ADIUY3WY 2711212024 COMPANIES HOUSE A7
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circles Impact Report
Impact Report 2023-24 Table of Contents Charity Information Chief Executive Officer's Report Chairperson's Report Report of The Trustees 3D & 4D Support Keyworker Collaborative Family Matters Youth Groups England Advocacy Glasgow Advocacy Fife Advocacv Inverclyde Advocacy South Ayrshire Advocacy Moray Advocacy Rural Academy Urban Academy Taking the Lead Ready Steady Go! Independent Auditor Report Staternent.'of F.inancial Activities Statement of Financial Position Statement of Cash Flows Notes of Financial Statements 18 29 33 39 45 47 51 58 68 77 82 87 91 97 100 104 105 106 108
Charity Information Trustees Chairperson Treasurer Vice Chair Vice Chalr James Inglis James Hirons Andy Cater Emma Sharp Wendy Evans Amiya Kagalwala Chlef EJ(e¢utlve OHl¢er Mandy Nevllle Charlty Re8iStratlon Number 1043601 Charlty Re8l$tr¥tlon Number Iscotland) SC038068 Company Number 2972700 R•8lstered Office The Penthouse Coventry Road, Caw5ton, Rugbv, Warwickshire, CV23 9JP. Fruition Accountancy 29 Wood Street Stratfof'd:upon Avon Warwickshlre Cv37 6JG Audltor 8ank I The Cooperative Bank 16 St Stephen's Street Bristol BSI IJR Solkllor Anthony Collins Solicitor LLP 134 Edmund Street 81rmlngham B3 2ES
Chief Executive Officers Report Introduction As I present this year's impact report, l am remlnded of the resilience, compassion, and innovative spirtt shown by our team, trustees, and volunteers. This has been a year of dedication to our mlssion of providln8 empowering solutions for dlsabled and disadvantaged people of all ages to live happy, safe. and fultilling lives. Against the backdrop of economic pressures, mental heahh challenges, and an ongoing need for social inclusion, our work has been a source of support and, we optimistically believe. to people we serve, l am truly grateful to each person who has partnered with u5 in this mission and to everyone who believes in our purpose. Thank you for sharlng our vision of a more inclusive and empathetic world. Your belief In what we do makes an essential difference. Key Highlights and Developments Advocacy and Empowerment Our advocacy services have ¢ontlnued to asslst people through complex and life-changing situations. This year. we broadened the reach of our supportwlth new projects, including Self-Directed Support ISDSI advocacy in Moray and. successfully extended tender for the lon8- standin8 SDS project In Inverclyde. Further fundln8 r Ih the Southeast of England for specialist advo'cacy has ènabled us'to build on this important service. for anoth"er,year. We'aim to continue suppor.ting Ihdivlduals.wh05e voices need to,6e heard. dernonstrating our c9mmitment to justice.. Inclusion, and well-being In every way we can. Communlty Support InIatiVeS This year brought the acquisition of a static caravan in Northamptonshire, allowing us to offer respite holidays for families and individuals. In addition, our Family Matters programme In Lincolnshire and Peterborough whlch supports families In crlsls due to challenges In., mental heatth or disability..P3rtnering with local busine5se5 through 8usiness Networking International IBNII. we have also galned.access.to helpful resources and advice that support our operations andgrovrth,.
New Programmes and Fundln8 We were fortunate to receive funding for additional support programmes, including the Rose Scott Life Skills programme for adults Impacted by economic difficulties. We named this programme in honour of our wonderful colleague who sadly passed away this year having given 19 years of truly dedicated serwice. We were delighted to be awarded funding for the Holidays, Activities, and Food {HAF} programmes for children in Warwickshire. Education and Training Our Academy for children and adults has grown and continues to provlde tailored learnlng, coaching and support. Initiatives such as Equine Facilitated Learning have been a source of positlve en8a8ement for our pardclpants. and we launched the Oliver McGowan Trainlng to wlden understanding on neurodiversity and learning diffi'cultie5. in health and Social care sethngs. These project5, as well as our equlne team's work In an imal-assisted learning and the in-house Horse for Courses certifi'cated programme, have enabled us to provide resources and experiences that many have testified to be beneficial. Equlne Programmes Our equine-a5515ted activities remaln an important and valued part of our offering. We have increased awareness and appreciation for this work through our social media presence,.bighllghtin8 our t.herapy heid on plarforms like TikTok and Instagram. We introduced a new young pony to the herd, offered and delivered children's pony parties and celebrated the successful completion of our apprentite's'placernent and welcomed him as a Professional Facilitator an addition that 5tren8theths.our team. Collaboratlons .Through a valued partnership wlth Cummins.En8ineerin8. we were.able to enhance our Warwickshire servlces in both rural and urban bases. Artditionally, our Joint work with The Keyworker5' Collaborative has supported 80 children this year alone, helping many avoid hospitalisation. These partnerships a.-3n.'e$5entia1,'part of our work,-allowing us'to.meet communlty needs. more effectivety., Challen8es and Areas for Growth Like many, we have faced economlc pressures, staffing challen8es.'and Increiset*serilce , demand, reminding us of the importanceof resiliènce and adpptability." We are.focustng"on recruitment and retention Strategie5 to eUre.we.¢an.cOntinUP..SUpportI8 people who rely on us. Looking ahead, we intend to build.on what hasbeen achieved by expanding our
network. strengthening partnerships, and deepening our commltrnent to incluslve cornmunities. Looking Forward In the coming year. our priorities will include.. Broadening the reach of our advocacy services to meet increasing needs. Enhanclng community support and family-focused programmes. Expandin8 educational opportunities through The Academy and Equine Learning initiatives. Building partnerships that allow us to respond effectively to pre55ing social and communlty needs. Thank You To everyone who supports us, whether throu8h 8ivin8 time, resources, of words of encouragement, please know how essential you are to our work, To our staff and volunteer5 who dedicate themselve5 each day, our trustees, donors, and partners, and to individuals we serve who insp.lre us In countless ways ' thank you. We look forward to our 30th year of building together toward our mission of inclusion, empowerment, and positive cornmunlty enhancement.. Wilh sincere 8ratitude and full appreciation. Mandy Nevllle Chlef Executlve Officer
Chairperson's Report As We telebrate our past 29 yeafs of supporting people both young and old we can look back with justiliable pride on the real achievements we have made. Our founder and Chief Executive together with a dedicated team of staff have brought into being many new initiatives. Some of these have now become malnstream are35 of support. 50me have been adopted widely by statutory education, health and social care services, and others we contlnue to operate ourselves and set the example of hl8hest quality provision in these fields. Our report describes our current activities in more detall. All have one thlng in common- to provlde life enrlchlng 5UPPOrt for individuals who would otherwise be at risk of bein8 forgotten. This year has been one of continuatlon of our existln8 projert5 and development of some new inltiatives, particularly involving young people. In England we have grown our holiday schemes that provide rich experiences for the youn8 people who attend them. These have been well received both by the attendees and their parents and carers. We have also extended our offer to schools to provide some alternative provlslon partrcularly for children who stru88le .with a standard school environment. In the east of England wt.are proud.of our youlh.. groups and in Scotland iour advocate5 continue,. tO•rovide.pèople'with' a chance to.be..heard %%iheil.th"ey..are.up agalns,t seemlngly. insurmountable'diffi'culties that.are blightin8 their lives. None of.this would.be possible w,ithout the strong support of,our staff. They work w.ith.. passion.and compassion to support and.improve the lives of people in our communiries, and l am.Incr.edibly_grateful to them.all for supporting Circles Network and for ignitin8 dream5 and',changing'lives. Best Wlshes. Chair of the Board of Trustees
Report of the Trustees This annual report highlights Circles Network's key services, events, operations, challenges and successes. It reviews the 5ignih.cant activities undertaken by the charity to further our purposes for. and with due regard to, the Charity Commi55ion'$ guidance on public benelit. Our Organisation Circle5 Network Is a UK-wide organlsatSon, reglstered as a charity and a company limited by guarantee, governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. Established with an educational objective to bulld incluslve communlties, Circle5 Network supports thousands of people to be Included in communlty Ilfe. The Individuals we support are experlencing soclal exclusion or are at risk of being isolated through disability, lon8 term illness or other disadvanta8e. For us. 'dlsabled people, are indlvlduals, old and young, living with physical andlor sensory impairments, learning diffi'tulties, autism, severe anxlety or endurlng mental health differences and/or chronic long-term illness. Circles Network Is a leader in the development of Circles of Support and person-centred approaches. We continue promotins the tools and processes that underpin per5on-centd approaches to empower people we support and advocate with people who are feeling vulnerable and marginalised. In 1994, founder and Chief Executive Mandy Neville, supported by a loyal group of friends, formed the first Circles of Support in the UK. This organisation was formed: founded on the values of justice, advocacy. empowerment, and relationships. We are guided by the philosophy of soclal Incluslon and believe information, knowledge sharing, and good practice leads to.improved and self-determined lives, We have built and sustained several unique and exciting specialisms ID distinct geographic areas. Our ambition Is to expand the reach of our servlces and increase the Impact of our proven approaches in more communities across the UK. Our success relies on a dedicated team of staff, volunteers and many partnerships with individuals. communities. local authorities. and other relevant organisations. Our impact
Our daily interaction within the lives of thousands of Indlvlduals means we know we have a real and long-lasting impact. To make evident the change we create and nurture. requires robust monitoring and evaluation of our social impact. Thi5 annual impact report demonstrate5 the social return on investment and our strategic achievements across our diverse programmes. Our investment in service provision, and continuous learnlng. informed by disabled and disadvantaged people and their families, nourishes our dissemination efforts, Our collaborative ways of working with farnilies. friends, community-based or8anisations, local authorities, NHS and social care partnerships and national networks. influences service provision and policies. We are expandin8 understanding. expectations and horizons and contributing to ihe public good. Our Academy conferences and workshops inciease our capacity to promote good practice and public benefit. Crltical to our success Is the art of lislenlng and valuing the lived experlence of dlsablllty, disadvantage, and discrimination. The indivKluals, families, and profession315 we have worked with for over 28 years, have enabled us to develop considerable expertise and establish our reputation in the health and social care sector. The person-centred nature of our work means our projects a.'nd services are extremely innovative and diverse. This report presents an overview of Our work durlng this financial. year across.the.many projects, individuals and services that form our charity. Our Strate8lc Achievements At Circle5 Network we believe everyone.deserves the opportunity to thrive and Ilve their best Ilves. Our vlslon is to create in¢luslve communlties where all Ilves are valued. We build Inclusive communities on the foundations of justice,,advocacy, empowerment, and relationshlps. Our mission is to support disabled and d15advanta8ed. people of all ages in transfortyatlonal and empowerln8 ways to live fulfillin8 and incluslve lives, Our. work takes us into every djmen5ion.of lrfe: Childhood and p.arenting, disability and transition, criminalily. and emp.loyment, family dynamlcs and dlverslly, learnin8 SUPP.Ort, mental health. loss and addiction, unpaid caring are just some of the diverse and complex aspects of human experience In which we are involved. We work to build sustainable, Inclusive communitses where every.one belongs. Circles Network provides Inforrnation training and developmenl opportunities to raise awareness and increase understanding the concept of Inclusion. Across the UK our work Includes: Ind ividualised support for disabled and disadvantaged young people. adults and chlldren Ilvlng in thelr own homes and communlties. We facilitate person-centred planning that Strengthens social capital by developing friendships (bonding) and building networks Ibrldgingl. We 5UPPOrt people in planning'.and managing life's signlfi'cant tran5ifions - Child to adulihood. relatlon5hips and parentlng, marriage and bereavement. movlng to
independent living or Into employment. We offei indlvlduals with high level support needs and complex impairments the spectfic and in-depth support necessary for real inclusion. Advocacy wlth people Ilving in a wide range of sltuations including secure un Its, prisons. community and hospitals. Unique coaching and advocacy for disabled children, adults and young people experiencing early childhood trauma, long term illness, addiction, age or caring responsibilities, Development and dellvery of alternative education provlslon for children and young people for whom mainstream education has not been a good fi't. Innovative approaches and extra-curricular activitie5 supportin8 the inclusion of disabled and disadvanta8ed children and young people, including Equine Facilitated Learning. and outdoor learning that nurture diverse 'peer 8roups' to experience inclusion and feel valued. Tralnlng. mentorship and support to professlonals and others wishlng to work In per50n-cenlred way. Consultancy and training for statutory, voluntary and independent sector services and for parents, individuals and carers. A wide-ran8in8 programme of courses, conferences, workshops and events, open to anyone. Our work Is unlquely tallored to Individua.Is' needs,and preferences, institutional settings and soclal conlexts. as well as our funders. ?irns and contractual requlrements. We structure our work across local teams, programmes and projects that are delivering on our h've strategic aims, Strateglc Alm I: Clrcles Equlne- We deliver the equine programme portfolio in Warwickshire. open to people from around the UK. Equine Facilitated Learning IEFLI provides therapeutic OPPOrtunittes for people of all ages, workin8 aloD8slde horses and ponles, to develop, make positive changes and grow. Participants are supported to. learn through natural'horsemanship skills, trauma informed practice. neuro-lin8ulstic pro8rammin8,' pony centred Ilfe,coachln8,' mindfulness, and emotional resilience. techniques. Strategic Alm 2: Clrcles Advocacv - We provlde professlonal. Independent person-centred advocacy for young people and adults across the UK. Our approach enables the perSOfl lor their chosen advocate) to express their views and choices on a wide range of i55ues.:We.ensure.that their voices a,re heard by,,Ihe people they need and wpnt to relate to, Strategic Aim 3: Cir¢les Communitv We dellver communlty-based support servlces that assist people in the community to Ilve rich and fulfilling lives. Our facilitators work individually with people of all ages to understand what they want in their lives, strive towards their goals gnd coach to overcome io
