Chamber and committees

A number of strands ofScottish Executive policy recognise the importance of play and access to playfacilities and other services for children with additional support needs. Theprimary responsibility for assessing what individual services and facilitiesare needed at the local level lies with local authorities, who should ideallywork with local families and voluntary organisations in assessing need.

The Scottish Executiveprovides resources to local authorities through a number of funding streamsincluding Quality of Life and Community Regeneration that can be used tosupport outdoor play facilities for children, including those with additionalsupport needs. In addition, almost £273m of grant aided expenditure (GAE) provisionis made available to local authorities for additional support needs servicesand £44m GAE for the childcare strategy, the scope of which includes provisionof outdoor play facilities.

In line with ScottishExecutive policy directions, the Big Lottery Fund has named play as one of itspriorities in Scotland for the period 2006-2009. This is a significantsource of funding for projects which support and promote play.

Through the UnifiedVoluntary Sector Fund, the Executive is providing funding to The Yard, anadventure centre in Edinburgh, catering primarily for children with a range ofadditional support needs. The Yard also promotes and develops inclusive playfor children throughout Scotland by working with teachers, parents and communitygroups to transfer skills and good practice.

This information is not heldcentrally. The primary responsibility for providing adventure playgrounds andplaygrounds, including for children who need learning support, lies with localauthorities. Details of spend on this area by each local authority are notcollected centrally by the Scottish Executive.

We are aware that somevoluntary organisations, including Capability Scotland, hold information on leisureand play opportunities for children with disabilities.

 

Protecting and enhancing thequality of the environment, in both urban and rural areas, is a key objective of theplanning system. National planning policy states that new housing development shouldnot be located on open space which contributes to local community needs and enjoyment.

This information is not heldcentrally.

The following individual secondaryschools provide national specialist provision supported through the Executive’sCentres of Excellence programme:

Local Authority	School	Specialism
Aberdeen City	Dyce Academy	Music
City of Edinburgh	Broughton High School	Music
East Dunbartonshire	Douglas Academy	Music
Glasgow City	Bellahouston Academy	Sport
Glasgow City	Knightswood Secondary School	Dance
Highland	Plockton High School	Traditional Music

 

The Executive also currentlyfunds three local projects through the same programme: - Shawlands Academy in Glasgow whichspecialises in languages, the Fife music project, and the Partners in Excellence languageproject in East and North Ayrshire and Argyll and Bute

Details of all other specialismsare not held centrally.

Disclosure Scotland is workingon the changes necessary to allow voluntary organisations to register directly forfree disclosure check for volunteers. Most importantly, a revised application formwill be necessary, with associated changes to IT systems. The application form isprescribed in secondary legislation and subject to Parliament’s agreement, we expectthe new form to be in place by the end of 2006.

Physical activity is integralto the whole school approach to health promotion in schools. The Scottish HealthPromoting Schools Unit (SHPSU), which supports the Executive’s commitment for allschools to become health promoting by 2007, includes a National Development Officer who has responsibility forthe national programme for physical activity.

TheActive Schools programme aims to encourage increased physical activity by developing high quality opportunities for young peopleto participate in regular, frequent, safe and fun activities incorporating physicalactivity, sport, play and active travel. Overyears 2003-06 the Scottish Executive has invested £24 million in this programmewith further funding of £12 million for 2006-07. Currently, 32 Active Schools managersand more than 650 Active Schools co-ordinators are in post in local authoritiesand schools across Scotland.

Outdoor Education is a widelyrecognised and valued component for a rounded and rich educational experience. Over2004-06, local authorities were awarded funding of £34 million for Study Support/Outof School Hours Learning provision. This includes opportunities for Outdoor Education.

The Executive is also fundinga two-year programme - Outdoor Connections - which is being implemented by a NationalDevelopment Officer seconded to Learning and Teaching Scotland. Outdoor Connectionsaims to continue the drive to improve the quality of learning experiences throughvarious and diverse programmes and approaches and to secure a sustainable statusfor Outdoor Education as part of overall education and lifelong learning provision.

Sport 21, the national strategyfor sport in Scotland, has a target “To make progress towards all schoolchildrentaking part in at least two hours of high quality physical education classes a week”.The Scottish Executive is committed to meeting the target of having an additional400 Physical Education teachers in place by 2008. To this end, we announced in December2005 additional funding to allow local authorities to recruit new teachers and weare working with teacher education institutions to increase the number of placesavailable for PE students.

A comprehensive process for monitoringthe impact of the budget changes made to Supporting People funding was agreed withlocal authorities, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), CommunityCare Providers Scotland (CCPS) and others. The first monitoring returns from October2005 confirmed that £12 million of efficiency savings had been made through reviewingservices, with only limited evidence of any reduction in service capacity. Therewas also no strong evidence at that time that external providers were being disproportionatelyaffected by the drive to improve efficiency and the need to redistribute SupportingPeople funding more fairly across Scotland.

