Re-imagining Adult Social CareBuilding community connections and nurturing natural networks across Scotland

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We need to bring services into the community so that

people have options closer to home, and to ensure that no

one is spending time in hospital if they don’t need to be

there.

- Jeane Freeman MSP, Cabinet Secretary, Health & Sport,Scottish Government

The way adult social care in Scotland is delivered has already started

changing.

With the Self-directed Support Strategy launched in 2010, it became clear

that people wanted the ability to exercise choice and control over how they

were supported within a community setting.

Nearly 10 years on, the right to choose where, when, how and by who you are

supported and what your allocated budget is spent on has become the

mainstream way we meet the challenges disability; ill-health or impairment

presents.

Many Health & Social Care Partnerships are wrestling with de-

commissioning community services to fund individualised, person-centred

plans. Peace of Mind offers users the opportunity to “re-commission” shared

services through individuals’ “pooling” resources in a way and on a scale

never before seen in adult social care.

The Peace of Mind

Programme is an innovative

approach to social care like no

other, not only do we focus on

the well-being of individuals

and communities, we

positively drive it.

Our programme has been

developed on the universal

evidence that people live happier, longer and healthier lives when they’re better

connected, better represented and better engaged with their community.

We bring people together based on their assets and aspirations rather than their

disabilities, we offer them the opportunity to invest their assets in re-

commissioning resources that will benefit the community and we encourage their

wider communities to recognise them as contributors to the local economy.

We do this in a way and on a scale that has never before been seen in adult Health &

Social Care in Scotland.

ABOUT US:

1. Our Mission is to cultivate supportive, inclusive communities developed and commissioned by the people who use it.

2. Our Vision is a fully inclusive, accessible and supportive Scotland where people with disabilities, long-term health conditions or other social care needs are not only supported but fully consulted and empowered to “re-commission” the supports and services they want to use.

3. Our Values:

• We are person-centred;

• We use a human-rights based approach;

• We are collaborative, creative and inclusive;

• We believe the people using social care support services should be “commissioners” of their own services.

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The Origins of Peace of Mind:

The programme was initially developed in partnership between

Respite Now Services Ltd and SPAEN, 2 social care support

organisations founded and based in Scotland.

The programme received Scottish Government support through

the Innovation Fund as part of the Transforming Social Care

agenda and the implementation of the Social Care (Self-directed

Support)(Scotland) Act.

The programme was so successful, it went on to become a

registered company and recognised Social Enterprise, expanding

from it’s initial pilot area in Ayrshire to other parts of Scotland.

The Legal Stuff:

Peace of Mind Services Ltd is a company limited by guarantee,

registered in Scotland under Company Number SC542606.

It’s Board of Directors and Senior Management Team has over 3

decades’ experience working in Scotland’s social care sector.

Peace of Mind Services Ltd is a recognised Social Enterprise company,

working for the benefit of individuals and communities who are at risk

of social exclusion or isolation as a result of a disability, long-term

health condition or other impairment.

What we do:

The Peace of Mind programme “fills the gap” in communities

across Scotland where people with reduced mobility or social care

support needs continue to be at risk of exclusion or social

isolation.

The programme supports people to find like minded individuals

in their local community with similar interests, hobbies and

personal goals.

Our unique “matching” programme:

•Creates and delivers a meaningful, personalised programme to

meet the needs of individuals and groups across Scotland;

•Brings people together based on a range of factors including

interests, hobbies, personal goals and aspirations and location;

•Helps you find Personal Assistants (PA’s) to work with and

support you and your group;

•Connects individuals with activities and groups already

established and operating in their area or establish / re-

commission groups and social inclusion programmes where these

don’t meet the existing needs of individuals and communities;

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Creating “Benefit”:

People and communities engaging in the Peace of Mind

programme experience a range of individual and collective

benefits including:

•Supporting people to “build natural networks” and “community

connections” based on their personal interests;

•Helping groups to find and recruit Personal Assistants (PA’s)

using a unique and exclusive Group Employment Contract;

•Helping individuals and communities make their SDS budget

stretch further while doing the things they love and value;

•Increasing social inclusion, participation and integration for

people on the programme and the wider community; ;

•Helping people discover what’s going on in their community and

how to access it;

•Improving the well-being of individuals, groups and

communities in a sustainable, cost effective and efficient way; and

• Creating the opportunity for people to use their own assets of

Individual Service Funds (ISF’s) to re-commission supports or

services that make a difference to them.

Keeping People Safe:

Many Health & Social Care professionals and communities across

Scotland have told us of their desire to develop a cohesive,

inclusive and safe approach to community building.

But how do you reconcile the boundaries of professional

responsibility with the empowerment of vulnerable individuals to

explore their community and connect with their peers?

Peace of Mind professionals use their experience and a range of

safe engagement principles to ensure that people accessing the

service are both safe and remain safe throughout their

involvement.

We support and build the capacity of individuals and groups to

make informed decisions; careful choices and recognise real or

potential risks.

All programme users are carefully vetted and selected and

potential volunteer or paid support workers are required to be

both PVG checked and able to demonstrate they have sufficient

and suitable training to support the group they’re engaging with

including formal training and recognition in First Aid and any

condition specific training to meet the needs of the group.

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Why you should offer Peace of Mind:

This programme has been carefully crafted to fully embrace the

values and principles embedded in the “Self-directed Support”

Strategy and the forthcoming “Reforming Adult Social Care”

strategy in Scotland.

The programme not only empowers individuals and groups to

better engage and integrate with their natural networks, it also

actively cultivates communities.

The benefits are tangible and measurable. In our pilot

programmes, we’ve recorded:

• Less reliance on Health & Social Care interventions, freeing up

time and resource to focus on new people requiring the support;

• Improved self-reported “well-being” in programme

participants;

• More creative use of social care funds for individual and

community benefit.

• Individuals and groups can “re-commission” local supports and

services they value.

Case Studies:

Denise enjoyed her role as a mother of 4 children and an employed carer working with older people in her community. Her life changed after she was involved in a car crash and acquired disabilities.

Denise lost all confidence and was unable to get back into employment, affecting her and her family.

Engaging with the Peace of Mind programme, Denise was able to engage in re-training and peer support.

“On behalf of myself, my husband and my children, I’d like to thank Peace of Mind for supporting and effectively caring for all the family by helping me to recover and contribute positively in the future.”

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Chris struggled for many years with no-one able to explain or diagnose his hyper activity. It wasn’t until age 26, that Chris was finally diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

With only groups supporting children and young people to the age of 16, Chris was left dealing with his diagnosis alone. Knowing that other adults in his community must be facing similar challenges and seeking supports, Chris set up an Adult ADHD group with the help of Peace of Mind.

He now runs a successful peer-to-peer support group which meets regularly and continues to grow.

Could you offer someone Peace of Mind?

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© All Rights ReservedPeace of Mind and the Peace of Mind logo are

the property of Peace of Mind Services Ltd and may not be used,

replicated or replaced without the express permission of the

company.

Peace of Mind Services Ltd is a company limited by guarantee

registered in Scotland under Company Number SC542606.

Registered address: 65 Oakbank Drive, Cumnock, Ayrshire,

KA18 1BA.

Just visit our website to sign up for free:

www.peaceofmind.scot

or e-mail us

info@peaceofmind.scot

You can also arrange a telephone discussion with our Directors:

Jim Withers (078 247 27694) or

Colin Millar (078 681 85996)