barriers and achieve great outcomes. We have developed approaches with children, young people and adults with high level support needs and complex impairments which offer the specific and in-depth support necessary for real inclusion. Young people leaving care are one group of people we work with to develop structures which promote and encourage full inclusion and citizenship in comrnunlties. We support parents and carers of disabled children and adults and fostering and adoptive parents looking after children who have experienced trauma and disadvantage. Strateglc Alm 4: Clrcles Academy Serves to disseminate learning on inclusion, diversity, and transformational experiences. Through the Academy we also offer alternative education provision to chlldren and young people who learn more readily outside of a malnstream system or who need therapeutic provision to overcome barriers to learning, Strate8lc Alm 5: Or8anlsatlonal excellence and reslllence - Our success relies on g dedicated team of staff, volunteers and many partnerships with Individuals, communities, local authorities, and financial supporters. Together we strive for change alongside disabled and dlsadvanta8ed chlldren, young.people and adulls, thelr,carers and families, and the wider communities to.build inclusive. live5. Key Attributes We are continuously searchlng out people who are the harde511o reach, and potenthally highly vulnerable. Key to our success in having a positive impact on people's lives include our.. Independent status. specialist knowledge of disability and human rights, un-5hlftlng value base of Incluslon and equality, ability to draw alon85ide and engage with people at all levels, effectTve acclaimed methods of deliveryi reputation for provlding IDnovative5ervice5 and..Support, timely response to offer solutions In a range of complex sltuations. per50n-centred approaches, and wlde-ranglng public benefit. Volunteers People volunteer with us In many ways. We rely on this significant contribution of skills, experience and time. We receive voluntary inputs, contributions in kind. from hundreds of people including t.hose who art as trustee5, ensuring good governance; in operational li
dellvery and service provision as facilitators, advocates and Staff a55i5tants; as specialists brln8ing lived experience by contributin8 to training and events- as administrators and event organisers- in communities as our Circle of Support members and community builders- and a myriad of individuals contribute in their own ways from to fundraising and estate management. Structure, Governance and Management Circles Network operates under a Memorandum of Association. In conjunction with this Memorandum, the Articles of Association 8uide the 8overnance of the charity. The charity is governed by a Board of Truslees who appoint a Chief Executive Officer to manage and run the charity. No less than three trustees form the Board of Trustees, these are nominated and appointed by the trustees based upon their skills and lived experience. By a minimum, during Induction, Trustees receive tralnin8 in: Safeguarding, sexual hara$5ment, data protectlon and GDPR. All Trustee5 undergo an. Enhanced D8S check upon appointment. New Trustees are supported to understand their role and recelve sUPPOrt to access any training or information.which they may require, Trustees attend quarterly board rneetlngs and'an Annual General Meetfn8. The organis3on5 structure Includes: Board of Trustees Chlef Executlve Officer Senior Leadership Team-. .Two Operations. Managers'and Finance Manager Leadership Team- Area or Project Managers, Data Protection Officer, Coordinator of People & Safety Operational Team- made up of advocates, facilitators, adm"inistrators'and volunteers Pay and renumeration is revlewed on an annual basis by a panel made up of the CEO and senlor leadershlp team. Local benchmarkin8.is carried out and'pay is equal to or'hl8her than the living wage in the respective country of work." R'enumeration for the CEO and Senior Leadership Team are reviewed by the 8oard of Trustees on an annual basis. The Board of Trustees a volunteers and receive no renumeration, reasonable expenses wlll be paid. 12
Our Environmental Impart Environmental impact is intrinsic to our mission. and we strive to reduce waste, re-use resources where possible, recycle, minimise transport and Carbon emissions, and save energy. Reduce and recycle-The move to digitised communications and information management systems continue5 to reduce the volume of paper daily and maximises stora8e efficiency. We recycle waste materials at all our offi'ces including paper, cardboard. glass and plastic. At our head office we compost food waste and manage our significant horse manure produttion to the beneh't of local allotment owners. Carbon emisslons - Our prolects are based In Ioc31 communities and seek to employ local people. We encourage the use of public transport where possible. We purchased our small pool of cars driven by fuel efficiency. During the pandemic we became increa51ngly agile In worklng across dlgltal platforms which has greatly reduced the need for frequent travel. Energy savln8s - All of our work hubs adhere to energy savln8 pracdces, involvln8118htin8. heating, water and electricity usage. Risk Revlew The Trustees continue to review and mitigate the malof risks the company is exposed to. Our policies an'd procedures have been re8ularly'updated and our risk register is reviewed quarterly. Financial security, esèecially wlth the impendin8 recesslon presents a challenge. Our fund-raising strategy Ilnk5 to our buslness plan. and our sénior leadership team strive to secure the organisation's tinancial future. We continue to seek financial support.f rom a varlety of sources includlng trusts, foundations,'and national charitable.. donors. We tender for. and provide commissioned Services for local authorities and offer fee paying service to individuals. We alm to.achieve full cost recovery for all work undertaken. Recruitment and'r.etention of key personnel post COVID and Brexit has become critical. The variability of demand and intome leads us to work with a significant portion of workers Dn zero hours contracts. We continuously review and take acb'on to ensure the well-being of both staff and volunteers. We provide development opportunities and promote from within where possible. This year we restructured the management team in line with our growing 13
needs. Our HR team are supported by external consultants, Peninsula. and work constructively to maintain governance and compliance. For the second year running, whilst living thou8h the pandemic we have continued to provide services, delivering on target and managing additional operational costs. We have remained operational for the entirety of the year wlth local closures being managed to minimize any occurrentes of the virus among team members and individuals we support. We have suctessfully Introduced new systems and changed behaviours to support uptake of government recommended practices. The Board of Trustees Members of the Board of Trustees (also the Directors for the purposes of Company Lawl who served during the year and up to the date of this report are listed on page one. The Board of Trustees meet on a quarterly basis to review the work of the organisation and plan strategically. The Trustees consist of nlne Indlvlduals who collectively provide a wealth of expertise in the manv domains,required,,Regular audits ensure this gro'up have the appropriate skllls and are provided with trainin8 and development such that the.8oard is'fit for purpose. There have been no new Trustee appointments during.this financial year. Th'e'Trustees of the charitable'company guarantee to contribute'èn amount not excèèding El to the assets of the company In the èvent of it wlnding up, The total number of such guarantees 35 of 31st March 2023 was eight. Trustees are indemnified with third party indemnity insurance. Trustees Responsiblllties The trustees (who are also the directors'of Circles Network for the purpose¥ of company lawl are responsible for preparin8 the Report of the Trustees and.. the fin'ancial statements In accordance wlth applicable law and United Klngdom Accounting Standards Iunlted Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law. requlres the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial'yÈar which give a true and fair view of th'e. stste'of affa'irs of "the charitable company and. of the incoming resources and application of,'re50urce5, in'cluding th'e income 'and ,e)(pendit'ure, of the charitable company for that perlod. lil preparlng those financial statements. the trustee5 are required to; sele£t suitatsl_e accounttng.pollcies and then apply them conslstentl.v; observe the methods and principles iri the Charity SORP; make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis. unles5 It .is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in bu5ines5. IA
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the fi'nancial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. In $0 far as the trustees are aware: there is no relevant audit Information of which the charltable company's audltors are unaware; and - the trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that ihe auditors are aware of that information. Policy on Reserves The unrestricted general funds of £1,613,515 Include an amount of £250,000 bullt up over a number of years to match six months running costs of the central work of the organization. The balance of £1,363,515 is held to manage overall risk, a major factgr bein8 .a loss or materlal reduction in fund ing. The designated funds of £90,615. comprlse a buildings fund of £60,000 to provide for the purchase of, or addition to, a central hub in the.future. There is also a fund for capital equipment of £ 10,000 and other purchases of tangible assets of £20,'625. Flnanclal Review At the end of the reportfng period Circles Network had generated a surplusiof £ 370,619. The total rèserves at the end of the year was £ 1,903,222 including restricted reserves of £ 199,082. Llquld assets were £ 1,548.163 beln8 deposltaecounts and,Investments. The balance of h'xed assets, debtors less current Ilabilltles was £355,059. Policy on Investments The Income of the company comes princlpally from tenders, whlch are sometimes received In advance of the expendilure being indurred. It is the company's policy to invest the unspent granl income in suitable investments whilst maintaining a prudent balance between lecurityi profi'tabllity and liquidlty. Statements as to disclosure of infor.mation to the.audltor In accordance with company law, as the charity's Trustees, we ¢ertSfy tliat- as far as we are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charity's auditor is unaware; and_ we have taken all the Steps that we ought td'ha14e taken In order.to make ourselves aware of any relevartt audit Information and to estab'lish that the.'charity's Auditor is aware of that information. 15
Partnerships and Networks Clrcles Network works in partnership with many community-based groups and charities. In particular, the charity the Lifecare Charitable Trust receives management support directly from Circles Network. Some of our key charitable partners include.. Age UK Ar¢ School, Napton Avon Valley School, Rugby 8awnmore Infant School BCE Training Consultants Bilton Grange School, Ru8by BNI Rutland Brook School. Rugbv Cambridgeshire County Council Cambridgeshire Police Communita5, USA Coventry Ru8by Club Cemex Coventry & Warwickshire CCG Evergreen School, Warwick Fife Voluntary Action Guide Do8s Association Jaguar Landrover Lincolnshlre County Councll McDonalds Mind Moray Health & Soclal Care Partnership Apex Printers Aut15m West Midlands Bally Thomas Foundation B8C Children in Need 8ilton School. Rugby BNI East 8NI Bears CAMHS Cambridgeshire CCG Clementine 8u5iness Coa¢hln8 Countll of Disabled People Care Quality Commission coop Cummins Fife Health and Social Care Partnership Greater Glas8ow NHS Trust Invertlyde Health & Social Care Partnership. LearniDg Oisability Wales Make Good Grow Mcmillan Cancer Support mo.ray ADP . MorR'ton'Morrell.Colle8e. Fl National Recovery Advocacy Network NHS Northamptonshire County Council North Warwickshire Probation Service Nurse Buddy Peterborough City Council Pets at Home Princethorpe Colle8e Quest River House School, Henley In Arden RIN8 Rushey Green Ryder Che5hlre South Ayrshire AOP spencer.s Ball. Signposts (Mid Sussex}Itd' Tesco's Ba8s for Help United Response University of Reading Warwick District Council Warwickshire Mind West Sussex Council Zenzero Netwo'r,k Rail Noah's Ark. Australia 91, Untold Nunèaton Youth Justice Nyssadrl, India Peterborough CVS Pets'at-Home"Foun'dation . Queen Ellzabeth.School, RDA Royal Artillery Centre for Oevelopment Rugby. Free School Round Oak School, Warwi¢k ' Scott'lsh Aceovery. Cons'ortium South IAyrshire HSCP. Sugs¢x"Pavtner5hip1N'HS'Trust St Edmunds Trust The.World of Car4,: Univefslty of Coventry Warwick Disability Forum WCAVA Warwlckshire'Youn8 Cèrers 16
Auditor Fruition Advisory LLP were re-appointed as auditor at the Annual General Meeting. This report was prepared in accordance with the special provisions of part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. This report was approved by the Trustees on by.. Z3 and signed on its behalf James Inglis {Chairpersonl 17
4D Support-midlands 3D Community Support offers continuous. personal assistance, meeting each person's Individual requirements. This support is centred around the indivUaI, dellvered at their convenience, and focuses on thelr unlque aspirations and goals. 4D Community Support is a targeted service primarily designed to provide intensive support to individuals navi8atin8 si8nih.cant lrfe changes. H ighlights In March 2024 we had a Quality Assurance Revlew bv Wapwickshlre County Council for our workin8 age adult provision. The report stated.. "Overall, the visit was positive. the ethos was clearly very person centred and focused on Individuals and their outcomes. The people supported were all happy with the support they received." svpport hou For Christmas celebrations we arranged an outing for a meal, attended by many people we support in the communlty. The feedback was positive from this, espetially as people eat alone most alone. In the new year we implemented 3 weekly event, linkln8.up wllh the Academy, Friday café where people plan, cook, and eat tO8ether. One individual we SUPPOrted ih the communlty, wlth'encouragement, started to take small trips out. Thls helped them overcome anxiety and reduced feeling5 of isolation. Challenges There were a few staffing challenges during the yeat. with team members moving on. This has impacted provision of support in the evenings ahd at weekends. Recruitment was delayed by slow OBS checks, takin8 UP to ei8ht weeks to complete. (outside of our controll To maintaln provislon., we pulled together as a. team'with slaff from both Equine and Academy projects supporting in the communit¥. 18