Wewill take very careful note of the SFHA/CCPS survey findings, but we need to awaitthe next formal monitoring returns from local authorities at the end of July toget a comprehensive picture. We will be careful to check in our own monitoring thatthe service review process is fair and that external providers are not being treatedunfairly. Local authorities are being asked for example to provide signed statementsfrom a representative range of external providers confirming they agree the processhas been fair.

We take the concerns expressedin the SFHA/CCPS survey very seriously, but the Scottish Executive has already made£60 million of additional funding available, beyond that provided by Treasury, sloweddown the rate of redistribution, and allowed local authorities to carry forwardany under-spends from previous years to ease transitional pressures.

As part of the Action Planon Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland launched in January we areworking in partnership with the Scottish Football Association and sportscotlandto develop a strategy for tackling sectarianism in football. This will belaunched by the end of 2006. We will consider how best to engage stakeholdersin this process. The Executive has already started a consultation exercise withsupporters’ groups and their views will inform the development of the strategy.

The Task Groupon Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland is made up of Strathclyde Police; ScottishInterfaith Council and Education for Mutual Understanding; Sense overSectarianism, and the Scottish Executive. Thetask group is working independently to develop new initiatives to tacklesectarianism and will identify and work with partners to take those initiativesforward. It is anticipated that the task group will present their initialfindings to ministers in the autumn.

There are already somepositive examples of work being done by both Old Firm clubs to combat sectarianism.The most recent is the Old Firm Alliance (OFA) project, a joint initiative byGlasgow Alliance, and Celtic and Rangers Football Clubs. Launched in April lastyear, it uses football to educate young people about the benefits of ahealthier lifestyle, raise self-esteem and confidence, provide them withpositive role models and challenge racist and sectarian attitudes andanti-social behaviour. Events organised by the OFA have been well attended andwell received. I am pleased to confirm that the OFA recently secured furtherfunding to continue its good work through 2006-07. the Executive commends initiatives such as this and welcomes the way the Old Firmclubs are working together to tackle these issues.

The Children, Young People andFamilies Unified Voluntary Sector Fund can support renewable core funding for headquartercosts, non-renewable project funding and one-off capital grants. The answer to question S2W-24753 identified the organisations currently receiving funding. Awards made to those organisations in 2004-05 and 2006-07are detailed as follows and, where applicable, funding for 2007-08. Some organisationsapply annually for funding so an outcome for 2007-08 is not yet known. Awards for2007-08 are indicated for organisations whose core funding was due to terminateat the end of 2005-06 and who have received two year renewals and for three yearproject awards from the 2005-06 funding round.

