Details can be found on the City of Edinburgh Council’s Website: www.edinburgh.gov.uk

13 Other useful contacts

Enquire has a fact sheet called: Getting ready to leave School and people who can help you in and out of school. You can get this by calling their helpline 0845 123 2303 or contacting their website www.enquire.org.uk

Contact a family have a booklet called Preparing for adult life and transition - Scotland call them on 0131 659 2930 for a copy.

There are many booklets produced to give extra information, available from the following places:

Contact a family • A Guide to Services and Assessment • A Parents Guide to Direct Payments Tel: 0131 659 2931 Web: www.cafamily.org.uk Email: [email protected]

ENABLE • Introduction to the Adults with Incapacity Act • Supporting Someone to Manage Money • Making a Will • ‘Being in Charge: Self Directed Support’ guide available Tel: 0141 226 4541 Mon-Fri 1:00pm – 4:00pm Website: www.enable.org.uk

Independent Living Fund • An easy guide to the Independent Living Fund Tel: 0845 601 8815 Email: [email protected] Website: www.dwp.gov.uk

Legal Services Agency • Continuing and Welfare Powers of Attorney Tel: 0131 228 9993 Email: www.lsa.org.uk Website: [email protected]

Office of the Public Guardian • What is … Access to Funds Scheme? Tel: 0300 456 0300> 01312 4678300 Email: [email protected] Website: www.publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk

14 One Scotland/ Healthier Scotland • Directing your own self-directed Support • It’s your decision Available by phoning Blackwell’s on 0131 662 8283 Both available on the Scottish government website www.infoscotland.com

Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability • An easy guide to Direct Payments • DVD available Tel: 0141 418 5420 Email: [email protected] Website: www.scld.org.uk

Skills Development Scotland- www.myworldofwork.co.uk

Volunteer Scotland Torphicen Street EH3 8UB 0131 225 0630

Printed & published by

Family Advice & Information Resource

Information for People with Learning Disabilities and Carers

FAIR is an information and advice service for people with learning disabilities, parents, carers and people who work for them.

The service we offer is:

Independent We are not part of any other organisation.

Confidential Anything you tell us will stay private.

Free You do not pay for any of our services.

95 Causewayside , Edinburgh EH9 1QG Tel 0131 662 1962 Fax 0131 662 9486 Email [email protected] Website: www.fairadvice.org.uk