Due to statutory fundin8 Cuts the Community work is thallenged by low price rises annually. that do not reflect the Increase in costs for salaries and facilities required to deliver support. Circles Network are currently locked into framework in which the staled criteria do not reflect the needs of the people who are being supported by the service, Following the success of the Friday Cafe for the adults we support, we are looklng at idea5 to set up a youth group. This would be outside of school hours and be open to Academy students and Community particlpants with 'Short Break, provision. In the post COVID era we have seen an increase of requests for support for adults on the supported living framework, especlally from the community mental health teams. There has also been a decrease in young people comin8 into community f rom the Children's Disabililv tearn. Durlng this year we have stren8thened relationshlps with social Wof kers and care co- ordlnators In both Adult Soclal Care and the Communlty Mental Health Teams, We have partnered with the Nuneaton loodbank. Thi5 is part of the Trussell Trust and has allowed us to issue. foodbank vouchers lo indivlduals we support where there Is need. Access has been provided to all projects In Rugby. Story of Change: Kate Kote hGS been supported by Clrcles Networkfvr o little under a year. Kote was dlagnosed with severe depression including thoug.ht5 ol self-h?rm ond suicide. The troumatic loss of her mum In (J car occident in her early twenties hos severely Impocted her mental health,. memories of this ore often the triggerfor episodes of low mood. We have helped Kote to enjoy posifive memorles OA her mum ondfamily Ilft by helping her tofi'ndfamlly photos ond shore the hoppy memorie5 a550ciated with them. Kote has begun to tell herstory more positively. often loughing or shoring o joke obout hér mum wfth Together we hove organi5ed her photo album5 and ploced them where she con occe55 them more easily to enjoy trip5 down memory lone. Kate 0150 experiences hearing lo and Kerotoconus. o very debllitoting degenerotive eye condition Severely offectinq her5iqht. We have supported visits to Spec50vers where heorinq tests hove been corried out ond heoring olds fitted. This hGS given her o whole new le05e of lift as she con now enjoy listening to her exten51ve record collection together with her 19
facilitator. Music hos olwoys been one of her greot passion5. she 5Qy5 she used to enjoy dancing and singing along- we hove not donced but we do 5inq olong. Music uplifts her when her mood is low. We have also worked colloborotively with Kote's 50cioI worker to focilitote cmss link surgery to stobilise ond hopefully impmve Kote s vision. This is important for her continued Independence. Kote h05 50id she does notfrel os nervous obout this now she knows She has our help and 5UPPOrt. She is lookingforword to being oble to do some ortwork ofter the surgery, this Is onother p055ion OA her5. Kote struggles to mointoin o heolthy weioht whlch offects her 05thmo and mobility. We have worked together on healthy eating plans ond often enjoy shoppingfor Ingredient5 and ¢ooklng together. Her generol diet hos become healthler. We hove olsofacilitoted Kote to join in with event5 in the common room ot her ossisted living occommodotion, meetlng other residents. Kote sold she had not hod the confidence to go alone, we are now plonnlng a birthday get together, with her neighbours. Her 5elf- onfi'dence has grown over the10st year, and she enthu51asticolly sugqests visltinq unfamlllar pl(Jces and joining other community groups. Story of Change: Graham Graham hos been sUPPOrted by Circles Network in the community projectfor the10st two yeors. He h(Js a diagnosis 0A5chizophrenio ond experience5 frequent bout5 of depression. During this tlme, we have helped Groham with new accornmodott'on ond new employment. Since Grahom returnedfrom on oversea5 V151t with his qlflfriend hi5 life h05 taken o downturn. He found himself negotively influenced by neighbour5 ondfor a period hod locked himself owoy from the world in a downword spiral. After he cancelled o ftw sessions. we become concern¢d, ond we monoged to contoct him to help him occess the mentol heolth teom, where they gt7ve him hls missed medication. We slowly began to work on the tidiness ond cleonlines5 of his flat ond began to pull things together. During this tlme, it tron5pired that someone hod registered o business at Companies House wlth Grohom s oddre55 Wlth Grahom os the compony director. We worked with him tofill in oll the necessaryforms to resolve the situation. We have now changed 5UPPOrt doysfvr Groham so thot we con toke him to his mentol heolth tet7m appointments everyfour weeks so thot he does not miss hls prescriptlons. His run of bad luck h05 not stopped ond recently he w05 mugged. We helped him access rhefood bank ond o welfore grant after this left him with no money. Hi5 relationship with his girlfriend h05 broken down and he hos disclosed that he hos been sending her money ori a regular bas15. We ore looking into whether this con be returnedAn ony. way. As o result of this 20
we ore cooching with Grahom to ovoid the chot rooms where he begon thls relationship. We ore 0150 encouroqing him to oddress his gomblinq oddiction. At present Grahom hos begun to return hlsflot to order. He15 Starting to take more core OA his personol hygiene. which hod deteriorated olong with his mentol health. His medication is now better managed. We oim to work on o new CV with Grahom when he has the focus, os he wonts to goln employment withln the landscoplng or customer service sectors. After such o turbulent tlme, Gmhom feels he is now storting to turn a corner ond get h15 life and p5ychologicol wellbeing back on trock. Positive Feeback To all the team ot Circle5 Network, l just wanted to toke thi5 OPPOrtunlty. on behalf of Nick ond I, to Say a MASSIVE 'thank you, to you ollfor the all-rA)undAobulous support you hove oiven our lovable lod, Harry, over the years. He has honestly benefi'tted, beyond meosure, from the time he hos spent with you oll. Rightfrom the beginning, when Neil spent just O Gouple of h'ours on o Sunday.ofternoon with our lod, thefocus has olways on Harry ond.mt7king hls time. with you all as,hoppy and Interoctive os possible., As the yeors have gone by, everyone ot Clrcles Aletwork, heoded by the indomitoble Alell. hos continued to develop and extend Harry's activities in numerous woys.. olway5 Wlth o smile on theirface and boundless e.nergy ond core. . They pmvide a safv environment within which he can both express himself and le(7rn to manoge his diverse ond unpredlctable needs. Nurturing Is centrol to the teom s SUPPOrt, ond they ore olway5 willing to adopt the sessions to meet Hurry's ever-changing sltuation, orry look5 Aorwèrd to his weekly catch up5 Wlth the teom with soooo much enthusiosm ond Is, quite desperote when.he does not see.them.Aor whatever reoson., We really cannot recommend Circles Network highly enough on'd thonk you againfor all the energy and effort and core you have shown our son. All the bes¢ K9te ond Nick 21
3D CommunSty Support in Peterborough is a dynamic and vibrant service that offers support on a one-to-one basis to people of all ages and disabilities. 40 Community Support is an extension of 3D and offers more specialised support for individuals who have addltional mental health drfferences. The service Is led by a registered manager. The Hub. from where ihe teain is based. is a registered location with the Care Quality Commi55ion and has a rating of "Good." The team vary in age, experlence. and personallty. but they share a common tommitment to the services values and enihuslasm for their work. The services success lies In supporting the development of variou5 aspects of life, Including frlendships. employment, fitness. health, accommodation, Independence, and education. support hours 58 people F.Inancially,.:the service operates on 4 feè-for-service,basSs. .clar8ln8 for the hours'.of. suppor,t: pro,vlded. Eaeh.porson,fecelves.support:.tailored.lo. thelr specific needs, r3ngin8 from two hours per week to 24 hours per day. Fundlng comes from various sources, including local authorities, health trusts- and self-funded indivlduals, ensuring a sustainable and dlverse incorne stream. Overall, the 3D Community Support setvice, alongside the 40 offshoot, is makin8 a significant impact on th'e'lives of Indlvlduals wlth dlverse needs. enabling them to lead fullillin8 and independent lives with the suf)port they require. We achleved our goal of ralsln8 the 'funds to buy a cabin on a.holiday park in'Northamplonshire by December 2023. Thls was a huge effort by all those invested In the scherne. The cabln is situated at Overstone Lakes which*j5'a r.,y.ral location.nestlediin. .INoodlands ?n.d.',just-.45-,miTrutes.i'drive .from..both..our..base In'Peter,borou8h and in Rugby.:;Th"e'cabin Iwill15er,v.e:.as a place for rest and recuperarion for families and team rnembers whilst covering its own costs through rental opportunities. 22
We were delighted to be invited to become trainer5 of the gold standard Oliver McGowan Mandatory training for learning disability and autism by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough IC8. This training, developed followin8 the tragic death of Oliver in 2016. is 3 mandatorv requirement for all health and Social care staff worklng In CQC regulated provlsions. We will train our own teams to deliver this alon85ide experts wlth lived experience to health and social care professionals in the region and beyond. The impact of this training will become evident in the years to come through irnprovements in the statistic5 gathered in the Learning f rom Lives and Deaths report, reducing avoidable deaths and lengthening the life expectancy for people with learning disabilities and Autistic people. There has been so much progress and development during this year, both for the individuals receiving support and, in the confidence and competence of the team members on all levels. People are thriving and celebrating their achievements. There is no underplnnln8 fundlng for these vital services, and It Is challenge to constantly balance the h'scal demands of the operations to ensure the consistency of qualily and development. Recrultment remalns difficult. We only employ people who share the or8anlsation's values and those who are resilient and compassionate. There Is a national shortage of workers in the lield of health and social care. We have needed a strategic approach to continuous recrultment lo meet the demands of the 5ervlce and maintain ambltlous standards, We rely on our esteemed popularlty and reputation to fi'll vacancies and grow the servlce. We have developed our co-production Initiative and now have an ongoing inclusion group, led by people who use the servlces we provlde. This.group of Indlviduals are actively leading on areas of development such as improvements to.facilities, activities, and community issues. People we suppprt are networking with local businesses to ralse awareness of.disabillty Issues and engage community members in our work to provide support and menlorship to their peers. The Ollver McGowan training has given people we support the opportunity to become paid employees at Clrcles Network. The sense of incluslon within this service 15 Stron8. The pandemic has had a profound impart on the wellbein8 of both our team and the people we sUPPOrt, including disabled individuals and th¢ir.families. Many. have faced heightèned Isolation, anxiety. and uncertainty, requirlnB the team,to adapt with sensitivity'and resilience. We have responded by prioritising compassionate. nurturing support, recognising that individuals May present with new or intensified challenges. This approach has strengthened trust and rapport, enabling us to address emerging needs with care. The dedication of our team in providing a safe, supportive environment has beén essential in rnitigating the pandemic's effects on the mental and emotional health of our community- 23
Partnerships have l]ourished this year, notably through our active membership in the Rutland BNI chapter, which has provided invaluable support across several ffonts. Member5 have assisted with practical task5 Within our facilities. increased awareness of our charity and the challenges faced by disabled individuals in our communities. They have supported our fundraising efforts and were instrumental in helpln8 us reach our 8oal of purchasing holiday cabin. We also maintain strong, collaborative relationship5 With professionals in healih, social care, and educational aulhorities, a5 well as within the broader community. Our connectlons with other reglonal charits'es allow us to share expertise, learn from one another, and combine resources to better serve people in need. Co-production Training In December 2023 Martln and Adam agreed that they would like to get involved with the delivery of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Irainin8 alon8side facilitator Molly, who wlshed to develop her role and become a trainer. In January, all three attended the train the tr31ner course delivered by Inclusion Gloucestershire to learn how to dellver for themselves the Tler Dne training. The Tler One tralning Is alry)ed at people who work In health. and social care but do not have direct responslbility for: deliverin8 care to people with learnin8 disabilitses or autism. The course is designed to raise awareness of barrlers lo équitable health and social care and dlspel myths surrounding learning disabilides and autism. It is a one.haur online. live weblnar th'at is interactive and delivered to up to 30 participants at a'timé. Martin, Adaii), and Molly have never trained other5 befoie, nor have they used Mlcrosoft Teams to attend, let alone facilitate a webinar. They spent time each week durln8 January, February, and March, together, usin8 the resources they had been'delivered to develop scripts, learn how to facilitate a webinar, and get to know each other as a team. After a great deal of preparation, they were ready to facilitate and record a live weblnar, training member5 of the Circles Network team. They did a fantastic job of their on their debut on March 18th. 2024. Their live recording has been adjudicated by NHS England and they have passed. awaltin8 to receive their unique trainer identification from NHS En8land for them to roll out the training acr055 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Story of Change- Jake 24
The story of tronsformotionfor o sixteen-year-old named Joke stonds out os on example of success. At the age of twelve, Joke found himself entangled in o web of chollenges that disrupted his educotion ond stroined his adoptive fvmily unit to the point of near collopse. In those turbulentfour yeors, frustrorion, loneliness. and isolation monifested in oggression. exocerboting thefamily's sense of helplessne55. At this criticol time, Joke wos introduced to Circles Network 3D community support project by his sociol worker. Educotion wosfrought with setbocks forjoke. Focilitating a 5ucce55ful plocement wlth on Glternotive educotion provider. the chority provided Joke with o toilored solution, marking o turning point in his educotionol outlook. Throughout the years, cons15tent ondflexible support become Joke's anchor. In tlmes of need, stability and assuronce thot wos instrumentol in steering him owayfrom the precipice of exclusionfromlormal education. Clrcles Network s per50n-centred opproach proved instrumental in Jake's emotional and soclol development. Feellng genuinely understood. heformed posltive and trusting relationships with the odults. in his support network. Circles Network become 0 50nctugry source of encouragement and affi'rmation giving him o sense of comfvrt ond belonging. As Joke reached the oge of slxte¢n, hi5 journey, olchange took.a remqrkoble turn. He begon to monoge his behoviour effectively and.50 Was ¢7ble to make.p.rogre55 in School. He olso demonstrated a remorkoble improvernent. in his lonquoge ond communicotion skills, aligning with oge-appropriote stondords. His possion forfootboll, o constont amidst the chollenges, took centre sto>e, as he proudly onnounced his selection for on odultfootboll team-o milestone previously considered beyond reoch. Joke's journey. exemplifies the profvund impact of sustoined supportfrom a determined téam. Wlth footboll now serving a5 0 conduit for personal qrowth and success, Jake has o Ilfestyle worthy of hls newfound commltment to growth. 25
