Healthwatch Torbay
Bekki Redshaw: Healthwatch Torbay Youth Coordinator
What is Healthwatch?
Healthwatch Torbay is the only independent consumer
watchdog for health and social care services in Torbay
We support and enable all members of the public to
influence local health and social care services by
sharing your experiences - good or bad - with us
Our Vision
Healthwatch Torbay will be the local
consumer champion for health and social care
services in Torbay, giving a voice to local
people, community and voluntary groups to
influence the way their services are planned,
purchased and provided.
It will be the independent local
consumer champion for the public
to
promote better outcomes in
health for all and in social care“
“Healthwatch England will act
as a champion for those who
sometimes struggle to be
heard”
“a strong voice for children
and young people, as well as
adults, in both health and
social care”
Anna Bradley, Chair of Healthwatch
• include their views in
communications with
commissioners
• involve them in
monitoring health and
social care services at
all levels
DH (2012), ‘Summary Report: Issues relating to local
Healthwatch regulations’
Multiple
methodologies
 Health Care: Clinical
Commissioning Group
 Public Health
 Social Care
 Local authority
(council)
 Health & Well-Being
Board
National Consultation
Commissioned: focus group on the Draft
SEN Code of Practice
• series of focus groups 10 young people
with a SEN
• Inform them of SEND changes
• find out their views, to ensure that
disabled young people’s opinions are
represented to the Government
 1 hour workshop
 Set questions/activities
 Discussion
SEN Code Of Practice
Consultation
Torbay Disability
Council: The
Children’s Society
8 Young people
Westlands School
SEN Unit
9 young people
Do you know about the
proposed changes for assessment &
support and what they are?
NO
What information would you like to have
about the new changes?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What is the point?
What does it do/what are the changes?
How does it help me?
Does it affect me?
Who is involved?
What does the Law do? (what are my rights?)
How many people does it affect?
Who gives you support?
Education:
Teachers
Sports coaches
TA
Pastoral leader
Health:
Doctors
Physician
Nurses
Sports coaches
Physcio
Care:
Parent
Foster parents
God parents
Counsellor
Support staff
House Leader
Education: Do you feel you
are in control or involved in
any support you get in school
Range of answers from both groups:
Yes
“I think we are in control of the help we get in school because
we can just ask for it if we don’t want or need help we can
just say we don’t need it.”
“We get quite a lot of help and we have a lot of choice with
it, of our own direction of it. If we have a problem with one
of the TA or something, or if there’s a problem, we can tell
them and it will be changed.”
“In my statement review I got directly asked if I wanted a
certain kind of help.”
“As I got older I got asked. Like I don’t need the support
anymore and it’s better it goes to someone who needs it.”
Education: Do you
feel you are in control/involved in
any support you get in school
“It depends on how well behaved you are I
guess, in a way. And how much support a
different child needs to another child. So if you
don’t need a lot of support then you will be in
control whether you need IE or not or who you
want to speak to. But then if there is another
child who kicks off in class or needs a lot of
help then it will be maybe it will be the
teachers’ or the pscyhs decision.”
Education – are
you involved?
Sometimes
“In certain categories of education you can say, you do
get a large say as well. In other categories you can’t”
“The bigger decisions get made by adults but those that
affect us on a day to day we get a quite a decent
amount of say”
Not really
Don’t know
Health
Limited response
Some young people said they did not have much contact with health
services, but were aware of they have some rights – although not in detail
“They have too. It’s illegal to say well we’re like fixing this so there.”
Some young people said Drs talk to parents/carers not the Young People
Although another young person said “that’s never happened to me - they
always talk to me.”
DC again a variety of responses with older young people saying their was
a process of health practitioners involving them the older they get
Social Care –
are you involved in decisions?
No answers came back identifying social care
professionals – focus was on parents/carers
Some young people Children Looked after and
mentioned having social workers but did not say
they felt they were involved in decisions
“I would say it depends on the parent. Some
parents don’t give their children any
responsibility, they just do it all for them ...
whereas some parents make it incredibly
independent for them, they can make different
decisions...”
Should have a say in the
your EHC Plan/Local Offer?
Yes W X 9 DC X 8 [unanimous]
“it’s about us so we have to have a say”
“It’s important that everyone has a say to a degree. If
no one had a say then Britain wouldn’t be a Socialist
society or else then it would be a dictatorship”
Some young people may need support to be involved
to make sure they can have their say
“.. so someone should have the role to check in with you
and asking other people.”
Should have a say in the
your EHC Plan/Local Offer?