Core Funding for Headquarters Costs	2004-05 (£)	2006-07 (£)	2007-08 (£)2
Youth Policy
Abernethy Trust1	7,000	7,000
Boys’ Brigade	42,740	43,809	43,809
BTCV	31,900	32,698
Boys and Girls’ Clubs of Scotland1	30,780	31,550
Caledonian Awards1	15,400	15,785
Campaigners	7,600	7,790	7,790
Chess Scotland	10,040	10,291
Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council	11,040	11,316
Community Service Volunteers	73,740	75,584
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme	22,840	23,411
Fabb Scotland	27,500	28,188
Fairbridge in Scotland	50,340	51,599
Fast Forward	80,000	82,000
Girls’ Brigade1	13,480	13,817
Guide Association	18,700	19,168
International Voluntary Service	8,800	9,020	9,020
Iona Community1	7,000	7,175
Ocean Youth Trust	33,300	34,133
Scottish Association of Young Farmers	65,240	66,000	66,000
Scottish Centres	67,040	67,040	67,040
Scottish Crusaders	7,600	7,790	7,790
Scottish National Council of YMCAs	64,400	66,010	66,010
Scottish Youth Parliament	123,000	251,125
SSC (A Club for the Youth of Scotland)	9,000	9,225
Scout Association	35,100	35,978	35,978
Venture Scotland	46,140	47,294
Woodcraft Folk	11,700	11,993
Youth Scotland	87,800	92,245
YouthLink Scotland	116,200	119,105	119,105
YWCA of Great Britain	53,840	55,186	55,186
John Muir Trust	10,000	10,250
LGBT Youth Scotland	50,000	51,250
Looked After Children
Adoption UK	11,040	11,316
BAAF	56,380	59,234
Family Care	42,900	43,973
Fostering Network	56,640	58,056
Scottish Child Law Centre	87,580	92,453
Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum (STAAF)	51,280	58,371	58,371
Who Cares? Scotland	125,700	132,063
Children General
Children in Scotland	255,000	261,375
Article 12	12500	51,250
Scottish Women’s Aid (Children)	55,000	61,500
Children’s Parliament		74,928
Child Protection
Childline	77,240	79,171
Children First	92,400	94,710
Early Education and Childcare - including disabilities and parenting
National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries	27,300	27,983
National Playbus Association Scotland	34,100	34,953
Play Scotland	55,400	56,785
Scottish Childminding Association	57,500	160,925
Scottish Out of School Care Network	170,440	174,701
Scottish Pre-School Play Association	198,600	203,565
National Playing Field Association	15,000	15,375
CNSA	76,400	82,718
Capability Scotland	50,000	51,250
Homestart	104,800	107,420
Parentline	116,000	118,900
Sense Scotland	64,840	66,974
Contact a Family Scotland	50,000	51,250
Cruse Bereavement (Scotland)	31,940	32,739	32,739
Parent Network Scotland	22,740	23,309	23,309
One Parent Families Scotland	56,800	58,220	58,220
Butterfly Trust	42,000	43,050
CCNUK	38,440	39,401
Families Outside	59,400	60,885
Sleep Scotland	36,600	37,515
Parenting across Scotland		143,500
SWSI Section 9
Children in Scotland	81,677	86,613	86,613
Scottish Childminding Association	27,900	28,598
Family Support Organisations
Couple Counselling Scotland (core and training grants)	285,540	282,428
Family Mediation Scotland (core and training grants)	174,689	179,036
Scottish Marriage Care (core and training grants)	110,557	82,571
Stepfamily Scotland (core and training grants)	39,904	40,902
Family Mediation Borders	34,553	35,417
Family Mediation Central	86,094	88,246
Family Mediation Dumfries and Galloway	61,303	62,836
Family Mediation Fife (Tayside)	36,144	37,048
Family Mediation Grampian	48,096	49,298
Family Mediation Highland	49,779	51,023
Family Mediation Lothian	56,277	57,684
Family Mediation Tayside	66,382	68,042
Family Mediation West	159,579	163,568
Family Mediation Western Isles	29,259	29,990
Special Education/ ASN Grants
AFASIC	30,987	33,661
Govan Law Centre	73,480	84,973
Partners in Advocacy	27,822	29,192
Highland Children’s Forum		22,409
Health3
Action for Sick Children	10,000	10,250
Bobath Scotland	6,000	6,150	6,150
Breastfeeding Network	2,000	2,050
Brittle Bone Society	10,000	10,250	10,250
Children in Scotland	7,000	7,175
Child Hospice Association Scotland	25,000	25,625
Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Association	8,000	8,200
Education and Resources for Childhood Continence	3,000	3,075
Hearts and Minds (Clowndoctors)	7,000	7,175
National Childbirth Trust	6,000	6,150
Genetic Interest Group		20,500
Scottish Network for Families Affected by Drugs		51,250
Project Grants
Children General
NCH Factfile	25,000	25,000
NCH Self Harm Project	30,000	30,000
Aberlour Childcare Trust - participation worker		32,708	33,516
Child Protection
Child Protection in Sport (Children 1st)	61,240	59,840
Safe, Strong & Free Project	15,000	15,000
Roshni		12,784
Early Education & Childcare including disabilities and parenting
SPARK (Princess Royal Sports & Community Trust)	16,000	16,000
CCNUK	5,000	5,000
Scottish Independent Nurseries	12,900
Looked After Children
Reading Rich (NCH)	30,000	30,000
Roc Project (Aberlour)	38,740	42,480
Route 14-25 (Princes Trust)	40,000	40,000
Mentoring Project	75,000	75,000
Kibble: intensive fostering services for adolescent males		28,634	30,066
Youth Policy
National Peer Education (Fastforward)	62,380	65,180
RNID Youth services for young deaf people		30,000	30,000
Section 9 Training Grant
Befriending Network	17,680	17,600
Family Mediation etc
Couple Counselling Scotland Helpline Research	10,000	10,000
Scottish Marriage Care (helpline research 2004-05) (Young Parents Relationships 2006-08)	30,000	21,000	52,000
Special Education/ ASN
AFASIC	33,011	40,243
Caledonian Family Awards	30,000	36,000
Capability Scotland	50,000	50,000
Children in Scotland (SNAG)	43,500	43,500
Down’s Syndrome Scotland	27,411	28,748
Drake Music Project Scotland	30,000	30,000
Enable Scotland	38,075	38,619
Govan Law Centre	6,500	1,625
MOVE Scotland	42,166	49,584
National Autistic Society (Transitions)	82,645	73,886
National Autistic Society (Post Diagnostic Officer)	50,000	50,000
Project Ability	17,128	16,230
Scottish Dyslexia Trust	29,760	36,160
Shaw Trust	32,526	31,537
Stories in the Air	60,000	74,000
The Yard	46,129	84,263
Equity	50,000	50,000
A:Live Collusion Theatre Performance		28,895
Health3
Neurofibromatosis Association	10,000	10,000	10,000
Action for Sick Children		22,675

Notes:

1. These organisations applyannually for funding.

2. All future grants are indicative;the authority to spend is dependent on completion of the annual Parliamentary budgetprocess.

3. For 2004-05 health grantswere not part of the Unified Fund – the awards included in the table for that yearwere Health Section16B Grants.