ItJ & 4D Support-south Fast otF Engoand (•) 30 Community Support project in the Southeast offers one to one and group support either in the community or in individual's homes. Many of these individuals are experiencing social Isolation and are looking to expand their social circle and broaden their general life skills. The support provided is truly person centred, ensuring that all elements work for the Individual. We connect with people in a 5erting and at a time which works for them, providing support on the same days each week with facilitators that they know. This allows for the foundations of trust and positive working relationships to be built, paving the way for amazing outcomes for both the indlvidual and facilltator. Mosl of the individuals SUPPOrted, are funded by the local authority, West Sussex County Councll. 4D Community Support Is targeted service, facilitating intensive support with an individual who is going through a period of change that they are adjusting to. The team moved from Crawley Town football club into a new building, creaiin8 a better working environment for all and the capacity to expand the variety of services we offer. Stevie Ruxton became a member of the local BNI core 8roup which has led to new partnerships, support from businesses and opportunities for growlh, fundralslng and development. The Southeast was the first area to launch the Rose Scott Life Skills project. This was delivered to ppqple already bein8 SUPPOrted throu8h.Clrcles Wetwork at the base. There was positive feedbatk from this and ignited a spark to rnake this into a self- standlng prolect. I k SUPPOrt hours. Finances have been ihe biggest.challenge that the Southeast has faced over the past year. Whllst movin8 Into the new premlses was a big hlghllght, WÈ have been unable to balance the cost due to a downturn in revenue. An action plan was put into place to explore every avenue to generate income, with two managers focusing thelr tlme on growth and development In the Southeast.'Actions implemented: Several grants applied.fof .' Loc1 businesses contacted for ongolng finaiicial support Tenders explored and.applied for Changes to 3D and 40 Yiprkstreains made 8NI support Focused on recruitment Managed HR challenges'-Within the team Commenced dellverin8.thé Rose Scott Life Skills project 26
Retention and recruitment continued to be an issue within the Southeast. Whilst changing adverts. thinking of new and different ways to recruit and using different language made some difference, unfortunately it was not enough to recruit the number of facilitators needed to increase the volume of support requlred. Whilst it wa5 imperative to stlll recrult facilitators, a decision was made to focus on new workstreams 3nd tendeis. Alternative Education and a partnership with SPFT NHS mental health servlces were identifi'ed as areas that could be developed. In February the Rose Scott Life Skills project was h'rst delivered in the Southeast. The project is funded by Barclays Bank and works alongside the community to develop life skills, with an aim to improve confidence, skill set and support employment. This was delivered to people already bein8 supported by Circles Network. The people who attended the course described the sessions as "useful" and felt that they could Implement the skills they had learnt or developed on throughout their day to day lives. Story of Cllange.-Steve..I IT,. 11 Steve lives wlth his elderly. fother who is dep.endent on alcohol. Thi5 Sltuotion heowlly impacted Steve's lije. Hefeels he connot leL7ve his dodfo,r long periods, i7nd even when soclalislng. he is constantly thinking about or èolling hlsfother to chec'k in. Steve rarely focused on himself, leoding to'o'"poor diet that negotively offects his'heolth and weight. Hé olso skips mea15,,ond it appeared thot o lack offood would trigger o seizurefor Steve, Encouroged by a facilitator. Steve explored a rnembership ot his local leisure centre. fhey discussed thefi'nanciol iriiplioittoA5 Wlth, his fomily ond decided it wos o worthwhile investment. Steve began'erigog7n& In'ac'tlvlties Ilke badmlnton, 'squash.'gym'workout5, and oquo, oerobics: Initially. lilsfi'tnèss.level'allowed only short bursts,of.oc¢l,vity.: but he,qulFk_ly imRroved..I With,newfound .. focus qnd.moti¥ott'on...Steve purchosed sports. equip:ment,, ond with the guidance oj.his,Focilitator learned to Use the booking opp independently. He y.lso received travel - ' training to en(Ible hln?'to toke'the'bus to. thé leisure centre. xilthough.hisfvthér ivorried that Steve's epilepsy mode bus trovel too don9erous. Steve. his focilitator, and hi5 dod had o crucial conversotion obout active risk-toking .ond,,indep.endence.. Steve,expre55ed his strong.desire to . pursue. thi5 POth..ond,they.di5cussed steps to.minimize seizure.-reloted risks: NokV:.5tevf,vislt5. tl!e.ieisure cjntre sev.fr.ai ttme! o, week..'.He,.hos., replpced:fi'zz.y drinks wifh. . woter...lost weight,. Gnd become 5ignifi'cantlyfitter: He , aims to. eqt..fhree nutritious. Meals o day.:to sustoin,his .energyfor spprts. Steve hasimostered.the booking app ¢ynd confi'dently takes the lus to,tbe centre..Steve s father regulorly up,dote5 the Focilitotor. expressing his dellght ot the positive chong.es in.Steve.'s life. Steve has,fo,und:a.purposé,, . improving hi5 health and independence.. 27
Amy hos o leorninq disobility ond FoetolAlcohol Syndrome and has been receiving support from Clrcles Networkfor5everol years. She works full-time ot o schoolfvr children with speciol educotionol needs. o job she is extremely proud of ond can occess Independently, Despite her successes Ot work, Amy needed support in other areos of her life, such as managing her diet and weight. ottending oppointments, ond monoging her emotion5 and onxietie5 by chonnelling them into positive things. Liylng independently. Amy monages her doily life well. Over the post yeor, Amy ond her brother agreed that she hod mode signifi'cont Positive chonges ond become more independent. ollowing for o reduction In her support. Initially, Amyfelt very anxious about this change. but with time ond encourogement, She come to see it a5 0 Positive step Aorword. Amy continues to receivefoce-to-foce support during school holidays when the lack of routine con impoct her mentol health ond well-being. She hos token on cooking, meol plonnlng, over5eeinq her home, and attendlng her appolntments Independently. For ony concerns, Amy speoks with ofocilitotor on the phone once o week to create on action plan. "Circles Network help me out o lot. They hove been so lovely to me and that's why I like them o lot. Circle5 Network take me out on4 ye do new ¢hings ond I get to see myfrlends. They toke me to work where I can help other p.epple which I really enjoy doin9.. They help.me.stoy heolthy ond exercise. f I didn't hove them, I don't know. whot I would be doing. I wouldn't oet out the house as much. I would get lonely as I wouldn't be able to see myfriends. I like when Circles Network help.me to try new thing thot I wouldn't, be oble to do on my own, I'love Gll thé stoff ot Clrcles they4>re so lovely, and we hove good time together. It is golng reolly wellfor me,. I re'oliy Ilke all the'people there.'My jamlly love thot I'hove Circles Network looking after me." 28
fme Keywork CoBOabora*ve The Keyworker Collaborative Is 3 successful programme- working with families idenfied as having needs that meet the criteria for the Dynamic Support Register as described in in the Care Education Treatment Review Policy within NHS England. The alm Is to SUPPOrt children and young adults up to the age of 25 who have learning disabilities and or autism,. and thelr families, to have a voice, receive their care and treatment wherever possible in their local community through local servlces and avold Inpatient or out of area placements. If an admission to hospital is unavoidable, workin8 on reconneclion with their communtty as soon as possible is paramount. The members of the Keyworker Collaboratlve work alongside the wider system to promote person- centred approaches and plannlng focused on an Indivldual's stren8ths. In the last 12 months there has'been a steady Increase In the number of chlldren and young adults requiring Keyworker support. As a result, there has been a reduction in admissions and re-admissions to acute chlldren's and specialist mental health wards and signlflcant reduction In the need for emergencv department care for young people identified on the Dynamic Support Re8lster. young people. supported Circles Network employs three Keyworkers, a Coordinator. an administrator, and a Project Advisor as part of ihe collaboratlve. Highlights Recrultment - We were able to successfully recruit two Keyworkers this year, This completed the team; thus. we could meet the demands o'f the introductions that were made to the service. Wider Collaborative Commuhlty of practice ' this year saw the launch of the Wider Collaborative Community of Practice. These meetings take place online every eight weeks. The aim over year.one was to have different presentations from each organisation and the services wlthin the local footprint. By end of .year one we aim to understand the wider collaborative and,how we'may support and help each otherto Improve outcomes for young people. 29
Collaborative Attivity Day at Grafham Water- an activity away day at Grafham Water wa5 hosted for people that were actlvely receiving support from The Keyworker Collaborative. Group activities are not easy for many of the young people, so we supported a small group and their siblings. Young people who attended did not feel overwhelmed and were comfortable in a relaxed environment. There were some arnazing outcomes for the young people, some sharing conversations, Some joining in wlth team activities and some simply attending a group event, something they rarely do. Everyone had a very enjoyable dav. Challenges Team changes and turnover across the wlder network have meant that knowledge about The Keyworker Collaborative is not always passed forward, and this can cause confusion on what can be offered. Wlth this now recognised we have been reintroducln8 ourselves to all our wider networks through invitations to the Wider Collaborative Community of Practice. The number and plight of children and young people seeking rnental health services has become a pre55in8 concern within the healthcare system. This year, we were havin8 to prloritise communications and introductions for thosq at an elevated risk of Immediate admission to hospital or those already within the Tier 4 mental health admission category. Thls approach reflect5 the critical need to efficlently allocate resources and.provide Intenslve care appropriately. Our latest approach has been that of speclalist tfainlng - The Keyworker Collaborative team have completed in-depth trainlng in trauma informed, strength-based practices and can complete restoratlve supervlsion and coaching. Thls tralnlng was Identified as urgent due to the severity of situations that the team are workln8 alongside. Fiona Plamer who delivered the tralnln8 and has since 8one on to have monthly meetln8s wlth the team sald .1 have recently had the absolute pleasure of working wlth the exceptional Keyworker Collaborative over three days, where we trained In Traurna Informed Approaches, Strength 8a5ed Practlce, and Trauma Informed Supervision and Professional Boundarles. I wa5 conslstently blown away by such a cohesive. empathic, and highly skilled group of people. They are open, transparent, deeplv knowledgeable, and committed to what they do. They support one another completely, and l am sure that the young people fortunate enough to work with ihis service Would agree. I work with a lot of services, and it is rare to see this level of. cohesion, support, knowledge, and empathy all In one place. They are a fantastic group of people. Guys} it was an honour to work wlth you all, and I hope to get'the.. opportunity to do.so again., 30
Fiona Palmer- Reflect training Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been significant changes and trends in the severity of the children and young people'5 conditions and situations. Post-pandemic, the complexity has increased, resulting in more children and young people requiring intensive and prolon8ed care, Thi5 often led to delayed discharge from hospital, as there 15 a need ft)i more comprehensive treatment plans and resources before looking at staying safe in the community. Concurrently, the availability of health care and social care professionals has been strained, with Maff shortages and Increased demand limiting face-to-face contact. These challenges have compounded, contributing to a more complex and pressured environment. The Keyworker Collaborative team attended a workshop with the Positive Behavioural Support team. Thls was facilitated by the Lead Comm155ioner for Learnlng Disablllty and Autism programme. as well as PBS Head of servlce. The purpose of this workshop wa5 to have opportunities, to share curreni experiences and worklng practices and to plan for how we will continue to support and collaborate with each other. This was a productive workshop. team members enjoyed coming together for this face to face rather than via TEAMS, The outcorne was the CreaOn of a standard operational.procedure. Story of Change We are Xx's porents ond Rob acted os key workerfor Xxfor the lost two yeors. Before thè onset of o severe mentol illness {ASD with severe comorbid OCDJ. we were o. hoppy qnd prosperous famify. XX wa5 on exceptionol learner aod,wos., performlng very well in school. He is a creotive thinker of mathemotics, o future mothematicion. Porents ore scientists at the Deportment of Pathology, University of Combridge. (515terJ ond XX were hoppy sibling5. Everythingfell Gport during the lock-down when symptoms of OCD oppeared. The symptom5 were so severe thotfinally we had to admit him at the'Dorwin Centre. A new phase b'egon, and we reollsed thot the mentol heolthcare 5y5tem Is broken, and it 15 extremely inodequote os if there will be no difference if mentol h'e(ilth care does not exist. The experience with the mental heolth core system is so bitter that. kve bélieve (ond this belief is evidence bosedso it is o fvct, ond we con build an extraordiriorily per5ua5ive argument). Still. we believe It W05 the biggest mlstoke in our life to take him'to the Dorwin Centre or seek mentol health care help. However the experience with Rob wos opposite. Presence of people like him makes a difference and roises hope during cri515 moment5. Our son 15 still alive ond there Is stlll some hope left becouse of him and two more people's contrlbution. In the system, we found only o lew people ore doing their job purpose-driven like Rob. He wo5 creotive everywhere in critical 51tuotiofts. He is a.greot listener, that. is the..kevfor.'his remorkoble success deollng with the 51tuotion. It'5 not just about the patient,.XX,,but 0150 in many gn?up meetings (including. multi profe55ional.meetings.05 well as meeting with the fomily) he handled mony Sensitive situotions corefully'on'd p(>sitively,'in o creotive, woy, 31