There was some feeling that adults would not listen
or act on what young people say.
“The person who writes the plan will be more
focussed on the adults rather than young people”
A young person who has an
9 YES
Education, Health and Care plan will otherwise it’s not
have new rights to argue against
fair
decisions they do not agree with.
Who else should have a
say in the EHC Plan Parents
“Parents have better ideas … Sometimes they can
make good decisions but not all of the decisions
they make are going to be good. That would be a
bit weird if every decision they made was good
especially if it was a quick decision … They can be a
bit too quick to judge and they can just presume
something than rather learn the full side of it. You
know your actual side of it, that can affect your
choice.”
EHC Plan –
Sharing information
Mixed opinions that one document would be shared by many
agencies
“Everyone should have a copy - parent’s doctors school- All the
people who should make it happen.”
“… they are the people who are trying to help you and not just
there in the process. As long as they are actually helping you
then they should be involved.”
“They should keep the information to themselves, so this is
confidential this information.”
“Drs who handle that kind of stuff should keep it to
themselves. The same applies to the other categories.”
(Health & Social Care)
EHC Plan –
Sharing information
Although some felt uncomfortable with sharing of
information they understood it’s important as each can
have impact on the others
“They all need to know about your education and care to
treat your health for example. It could work two ways to
one. Like the two things can help you know about the
one you’re doing.”
“You could say you didn’t want to have some of those
written down – but they are still controlling core aspects
of your life. They can control how you grew up and all
that. They are very important”
Sharing of Information
It was important to all young people that they/their families
held a copy
“I think we should be able to see it what they plan to do with us.
“As it’s a proper document so I think your parents should be able
to keep hold of it. Keep it somewhere safe, not just thrown
around your room somewhere.”
Although it was felt that young people/parents/carers should
be consulted on who else sees it
“Should be our choice, if we want it to be private, because it is
in the end about us”
“You & your family should have the choice overall, seeing as it’s
mostly focussed on you, the child then I think we should have at
least some say which & where it goes.”
Storage
Where copies of Plan were kept was an important issue
“It should be kept, I’d say, somewhere secure. Somewhere you
feel it will be safe. It’ll either be at your home or where you
see trust (school)”
they might throw it away.”
For some young people there were concerns re who held it
at school.
“It needs to be someone who is trustworthy.”
“It needs to be like someone like SEN. Somewhere in school
where they look after you and your problems and stuff.
Rather than some teacher - they might throw it away.”
Young People’s
Involvement in their Plan
What things would you like to be involved in?
• Who saw the Plan
• Involved in decisions/shaping the Plan
“Certain things more involvement but not all things need our
involvement”
Some young people felt cynical about their active
involvement
“I think you can put a few words in but I don’t think you are
directly in control on what’s going to happen. I am sure
they’ll probably have a set plan for your future or problem
you may have. They will give you a set plan for what to do to
sort yourself out, to helping you get along.”
.
What you want help with
NOT WRITTEN IN THE PLAN
• Mental health support
• Discussing problems at home
• Incidents of bullying at school
Local Offer
DC were only aware of services aimed at Disabled Children &
Young People. 2 knew of other services as they were older and
had been involved in Participation activities outside of DC
Westlands were aware of formal mechanisms to access info &
support
School
Social worker
Doctor
NHS
Westlands were aware of services that gave advice although
some they said they would not use them:
“I know most of the people who go there so I feel
uncomfortable going there. They go “Oh yeah, I’m going for
condoms or something like that.” I’d feel really awkward.”
Involvement in Local Offer
Do you think young people should be involved
in how services are run in general for young
people?
“Yeah, cos it’s affecting them, then they should.”
“I like to be consulted – then you know what’s
happening, like what you want and what you
don’t want.”
Involvement in Local Offer
How should that happen? Different ways – to meet
different needs/abilities
Focus groups
• On-going - Disability Council
• One-offs - SEND
• Times/venue are important
Surveys
• on-line surveys
• Paper surveys as well “cos not everyone has access to
the internet, computers”
• “Surveys are like having exams”
Reward
Thank you
Bekki Redshaw
Healthwatch Youth Coordinator
Healthwatch Torbay
Room 17
Paignton Library and Information Centre
Great Western Road
Paignton
TQ4 5AG
Email: bekki.redshaw@healthwatchtorbay.org.uk
Direct Dial 01803 402751
Mobile 07584 483323
http://www.healthwatchtorbay.org.uk
HWTyouth
Torbay Youth Power - Healthwatch