Chamber and committees

During our engagement on the next Mental Health Strategy, we invited written responses on an engagement paper outlining our proposed priorities, and received nearly 600 responses.

The responses were independently analysed and a full report published online, which can be viewed at:

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/12/1634/0

One of the groups suggested as a priority by respondents was people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

All of the feedback we received has helped shape our thinking on the forthcoming Strategy, including the evidence that shows there is a strong link between poor mental health and people experiencing housing problems and homelessness.

We will publish the Strategy in the coming weeks.

The number homeless applications where the main applicant is female is published in Table 6A of the annual publication ‘Homelessness in Scotland’.

The group agreed that the guidance will aim to:

Outline a framework for an effective toilet provision and management strategy that caters for all children and young people in our schools. The approach should be easy for schools to adopt but also ensure that children’s rights to hygienic, safe, respectful and private facilities are met.

Promote the implementation of a universal toilet provision and management strategy with the aim of maintaining a high standard of toilet provision and management practice standards in all Scottish schools.

Set a precedent for good toilet provision and management practice standards in future new build and refurbishment projects.

Besides Government, the membership of the group also includes the Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Education Scotland.

The information requested is not readily available. The recording of patients’ unique Community Health Index (CHI) number on prescriptions for the dispensing of contraceptives is not sufficiently comprehensive to allow accurate patient-based analysis.

However, some information on prescribed contraception is available in the report Prescription Cost Analysis, published annually by National Services Scotland Information Services Division (ISD) (www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Prescribing-and-Medicines/Community-Dispensing/Prescription-Cost-Analysis/).

In addition, ISD also publish the report Long Acting Reversible Methods of Contraception in Scotland, which provides information by age group and NHS board on contraceptive devices, including those supplied through sexual health clinics (www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Sexual-Health/Publications/2016-09-20/2016-09-20-LARC-Report.pdf).

We will publish the new ten-year Mental Health Strategy in the coming weeks. The content of the final Strategy has been informed by careful consideration of all of the feedback the Government has received, including from individuals, organisations, and the Health And Sport Committee.

The Scottish Government has ensured strong legal rights to housing and support for homeless households with children. This is backed by statutory guidance for local authorities published by the Scottish Government on meeting the Best Interests of Children Facing Homelessness.

The Scottish Government has strengthened the Unsuitable Accommodation Order relating to the use of temporary accommodation for homeless households with children and pregnant women and we plan to strengthen this further.

Strong rights to housing also exist for young people (16-24) assessed as homeless, unlike the rest of the UK. The Scottish Government provides funding to a range of voluntary organisations that work with young people to prevent homelessness, including those supporting mediation services to address family breakdown, the main reason for homelessness amongst young people in Scotland.

We are also continuing to provide funding to local authorities to develop the housing options approach to prevention. This will be further strengthened by the development of a training toolkit for local authorities and their partners later this year, which will include addressing homelessness amongst families with children, looked after children and young people.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The Scottish Government welcomes the recent survey findings showing that 52% of young people volunteer, that participation is inclusive across most and least deprived areas, when volunteering in school time, and higher amongst those with physical and mental health conditions.

However the survey also recognises that there is a more significant variation of participation for young people volunteering outside of school.

We are committed to ensuring everyone who wants to do so is able to volunteer and continue to work with our partners, including Volunteer Scotland, to explore the reasons for variation in participation rates and consider interventions designed to address this. For example, in 2016-17 we provided over £1m to Voluntary Action Fund to deliver the Volunteering Support Grant, which is aimed at supporting volunteers who are facing disadvantage.

We are also taking action through the Fairer Scotland for Disabled People plan and have committed to provide funding during the current parliamentary session to enable more disabled people to take up volunteering opportunities.

Our annual funding of £800,000 enables Volunteer Scotland to encourage, promote and support volunteers and volunteering to individuals, including all young people, across Scotland.

In addition, Young Scot are funded by the Scottish Government to work collaboratively with many organisations, such as Police Scotland, sportScotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Creative Scotland and YouthLink to create and promote volunteering opportunities for young people.

The National Youth Work Strategy for Scotland recognises the role that volunteering plays in enhancing young people’s engagement, leadership and creative skills. The £500,000 National Voluntary Organisations Support Fund supports national youth work organisations to build capacity and support volunteering locally.

The Scottish Government is also actively supporting the #iwill campaign which aims to increase the number of young people aged 10-20, involved in social action. There are now 15 Scottish #iwill young ambassadors appointed, who are visiting schools and communities inspiring others about the impact of volunteering.