positive in 0 Sense to bring the positive outcome, not just odhere to the rule "tick box job done" We leornedfrom his role. We ore scientists ond do purpose driven creotive work performing experiments. We ore now better listeners, and this improvement is observing and reviewing hi5 role. Many positive things we are not writing to reduce your reod time ond obviously we are forgetting some because he has so many good chorocteri5tics. Wish him oll the best ond we wlll remember hls great contribution bringing a posit7ve outcome ogainst oll the odds. We will mi55 his presence. but the community needs hi5 presence wlth thelr crlticol situatlons. He Is on angel in reol life. When we say rhls. we cry. Pleoseftelfree to osk ony question you have, 8e5t Wlshes. XX Parents., 32
Family atters Circles Network has been delivering comprehenslve family 5UPPOrt Intervention to familie5 throughout Peterborough, funded by Peterborou8h Clty Councll. Family Matters is considered by Peterborough City Council to constitute Hlgh Level Family Support. 750 The Councll have ur8ed Clicles Network to develop thls work due to the growing need for assistance, to work alongside families and Statutory services to prevent harm to children and reduce the number of children enterlng the tare system. support hours The introductions Circles Network receive are from the Alternative Resource Team. Circles Network have been invrted to tender to become providers on Pelerborough City Councils Pseudo- Dynamic Purchasing System for this servlce. Family Matters embraces the philosophy that families are unique, resilient, and deserving of support'that aligns with their Indivldual journeys. It champions the well-belng, choices, and aspirat6ons of every faiiilly ffiember while fosterin8.a collaboratr've and empower ing environment. FamilyJMatters is bullt,on.S key pr.inciples; l. Individual Ernpowerrnent. Personali5ed A551stgnce:. 3:'Holistsc'Wéll-being. .'Collaboèattve'Approach'.' tr'l.'Lr. Tc?ri' S. Cultural Sensitivity. Our work.wlth each family Is tlme and outcome sp,ecilic and;us,uall,¥.-lasts for,a perlod of,,ei8ht 12 w,eek5. Circles Network'haiie been'successful in securing thè tender subniissiori-to".th'e Pseudo- Dynamic Purchasing System for Peterborough Cily Council. The service has collaborated with various schools. to help bring more slructure and meaningful engagement.to childr.en we: have supported. 33
Family Matters started at the end of Quarter 2, with one family. The projett has grown significantly, with two team members who have supported seven families over the last quarter. Support wlth a child and hls family abruptly ended followln8 the rejection of an extension of funding. This impacted on his transition out plan. as we were not given the notice time to undertake this. We have encountered challen8e5 in eslabli5hin8 communication with the Alternative Resource Team to ascertain the status of agreed extensions to our work, while actively collaboratin8 With a family. Delays in receivin8 conh'rmation can pose significant challen8es to both the family and the on80in8 work. Moreover, a deh'ned timeframe 15 imperative to facilitate a smooth transition of Circles Network's support from the famlly, safeguarding the integrity of the accompllshed work. Now that Family Matters is on the Pseudo- Oynamic Purchasing System for Peterborough City Council, we are putting plans in place to meet with the 0-25 Team, to ensure Social Workers are aware of our work nd we have a clear time structure and plan, so that we end our support in a positive and constructr've way for the famllies, There has been noted reluctance among a minority of parents to actively engage wlth the team, demonstrated Ihrough actlon5 Suth as canceliing planned vlslts or exhlbltlnB a lack of receptiveness towards suEgestions and recommendation5 provided for thelr Involvement. Desplte these challenges, the team has demonstrated resilience and flexibllity in their strategles. proactively devislng altef native meihods to foster parental engagement and encoura8e greater participation. Being recognised as one of the providers on.Peterborou8h City Council's Pseudo-Dynamic Purchaslng System for family support servlces is a slgnlticant milestone for Family Matters. This opportunity enables us to extend our reath and offer vital support to,more familles in need. Over the next year we plan to grow our team and enhance our services to meet.the Increased demand and support more farnilies effectSvely. Strateglc Plan for Growth Recrultment and Tralnlng: Expanding the Team: We plan to recruit additional.Èxperienced family 5UPPOrt workers. social workers. and theiapists to join our team. Thls will allow us'to cater to. thè increased- number of referrals and ensure that each family receives timely and.effectlve support.. Comprehensive Training Programmes: New and existing staff will undergo training programmes focusin8 on the latest best practices in family support, Irauma-informed care, and specifi'c interventions tailored to meet the unique needs of the families we serve. All 34
team members will be equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide high- quality cafe. Enhanced Services.. Holistic Family Support.. We will continue to offer a comprehensive approach to family support, addressing not only the immedlate needs of children but a150 supporting parents and carers through mental health services, parenting workshops, and stress management techniques. Collaboration and Partnerships: Building Partnerships.. We will actively seek to build partnerships wlth local schools, healthcare providers, and communlty organisatlons. These collaborations will help create a network of support around each famlly, ensuring comprehensive care and resource sharln8. Engagement with the Council.. Maintainlng a strong. collaborative relattonship with Peterborough Clty Councll will be cruclal. Regular meetin85 and feedback 5e5slons will help align our service5 Wlth the council's objectives and adapt to any changihg need5 in the community. Communbty Outreach.. Feedback and Improvement: Creating p'latforms for families to provide feedback on our services will be essential. Th Is will help us continually improve and adapt our programmes to better meet the needs of the communlty. Monitorin8 and Evaluation: RegularAssessmenls: Implementing robust monitoring and evaluation mechanlsms wlll help us track the effectiveness of our intèrventh-ons. Regular assessmentl will ensure that we are meetin8 our 8oals and providin8 the best PO55ible support to families. Data-Driven Decislons.. Using data collected from our servlces, we will make Informed decisions to refi'ne and enhance our programmes continually. This data-driven approach will help us ident6fy gaps in services and areas for improvement. Conclusion Bein8 part of Peterborough Clty Councll's Pseudo-Dynamlc Purchasln8 System Is an exclting development for Family Matters. By strate8ically expandlng our team, enhancing our sérvices, building strong partnership"s, and engaging with the community. we aim to support more families effectively. Our commitment lo continuous improvement and collab'oration will rnean that we meet the growing needs of families in Peterborough, helping them navigate their.challenges with resilience and support. As Famlly Matters is a new Initlat5ve, we do not have speciflc pre-cov.id references for this project. However, familie5 have reported the.significant impact of Covid-19ton their 35
dynamics. Many of the families we support experienced domestic violence durin8 this period, leadlng to substantial trauma that has affected children's development and parents, mental health. For many families, school serves as a form of daytime respite for parents. Consequently. the lack of school attendance, changes in routlne. and absence of support networks during the pandemit have treated ongoing challenges. We are actively addressing these issues in our postCovid-19 support efforts. During the period, Family Matters has successfully developed and stren8thened partnerships with various schools. enhancin8 the support provided to famllles. This coll3bor3tive approach has involved meelin8s, discussions with teaching Staff. sharing of resources, assessments, and Positive Behaviour Support Plans, to create cohesive support systems for children and parents. By workin8 closely with school staff, Family Matters has identilied and addressed specifi'c needs more effectively, resulting in tailored interventions. The strengthened partnerships have also facilitated smoother transitions for children between home and school environments, fosterin8 a more supporrive and integrated community netwofk. This collaborative effort is expected to conts'nue yielding positive outcomes, enhanclng the overall well-being and development of the children and famllle5 involved. Story of Change - Slmon and Family Since the commencement of our engogement, Circles Network hos provided 5UPPOrt to Simon ond his fomily, novlgoting throu9h o perlod morked by familial stroin. Our commitment to person-centred working become particulorly importont whenfoced with Simon's regre551on and subsequent avo'idance of p05itlve interactions with others. Circles Network emborked on o stroteqic intervention to support Simon s parent, èy attuning ¢0 the family's evolving dynomlcs, A dedicated. teom member collaborated wlth hi5 parent over o six-week period, offering tallored recommendations to navigqte thé chollenges they Aoced. Thls Involved o meticulous.structurlng of.home vlslts, tronsitioning into conc15e yet ImpGctlul sessions. The resultt'ng tron5fotmatlon unfolded groduolly..Simon,. Initially reticent. begon to re-engoge within the jomily home envirohnient. SMtsII yet Significant stridés wète token. evolvin9from shored game5 to colloborottve octivities Such as baking ond den building. The recollbrotion of our opproach proved instrumental in rekindling 0 5en5e of connection and joy within the fomlly unit. As Christmos approached, a noteworthy.milestone wa5 achleved. Our teom member extended on invitationfvr Simon to Vi51t' the Circles Net'work hub. o propositson that successfulfy culminotei! In Simon stepping beyond the confines of hi5 home after o slx-week hlatus. The allure of 5onta 5 grotto octed as o cutolyst for thls breakthmugh. resulting In an environment of shared enjoyment andfestive camoroderie. 36
Thi5 narrotive underscores the effi'cacy of our per50n-centred opproach ond 5troteglC interventions in positlve chonge wlthln thefomily unit. The successful reintegration of Simon into community ocrivities speoks to the resilience of the individual. Klrsty and Family At just 11 yeors old, Kirsty s lift wosfrought with chollenges. Diognosed with ADHD, she olso bottled severe constipotion ond overfiow incontinence. o result of withholding her bowel movement5 Since she wos fi've. Despite having an ACE (Antegrode Colonic Enemoj Stomo inserted in November 2019 tofocilitate regular bowel washouts, Kirsty refused the treotment, risking severe heolth complicotions. Dr. Owen, her doctor at Leicester Royal Infirmory Hospltal, warned of the life-threotening dongers if She continued to refuse the woshouts. Kirsty attendedjunior School. struggling ocodemicolly ond emotionolly. Her EHCP Plan indicoted She was working significontly below age expectation5, requiring toilored leorning strategie5. Although orticulote ond able to express her needs. Kirsty s verbol 0ggre55iveness ond physicol outbursts, directed ot her mother, made home life chootic ond stressful. Her erratic sleep pottern5, despite being on Melotonin, resulted in chrpnic lotene55 to School ond a qenerol lack of routine. Her mother, Morlo. 0150 gropplinq with mental health Issues ond owoitt'ng an ADHD ossessment. frlt. overwhelmed. The stroined relotionship between Kirsty ond herfother, olongslde the obsence of conslstent supportfrom her grondparents, compounded thefomily's difft'cultles. the intervention of o teom Memberfrom Circles Network marked o pivotal change in Kirsty'5 life. Circle5 Network implemented o structured'reword system, incents'vising.. Kir5ty to co.mplete chores pnd improving her Independence. This system, which involved redeemoble pointsfor tréots.like meols.out ond shopping trips, tronsformed mundone tasks into opportunities fot growth Ond bondlng.. Kirsty's succe55fv1 preporation of Spaghetti Bolognese under o teom member 5 guidance highlighted her gmwing skills ond confidence. Tofurther strengthen fomlllol bonds, Circles Network encouroged weekly cooking sesslons between Kir5ty and her mother, Mari(7..'Tfiese.sessions become o plotformfor open communicotion and,boundory-setting, vitolfor.'both Kirsty's emotional stability and the mother-dJughter relationship..A teomimember.olso oddressed Kirsty s onxiety. obout transitioning to secondory school. A vislt,to. Péterbo.rough City Hospltol, where Kirsty explored.the environment (Ind learned obout different medical deportments, helped olleviote 37
herfears. Thi5 prooctive approach enobled Kirsty toface new experiences with curiosity . rother.t"hon onxiety. At school, despite not porticlpating in SATS, Kirstyfound soloce and joy in art, spendlng her time drawing ond enhoncing her creotive talents. A teom member's introduction of o transport troining programme aimed to build Kirsty's confidence in novigating her school bus route independently, become o cruciol step towards self-relionce. Morio s upcoming Surgery was a signifi'cant source oJGnxietyAor both mother and daughter. A teom member's coordination with fony. Kirsty'sfather, to tore for her during this period highlighted the need for clear communication ond structured support. However, Tony'5 reluctance ond the lack of tooperationfrom Klrsty's grondporents underscored the ongoingfarniliol tensions. Despite these chollenges. Maria's pursuit of o Psychology A level course amidst unemployment demonstroted her commitment to personol growth. A team member's consistent support helped Morlo navigate these tough times, providing much-needed stobility ond re055uronce. Success of the reword system, coupled with Circles Network s torgeted interventions, significontly improved Kirsty's emotionol well-.belng and Independence. The positive Impoct olocttvities like creoting a One Poge Profile ond engoging in regulor check-in5 Wlth Kir5ty underscored the importance of personolised support. The journey wos not wlthout setbocks. Fomlly conflicts and personal core challenge5 highlighted the needfor continued interv.ention and'monitoring. 8y implementlng o supporrive ond structured envlronment, Clrcles Network helped Kirsty. ond herfvmily novigate thelr challenges Wlth resilience.. The transformation'in Kirsty's lift hos given new strength to her wholelamily. "l only worked with Venetio and Courtneyfvr oround twelve week5, but the impact they hove hod will lost o lifetime. The support validotion ond ossistonce hos been immeosuroble. From helping Kirsty wlth anxiety and indep¢ndence to supportt'ng with issues surrounding her dod ond grondporents, including complexities oround the sociol core teom. Kirsty ond Venetia created afrlendship whlch wos brllliant to see ond hos,helpéd her confi'dence blossom. ljust wonted to say a massive thonk youfor obsolutely everything. Dannl 8roughton" Youth GroL¢PS -Peterboroug 38
Clrcles Network continues to run seven Youth Group5 which are funded by Peterborough City Council as part of their Community Short 8reaks portfolio. Our main13rge groiip is called 'Fun United,, which is for 11-19-year-olds and held for two hours on Wednesday evenings (term tlmel. and then for two five-hour sessions per week during the holidays. Our other large group is called 'Circles Stars, and is for 7-19-yeai old's. This is a dance-based group which takes place on Saturday mornlngs. Our Small Groups are divided Into two age brackets, 7-11- and 11-19-year old's. These take place on Monday evenings (term timel for two hours per a8e group, and Saturday daytime {throu8hout the yearl for three hours per age group. The children and young people that attend the Monday sesslons are also provlded wlth two five-hour sessions per week throughout the holidays. The Hollday Only 5es5ion5 provide chlldren wlth five hours of support for one day a week during the school holiday periods. support hours 58 young people At the end of 2023. we were thrilled to secure. our youth 8roup contracts'for an additional three vears. following the conclusion of our Cvffent five.-ye3r conttact.. in March 2024. This su.ccess.; was achieved ihrough extensiv.e work, addresslng varlous.questions, and gatherin8' valuable feedback from parents, 8uardians. gnd group members. We will mainta'in all our cur.rent 8roups.with a few enhancements starting in April. Our two Monday Small-Grotsp sessions {ages 7-11 and 11-191 wlll.be comblned Into a. single gfOUP for ages 7-19, moved to Tuesdays,. and extended to three hour5 instead of two. This, change ensures members will no longer miss sessions due to Bank Hollday c105ures and beneh'ts families by providing additional respite 3nd enabling more activitie5. Additionally, we will remove age brackets from our Saturday small Groups, grouping members based on their needs and.intere5t5 instead. This year, we witnessed oulstanding examples of teamwork within our youth group team. hew team members were warmly welcomed'and effectively trained by our current staff, helping them get to know all group members and how best to support them. In September, t'hree of our youth group team members were promoled to senior youth workerslfacilitators. recognising th'eir progression and key contributions to mentoring colleagues, particularly durlng the sumnier holiday5. The team work5 cohesively, offering 39
advice during sesslons. supporting one another. and suggesting approaches to enhance the experience for our members. They maintain a primary focus on the children, working towards members, set outcomes and ensuring they have positive and enriching experiences with us. The summef holidays were a resounding success once again, with our youth group team providing se55ion5 every day from Monday to Saturday for both our Small and Large Groups. The team worked collectively to ensure that member5 had a good time. enjoyed their summer. and created memorable experientes. This period is always challenging, but everyone demonstrated flexibility to support members both at the hub and out in the community. We held two staff preparation days prior to the holidays to review responsibilities, activity schedules, and care plans. servin8 as reminders for lon8-Standin8 team members and introductions for new team members. Most of our youth 8roups have been at full capacity for SOMÈ time, with substantial walting lists due to limited funded spaces. The high demand for these groups in the local area exceeds available spaces. resulting In longer waiting. periods for some individuals. For o.ur Small Groups. we re8ular.ly check in wilh social workers, especially when any membefs have low attendance. For our Laige Groups, we closely monitor attendance and have informed all parents of our Fun United Large Group that starting April 2024, with the new contracts, attendance must be maintained at 80% or above to retain their space. Thi5 measure is necessary due to the growing waiting list and the need to ensure fair access for all interested members. Durlng school hollday perlods, partlcularly half-tèrms. we experlenced. lower staff numbers as our university-attendin8 Staff dld not recelve the shorter breaks. To address this,.we conducted extra preparatlon and planning befo.re these sesslons sq that everyone understood thelr role.and responslbllltie5. Dp5Plte the smaller team, we.'coordinated effectively to ensure essential tasks such.as gastronomy feeds and personal care were performed without delay. The team also planned en8agin8 activities that captivaled members while stlll focusln8 on thelr Individyal oulromes. This year, we ensured thatmore team members teceived PROACT SCIP Irainlng.'enhancing their confidence and competence.in managing differences in commuhication and. beha)iiours and workin8.proactively..Movin8 forw?rd, we aim to have even nlore tearn members complete this training, as it has Pfoven invaluable in expanding knowledge'and reducin8 incidents durin8.our sessions. This trainiDg:ha5 enabled a new approachrwithin our team, encouraging them to understand the reasons behlnd behavlours.and what individuals.are aimlng to communlcate. We have shared the principles and reasonin8 behind thls trainlng Ihroughout the team to create a unih'pd understanding and approach. In the next financlal year, our project mana8er plans-to complete the PROACT SCIP instructor training. This will.enable her to train rnore teammembers, signifi'cantly benefitinB our 40
project 8lven the positive outcomes we have already observed. We currently have Positive Behaviour Support plans in place for members who need them, but we aim to expand these plans Using the comprehensive PROACT SCIP template. This will further individualise our service and support members in remaining regulated. Additionally, we plan to create communication passports for individuals, detailing their expresslons, behaviours. and body language, along with our interpretations of what they mean. This will be particularly useful for non-speaking members and will help new stsff better understand and support them, The communication passports will enhance our ability to meet members, needs and provide them with a sense of satlsfaction and understanding, Slnce the COVID-19 pandemic, we have continued to see a ris•ng demand for support wiihin the local community. The c105ure of various local clubs during the pandemic. some of which have never restarted, has created a gap in services. This has left many individuals without access to 8roup activlties or settin85, leadln8 to challen8es in 50clal interaction. Many of our members who had not previously experienced group activities are now struggling with how to interact wlth peers approprSately. make frlends. share resources, and build trust with others outslde iheir family homes. Thls lack of social experience'.has become a si8nlficant hurdle for some. Our dedlcated team, wlth thelr extenslve experlence, are well-equlpped to support each member In a person-cenlred way. They'tsffer reassurance to both.nlembers and thelr famllles, demonstrating patience and understandln8, The team desl8ns actlvllies to meet Indlvidual needs, the buildlng of relationships,and,.treates a supportive envlronment where members can learn and 8row,s.'ocially. By focuslng on each member's unlque needs. our team helps them navlgate the complexities of social"interactiort, ensuring they feel,valued,and understood..Tlfi5 approach not on'ly.aids-. In their. personal development.but also'contribu.te.s'to a.more inclusive and supportbve community. Over the past year, we have strengthened our.partnershlp viiih our PROACT SCIP tralner who Is readily available to provide advice and additional training for team members. This collaboration ha'5 been invaluable in reflectin8 Ori incldents and su88ests'n8 new approaches to try. Wlth this expert SUPPOrt, we ensure our'team is well-equipped to manage challengin8 behaviours proactively and compassionately, continuously improving our practices to benefit our rnember5. We have also bolstered our partnership with the Local Authority.. Th'is year. we presented to the transitions team, Sharing Insights about our work and the positive impact we havè on our members. Additionally. we have continued to meet quarterly with commissioners from the Local Authority enablin8 a stronger and rnore collaborative relationship. These regular Interactlons allow us to align our goals. share progress. and ensure. we are meetlng the needs of the members.effectively.' We also met:.witb. other managers from services that are 41
providing Community Short Breaks to children in the local area. gaining clarity about what each other provides to disseminate this information rf required. Our partnershlps with parents and guardians have been a focal polnt of our development efforts. We actively seek their regular feedback, asking for suggestions on improvernents and new activity ideas. This ongoing dialo8ue helps us remain responsive to the needs and preferences of our members and their families. By Incorporating their input, we create a more engaging and supportive environment that reflec'ts the voltes of ihose we support. Equally important Is our commitment to involvin8 members in the development of our 5ession5. We continuously ask for thelr feedback and ideas, ensuring that our activities and approaches resonate with them. This inclusive approach empowers our members. givin8 them a sense of ownershlp and embeds their positive experiences wlth u5. Story of Change - Katie Kotle joined our youth groups in 2019, bringing with her a friendly ond welc0177ing spirit, oIwoy5 eager to meet new people. She settled in well, quickly mokingfriends ond becoming on Integral port of the group. However,'In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemlc dromoticolly altered our live5 and presented unique challenge5, especiollyfor disabled children and theirfomilies. During the pondemlc. we Implemented o R4G rating system to priorltise 5upportfor our member5. Katie w05 rcted 05 "red" due to herfomi!y'5 high level. of.need and the signifi'cant behoviourol challenge5 She exhibited ot home. Her porEnt5foced the daunting prospect of managlnq these behoviouts in Isolation. which thretttened the stabillty of theirfvmily. Recognlsing the urgency. we ensure'd Kotie.recelved tegular 5UPPOrt, lorming a small group of membersfrom.vorious projects who, olong Wlth. o core team of stoff who were not furloughed, continued to engage In meoningful octivities. Throtsghout the pondemic. Kotie ond herfomlly bullt o strong ond trusting relotionship with our teom. We become o liftllne during this confusing ond stressful period. provldlnq much-needed stobility ond reossuronce. Katie struggled to understand why she couldn't go out or ottend school, but our consistent support helped her novigote these chollenges. As,restrictions lifted ond our youth groups resumed,.Katie trt7nsitioned bock. seainles51y. Her bond with our team and the consistent support she received had.aprofvund impact, easing her return.to group activities. She cbntinued.to.th'rive in the, youth club, mointoining long- stondingfriend5hip5 Wlth two peers ond occosionqlly welcoming new one5. After her 18th birthdoy, Kotie moved into 0 5UPPOrted living,sltutstio.n, w,hich presented'ne,w chollenges. Her porent5 struggled with the tronsition, and Kotie.initiollyfvced,diffi'culties in her new home. such as refusing to Shower ond ovoiding the upstair5 Of the house. We provided support during thls period, helping her adjust.to her new environment, Despite these Lhallenges, Katie showed remarkoble resilience. 42
While Katie continues to experience occosional challenges, thefrequency and inten51ty of these incidents have decreosed. Our prooctive approach ond unwovering 5UPPOrt hove been key to this progress, and we remoin committed to helping her achieve her gools. It is with mixed emotions thot we prepore to soy goodbye to Katie as she oppmoche5 her 19th birthday ond tronsltions out of our youth groups in the nextfinonclal yeor. We ore Incredibly proud of her journey ond the significont strides She hos mode. Her story shows the Positive impact of our youth groups ond the power of truly person-centred support. Michael Michael beg(7n attending our youth qroups in August 2019 when he was just 7 year5 old. As one of the fi'rst members to join our Smoll Groups, hls journey with us hos been both tronslormative ond inspiring. 8eing non-speaking, it took timefor our team to understand his unique woys of communicotlon. which included vocolisotions, fociol expressions. and body longu(Jge. His porents were understandobly anxlous obout the new environment.. but we were commltted to providing the 5UPPOrt neededlor Mlchoel to thrive. After o breok during rhe Covid 19 pondemlc, Mlchael began attending,our Saturday Smoll Group In oddition to the Mondoy evening ond holiday se55ion5. Initially, Michoel struggled oround hls peers, especlolly when they were louder, which often led to dysregulation ond behaviours such as hitting out ond hoirpullinq. These ep150des were distressing, ond he would often become tearful. Over time, Michael.gradually odopted to the presence of hls peers, the environment, ond our team. Although he continued to exhibit hoir- pulling when experiencing strong emotfons-whether very hoppy or upset-we observed signifi'cont progress os he settled in. During holldoy gmups, the noise levels sometimes upset Mlchael,'but we persevered by. introducing him to quieter rooms and areos. enco,uroginq him to spend time there instead of In lorger, busier spaces. Thls odjustment helped himfeel more comfortoble ondfocused.. Michoel struggled with eoting in noisy setting5, $0 we orrangedfoj him to eat in quieter oreos. ollowinq him.to.concentrote better duklng,meoltimes. The team encouroged Michael to porticipote in octivities wlth his peers, ond, he porticulorly enjoyed sensory octivitles Ilke bubbles, textured stories,. porochuté gomes, ond music sessions Whe stoff would sing. He also loved trlps to the park to use the swing. These octivities.not only engaged him but olso.helped. him,build trust,ond connection with others. Over time. Michoel hos become much colmer ond more 5elf-055ured. He n6iw independently toke5 himself to quieter orea5 when needed. demoristroting his growing ability to self- regulate. Transitioning to the ofternoon group on SGturdoy5 ha5 0150 been beneficial, a5 he is le55 Dred and much le55 tearful. We rorely see lioir-pulling incidents now, and our team hove become agile in giving him space when he is happy or becominq disrupted, to prevent such 43
behoviours. We a150 ensure toy5 ore readily ovoilablefor him to grab. providing comfort ond dlstroction. Michael's journey wlth us has been one oAremarkoble growth ond development. His obility to Jdopt, coupled with the consistent supportfrom our teom. has led to significant improvements in hi5 behaviour and overoll well-being. Feedback 'Lowri loves Comlng to club, she goes in happy ond olwoys comes out hoppy. For her to hove a sofe. secure ploce outside of our home is o wonderful gift towards her gaining o tiny bit of Independence. ond this is what I wantfor her, I con leave her at Clrcles knowlng she 15 looked after. soft, and know thot if she seizes, you know exoctly whot you need to do. As o parent of o chlld wlth severe SEN ond Introctable epilepsy this Is involuoble. You provide o Ilftlinefor me, os well os mylomlly- thonk you so muchl, Liz Judge (parent) 44
England Advocacy & Empowerment The Advocacy and Empowermeni Project. located in the South of England but with a nationwide reach, is a vital initiative dedicated to providin8 cruci31 advocacv services to individuals across the country. The project team comprises a highly skilled and eXpernCed advocate, trained in health, sotlal care, and education settings, possessing qualrfications such as an Independent Mental Health Advocate and a Bsc Ihonsl in Psychology and Counselling Studies. 534 support hours delivered With a primary focus on empowering and supporting vulnerable Individuals, the project ensures that thelr voices are heard, and thelr rlghts are upheld in various care settings. Currently funded by Frlmley and Berkshire ICB. the project delivers essentlal advocacy services to 'Indlviduals in thelr care. . The'project's advocate works to provide a voice for people who may otherwise struggle .to."e¥presS their needs and preferences In healthcare and social care settings. By offering Independent support. the advocate help5 indivlduals navl8ate complex systems,.undeFStand their rights, and make informed decislons about thelr Ilves. Drawin8 upon their expertise in ment31 health advocacy and psychologlcal siudlès,-the.- advocate ensures that each person's unlque needs.'are addressed i•iith.empathy..andi professionalism. This Is the second year Clrcles Network have provlded advocacy with people who Frimley ICB are responsible for. The'lC8 were have a shortage of advocates In thelr area arid.have fèd'back that they have been impressed by the specialism and professionalism demonstrated by the Circles Network advocate who is workirtg alongside people who have complex circumstance5 and challenges.:. The advocate successfully supported one individual wlth their inove into supported livin8, avoidin8 residential care away from their local community.'The advocaté's involvement was 45
key to ensuring the person's wishes were heard above professionals and family members leading to them having greater independence and self-determination. The advocate supported a family member of one Indivldual to raise concerns and avoid a very unsultable housing arrangement for their brother upon his discharge from a long stay in hospital. Professionals and the person's family agree that he should move from hospital into the community, but professional practitioners were not Ilstenin8 to the family'5 knowledge about his wishes and needs. The advocate ensured that professionals did not misuse their power and enabled a balance and shared decision making. His discharge has been delayed but a much better plan for his move Is now underway and he is looking forward to a successful discharge with support in place which will meet his needs and enable him to thrive. The advocate has capacity to support more people, but Introductions have been minimal. Clrcles Network are working on a strategic plan to expand the service and work in partnersh•p with more than one statutory authority and In the private sector. The advocate has reported the people they support often expérience delays in decision makln8 and a lack of action f rom professionals due to both inadequate Services and housln8 belng avallable In the communlty. Thls leads to unnecessary lengthy d15charges from hospltal. We plan to widen OLtr reach across the south of En8land, We will achieve this through a targeted marketin8 plan, Most of the people the advocate supports have been living in secure hospitals since before the pandemic. Their dischafge.has been,delayed in'part due to the pandemic but also due to the 50cio-economic changes. in the community since the pandemic. These indivlduals have become institutr'onalised making their move into the community more complex. Clrcles Network.have a stron8 partnership wlth commlssloners at .Frlmley ICB. The advocate has p3rt1cularly.good working relationships '.1 that have developed over time wlth the people they are supporting and their famllles. The advocale has worked effectlvely to establlsh communication with the professionals involved in the care of those they advocate with. 46
Glasgow Forensic Advocacy The Circles Advocacy Glasgow Service provides 3 professional, independent advocacy service for individuals detained under the Mental Health {Care and Treatment) Iscotlandl Act 2003 or the Criminal Procedure Iscotlandl Act 1995. We are based in Glasgow and operate at Rowanbank Clinic, which is a rnedium secure setting, the low secure wards based at Leverndale Hospital, and our servlce also provldes three months of community provlslon for those who are discharged from these services. Predominately, Circles Advocacy in Glasgow provides 5UPPOrt to those who have offended and therefore in louch wilh Forensic services because of being detained for mental health treatment. The core fundin8 of our service Is received from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as well as the West of Scoiland Forensic Dlrectorate. The areas of service we cover include male and female admi5slons, male and female rehabilitation, the national learning dlsability unit, pre-discharge, and community outreach. One of the most signifi'cant hi8hlights of the past financial year has been the progress that was made by the Collective advocates regarding the food Concefns experienced bv Individuals In hospltal. In a system where many of the patients can make very few cholces on a day-to-day basls, something that could feel Insi8nih'¢ant, can have an extremely detrimental impart upon the wellbeing of thi5 population. The food served at mealtfjmes ha5 been. raised as a set of ongoln8 complaints for several years. led by the collective 8roup, with support from Circles Advocacy and with b3cking from NHS leaders. The issues raised concerned the quality, quantity, and meal choites within both Rowanbank and Leverndale hospitals. Individua15 approached Circles Advocacy with a collective complaint a5 they felt it was unfair that they had Ilttle input or choice over their meals. After a tastin8 sesslon held last year, individuals were able to rate some proposed items as well as existin8 meal choices on the menus. This helped the catering company decide which potential ilems would be popular additions to the menu, and which Items could be replaced, As of March 2024, these items have been incorporated into the menu for individuals to choose. Furthermore. to reduce the number of mislakes bein8 made with the food bein8 sent io the ward. a new method of placing orders has been proposed which involves staff using iPads instead of physical paperwork. So far, there have been some slight adjustment 155ue5. 47
However. we will remain involved in taking forward such matters over the coming months to ensure that the changes made have resolved the disagreements. Whilst we recognise that there is still further work to be done, we have remained persistent over the years to implement change. Another highlight for Circles Advocacy is that we saw Several patients bein8 discharged from Rowanbank Cllnlc to continue their rehabilitation under lower levels of 5ecurlty. As part of this process, advocates were involved with extensive security tribunals ovÈr the past year. On several occasions, Circles Advocacy were able to inform individuals of their right to request a 28-day exce$51ve security order rather than the usual three-monlh period. This led to Individuals requesting thls at thelr hearings and several people had these granted, meaningthat they were held in conditions of excessive security for two months less than they otherwlse ml8ht have been, Clrcles Advocacy not only made indlviduals aware of thls right but were a150 able to inform current practs'cing mental health lawyers of this righi as they had not shared this information with their clients. Both individuals and their legal representatives were grateful for advocates sharing knowledge as our team continue to nurture positive working relationships with all parties. Effective working relationships with professionals throughout public and private services are vital io ensuring the best outcomes for people we are advocating for. Circles Advocacy Glasgow team supported individuals to regain over £11,000 pounds that was righrfully theirs. This included refunds, compensation, and backdated benefiis p.aym¢nts. Whllst every individual's situation is dlfferent, through years of experience advocate5 have a 8ood understandin8 of financial eli8ibility and entitlement for people delained due to ment31111 health. We can often spot when someone has been potentially underpaid or may be entitlÈd to something Ihat they are not currently receivin8. Through informin8 about eliglblllty. Supportlng people throu8h the process of clalming payment5 and recelvln8 backdated sums can make Ilfe chan8ln8 differences. We have strengthened our working relationship with Nick Tarlton rom Bemap Scotland who has helped enormously wlth benefit related issues. An ongoing challenge has been our work on the'nationdl'£ollective Issue4re8arding fi'nances for Indlvlduals on Transfer for Treatment Directtons. Circles Advocacy facilrtated various collective sesslons and supported the collective group to compose a letterto the Scottish Executive requestin8 more finances than the current £20.15 per week. The Scottish Executive replied to say that il was a concern best raised with Department of Work and Penslons IDWPI as they can speak about eligibility of benefits. Circles Advocacy Ilaised wSth the collective group and supported th'em to write a letter to DWP. A response was received. However, this was unsatisfactory. so we supported the group to rebut some of the points ralsed in the reply from OWP. We are contlnuing to work wlth thé on this is¥ue. Whilst there 48
has not been a rapid resolution, we continue to utilise the open line of communication with the DWP to raise people's views and ensure thai their concerns are put forward. Hopefully, persistence could develop into an opportunity to participate in some further research, and to Ilaise with those supportSng people within prlson and other parties who may share an interest in advocating for anyone impacted. Story of Chan8e - Cammy's Story Commy has been awaiting tronsfer to (7 low security Setting since April 2023 and hod both of his exce55ive security oppeo15 (5.268 ond s.269) granted. meoning thot he should be moved on os soon os possible. Cammy disclosed to an odvocote that he hod been involved in some minor incident5 which the clinicol team felt mode him no longer suitoblefor o move to low security. Cammy wos disheortened by thls andfrustroted thot it hod token him so long to get to thls polnt desplte belng occepted to a IDW security setting in April. Clrcles Advococy mode Commy owore of his legol right to chollenge the revocotion of his excessive security oppeals ond informed him of the crlteria requiredfor o tribunol ponel to 9ront o revocotion order. Initiolly, Commy was hesitont os he ftlt thot "both the dortorsfrom here ond low security ore soying I'in not reody now." The advocote osked Commy how heftlt obout low securlty Jnd whether he wos reody. 'Commy 50id, "I do think I'm réody couse I don't hove much else left to complete h'ere at Rowonbonk and IAeel that revoklng my oppeols. is o bit horsh given whot s octuolly h(7ppened." An odvocate 5UPPOrted Commy to contoct his lawyer and explain the 51tuotion. Commy's lowyerftlt thot he hod o compelling cose to orgue ogoin5t the revocotton ond let Commy know thot he would be up to discuss the hearing over the coming weeks. An odvocate also attended the lowy,er s meetinq5 to support Cammy, os per hi5 request. On the day of the hearingi the Circles Advocate reminded Cammy of how the hearing is structured ond how it operates. When it Wa5 their turn, the odvocate reod oloud the Statement thot Commy had prepored with them in the leod up to the heorin9 date, Clrcles Advococy proposed thot Commyleels a revocofion is disproportionate given thot he hod breoched Security me05ures at a low level. After reading the stqtement, the advocote let the ponel know thot Commy had been toking soiy?e notes throughout the heoring obout other p.rofessionols' evidence ond ofyered to regd the5eAor Cammy if he wlshed. or thot he m¢?y roise these on his own if he frlt comfortab'le. Thus. promoting hi5 indqpendence and participotion in his hqorlrig. tommy chose to rols.e these issues on hls own and mode on effective contribution to rhe tribun(?I heoring, with the support olon odvocote on offer should he wont it. The tribunal ponel decided thot they o¢reed with Cofftmy s reasoning. ond that the Health, Board hod not successfully proven that re,voking excessive seturlty wos jusrified in the . si,tuation. Commy wos thrilled ot this news ond.thonked Circle5iAdvococy'and hi5 lowyerfor supporting him through the process ond keeping hiTm informed. Cammy sold, "I wasn't even sure obout chollenging it cause didn't think I d win agoin5t two doctor5. thonksfor your help." 49
Taylor's Story Toylor is an individual who wos recently admitted to h05Pitr71 to receive treotmentfor hls mentol heolrh. Toylor hos ongolng oppeal cases regarding his deportation bock to the country he wos born In. As o result of his precarious Gsylum situotion. Taylor is unoble to cloim any government benefi'ts until a decision 15 made on his C05e. When Toylorfirst come into h05Pltal, he did not have any of hi5 own clothe5 ond had no cosh or personol item5. An odvocote met with Toylor soon ofter he was admitted and discu55ed how we could support in getting him occess to some clothe5 andfinonciol 5UPPOrt. Through lioising with nursing stoff. we were able to locate some items oJclothingfvr Toylor to wear in the meantime until contact was made wlth Soclal Worker about getting hls personol thlngs from hi5 community address. Due to the ongoing Gsylurn cloims, the usuol methods of supportinq with fi'nanciol issues were not avoiloble to us. Through reseorch ond liaislng with Soclol Work colleogues, It wos discovered that Toylor may be oble to receive moneyfrom the Sociol Work teom under the Social Work Scotland Act {1986J Section 12. An odvocote referred to the Welfare Rights Advlsor requestlng thot his ¢ose be treoted 0$ a priority Q5 he is Wlthout acces5 to anythlng. After not hearing bock within the allocated 14 doy5, the advocote contocted the Team Leoderfvr the relevant.locol authority involved in Toylor's cose. It wos advlsed thot the Humon Rights Assessment could not be completed until ofter the Christmos breok but thot they would ensure Taylor. was fi'rst in Ilne for on ossessment 51ot. Circle5 Advocacy continued to keep Toylor informed and reossured him that we wo.uld be chosino up the Social Work teom at every opportunity to moke sure the process dld not ony longer thon necessary. roylor hos now been o55essed ond deemed eligible for the Section 12 Payments which will be sent into the Potient Affoirs team where he can withdrow cosh from the ward. Below is O quotefrom an individual who received supportfrom Circles Advocacyfvr years whi15t in Rowanbonk before moving on to o different hospital. "To oll the Circles stoff. Thank youfor oll your help and support, friendship, ond compossion. Take care of yourselves.. 50
Circles Advocacy• Fife Circles Network in Fife provide advocacy to the entire Fife region and have a large remit which includes supporhng individuals who experience mental health difficulties, dementia, disability, chronic Illness, acquired brain injury and autism. The team also provide advocacy support for children under 16 years who are subject to compulsory measures under the Mental Health (Care & Treatment) Scotland act 2003 . Thls year we presented Advocacy awareness sesslons to trainee mental health nurses and newly appointed .Mental Health Officers. This training is extremely valuable and supports mental health teams to understand the role of advocacy In upholdln8 people's rlghts. peopb s,upported Collective advocacv meetings re-started followlng covld restrlctions. and dlscussions were held wlth people around the opportunities available to attend new meetings, including at Forth View care home. Collective advocacy Is an irrimen5ely'powerful way io support people to access advocacy, build their o.vin advocacy skills'.and"pi.ov,ide.a sustainable option to support. future advocacy for interest groups41, 'Circles Advocacy In Flfe has contSnued to deliver advocary for extensive number5.. of peo,'ple'..without,,w.altingrlis.ts*isupporting r.,:. people from"acr055,.theico.urity'wr(h'w,ide;_ranging.issues-. Me'ntal111 health 15 the'pr.edoh)inant'"uhderlying ir.easoh, thatipeople,"contact Circles Advocacy.in Fife. and our teams..have built vast.kno.wledge. and experience. in,'supp.orting'p.'eople.to.~re.achi positivè. outcomes,. ' The complexity of issues that people in our community are facing has continued to increase Since the pandem.ic-.:Wè..haveinoticed-.that.the.,wa.iti.n8.4ime !o.r.i',.
other services across health and soc•al care have increased and therefore the people accessing advocacy are waiting longer for responses and their concerns to be resolved. Managing introductions in lation to individuals moving on from hospital has been a challenge to the high priority level and the short timescale we have avallable In vlsltin8 and gaining views. Again, the team have worked progressively and extremely flexibly to accommodate these introductions and ensure we were visiting and gaining views in the approprlate tbmescale. We are continually explorin8 new ways to deliver effective advocacy and have considered reducing face to face advocacy or removing our offices space5. Wh115t we have somewhat reduced face to face advocacy, it remains an especially important accessibility method for many peGple that we work alongside. The support Indivlduals now recelve In the communltyls quite dlfferent than before the pandemic hit our communities. Thi5 15 due to struggles recruiting team members in support servlces and across the heafth and social care Industry. We have witnessed'an increase in •ndlvlduals wantln8 to access advocacy for Issues that are not In our Advocacy remlt and wantlng our knowledge of local services and supports to help slgnpost to.the correct servl¢es. As part of our Advocacy role, we Continuous develop partnerships with other services and professionals. With the many practitioners'from statutory and voluntary sectors who interact wlth people we support, also with lawyers and community leaders. We are renowned providers of advocacy awareness presentations to student Trurses, social workers, mental health officers, and newly qualifi'ed professional practitioners. We are proud to be ppry of the advocac.y forum, f¢edln8 information Into the HSCP alongslde other advocacy servl¢es, in Fife-. Story of Change- Abbv Abby was introduced to Advocacy as her children had been moved out of her care by social servlces dLte to suspected neglert and d.omestic violence by her ex-partner. Circles Advocacy supported Abby to acce55 a solicitor. Abby had made the.deci5ion to ask her ex-partner to leave the home, an advocate supported Abby with social work reports and with various Meen85. we also supported her to fully understand her rights. Abby then worked with the social work team and now has.her children. back in her care. Ab'by now has 5UPVort in place to,help with needs due to her Physical disability and has monthly welfar¥ meetTngs schedulÈd to ensure she has full support and can move forward positively. Marion 52
Marion was introduced to Circles Advocacy by her mental health officer as she had been restricted in hospital on a 5hort-term detention. Marion fett she was not being listened to and wanted the support of an advocate to exercise her rights to appeal. Marion chose a solicitor from the list which we provided and with her p.ermission, an Advocate contarted them on Marlon's behalf. Marlon's view was that she did not need the order but understood that home was not the best place for her as she now needed 8reater assistance with daily tasks. Marion had previously been in hospital due to her mental health, and this had been on a voluntary basis. She expressed both to the Advocate and her solicitor that she would be happy to do this again. Marion detailed her views but needed to sit out the rest of the tribunal as she felt too overwhelmed. She asked for the Advocate to put forward anythln8 she had missed. The outcome from the tribunal was that the order could be revoked on the terms that relevant care was being soughi and that Marlon would then be ready for home discharge. "I have been incredibly stressed indeed by the.,whole ordeal between you and Me, so to have this fall-back p051don is invaluable. Thank you 50 much for all your help.?nd support." 53
Fife Unpaid Carers Advocacy This project provides advocacy to unpaid carers throughout Frfe with an alrn to guide understanding of the Importance of having Power of Attorney {POAI. This ensures unpaid carers have the legal powers to make decisions should the person they care for lose capacity, and to 5UPPOrt both the carer and cared for person to choose and arrange a suitable Power of Attorney. The project also supports carers who tind themselves in a situation where due to not having Power of Attorney in place a Guardianship Is required Three positive outcomes which we have achieved this year Include: We have seen an increase in people using the,service. We have secured and been invited to deliver aw.areness s ralsing talks to promote the project We have,access,to. funds to help people who wlll struggle with,the cost. of, POA. .peo.ple,.8llPPOrted, , One major challenge has been the lack of assurance that, the funding will be allocated for further years. Recruitment has been a struggle, support from HR was needed to assist people to apply for ihe post,. - We plan'for more awareness raising with other services/proJects promoting the project to a wider set of stakeholders. Increasing accessibility to welcome greater numbers of carers is an important developmènt to pursue in the comlng months, -Following th'e-isolatiori-that-occurred-for people during.the pan'demic, opportunities to network with other projects and services.'is,hugely',important, especiallyi since, the."closure of several local.resDurces..,W.e p'lan to a55iSt.with,. solutio.ns.,fo.rirebuilding a stro.ng system'of.support.locallv.'::,. I,• •'•,Ii 54
Strengthened partnerships with other carer services will be of particular value in extending our work and opportunities for shared forums and meetings will be Initiated and validated. Story of Change - Beth Beth is on unpoid corerfor her brotherAlex. They contocted Circles Advococy os they wanted Beth to be oppointed 05 Alex s power of attorneyfor welfore decisions should this be needed for the future. Beth ond Alex expressed thot theyfelt overwhelmed ond had no ideo where to sfort in the pmcess. 80th 8eth ond Alex came into our offi'ce to meet with an odvocote. The odvocote spoke with them obout POA and provided informotion on solicitors that could take this forword. Alex osked the odvocote if they would coll o solicitor close to where he lives to oskfor costt'ng5 and ovailobility of oppointments. The odvocote made the coll whlle both were present ond os they were happy with the costing, they asked the advocote to arronge on oppolntment. The advocote octed on thls request and provided the informotlon of what to bring with them to this oppointment. The advocote offered support ot the appointment however, Beth ond Alexftlt able to ottend alone. They provldedfeedback thot the (Jdvocote s guidance was vital to get them on the right path to ensure that o Power of Attorney wos In ploce'ondfelt sure this servlce will help mony others in the future. Ann Ann Ihtroduced herself to advocates ot the.proJect'for support ond infvrmation with regards to Power of Attorney. Ann s mum wos in the inltlol stoges of Dementlo. ond she was beglnnlng to hove dlffi'culties deollng with herfi-nonclol affoirs,. The bonk refused to lerAnn conduct ony banking arrongement5 for her mum. The odvocote met with, Ann and her mum ond exploined the proce55. They wanted to go ahead with 0 501icitor. s appointment, as the odvocote exploined to them thot o solicitor wos obie to orffjnge'o copocity ossessment. The oppointrnent went well. and.the solicitor agreed to ii?roceed 05 Ann s.mum could on5wer the solicltor s questlons oppropriotefy. The Po'wer of Attorney document Wos drawn up and o second oppolntment Was inode to slgn it.,Ann Osked the odvocote to osslst. ot thls oppointment os well. At the next appointment o week loter. the solicltor conducted onother ossessment of Ann s mum s copoclty ond Ivos then hoppy to proceed.. The document was signed. ond the solicitor sent it. off to be reglstered.. "Thank youfor moking this seem so eosy orid explolning It to us so my mum could understand it os well. This is such o good Service." 55
Fife Recovery Advocacy Project Circles Network provide independent Advocacy to individuals across Frfe who have oi are accessin8 Drug & Alcohol servlces. This is a Peer Advocacy Servlce provided by people wlth lived experience of drug & alcohol recovery. Our projert is being sought by a wide variety of professionals and individuals and the situations and concerns for people requesting support are increasln8. 257 people supported We continue to work in partn"ershlp with a variety of groups that are accessible in the Fife area and staff members withln these groups are introduclng Indlviduals to the project. We were Invited to vSslt Calder8len ftesldential rehabilitation centre in Blantyre Glas8OW to present a talk on our project and how we support individuals. The centre is requesting support for people who are readv to leave rehabilitation servlces and move to Frfe. Recruiting.and: maintainlng team members with Ilved experience of recovery has proved a bigger challenge than anticipated: A lack of information about secure fundln81s an added concern that causes stress.,to. team'members". We are delighted to have establlshed a good relatronship wlth. servicés and proje'cts such as rehabllltatson accomrriodation. to support the transltlon for people movlng to Flfe from periods of treatment. We were awarded our funding prior to the pandemic and so it has taken longer than expected to fully establish this work. Communityi8foup.Siand partnership Vliorking has been strengthened due to our vlsibllity within.vario.us,suppon:,groups. This make.s introducin8 and connecting with. individuals., easier,.and..faster.-". 56
Julie had been going buck ondforwurd between oddiction services ond her GP regarding the dose of her Suboxone mointenance medicotion. Julie contacted Circles Advococyfor help with this os She felt She wos not being listened to ot her oppointments. An odvocote contocted Julie for o chat ond tofind out 50me bockground information relating to her sltuotion. Julie exploined she hod an oppointment with her addiction services doctor ond osked that on odvocate attend alongside her. At thi5 appointment. the doctor looked bock through Julie s notes and asked her questions obout her drug use. Julie wos currently prescribed o mointenonce dose of Suboxone doily, o normal maintenonce d05e of Suboxone 15 between 14mg and 16mq doily, siqnifi'contly hiqher thon her prescription. Following o discu55ion the doctor agreed to increase her d05e to 16mg doilyfrom the dote her next prescription starts. Julie wos hoppy with this outcome. David David come to Circles Advococyfor help ofter speaking with one oA,hisfriends who had previously recelved supportfrom thls project, We met with Davidfvr o chot regarding his treatment otAddiction Services ond how hefelt he wos not beih9' listened to, feeling "fobbed off" with excuses ondfalse promises. We met with one of the senior addiction nurses where an advocate exploined how upset Dovid was regording his treotment. The nurse listened to whot we hod to say ond ogreed to give Dovid th'e reduction he liod bèen askingfvr. They olso changed Dovid 5 collection days ot the chemlstArom Six doys per week to three doys per week. David was eloted wlth the outcome of,the oppointrt7ent cnd hope5 this 15 the stort of elliiiinating hls dependence on prescrlbed medication. 57
Circles Advocacy* Inverclyde Cirtles Advocacy in Inverclyde delivers a free, Independent servSce to Indlvlduals aged 51Xteen and over who reside within the boundaries of our four main towns of Greenock. Gourock, Port Glasgow and Kilmacolm, and to the outlying villages of Bridge of Weir, Inverkip, and Wemyss Bay.. comprisin8 a population of over 76,700 people. We deliver advocacy to our outlying communities by providin8 drop in hubs within communlty resources, and we offer home visits to Individuals who are unable to access our main office, which is situated in the heart of our community. The service is 8enerlc and promotes equal opportunities with a human rights-based approach for people who require advocacy. We support Indlvlduals who have the followln8 character15tlcs.' Elderly status, Caring responsibilities. Homelessness, Learning Disabilities. Learnin8 Difficulties, Autism. Physical Disabilities, Mental 111 Health, Detenon under the Mental Health Act;.'Acqulred IBralTh.Inlury,. Alcoholior, Drug Dependency, Dementla. Ethnlc Mlnorlty statug, Women In Refuge, Parenial Rlghts, I Pr.isoners, and indlviduals with long term health,,issues. Advocate5 SUPPOrt people who ' Pare subject to the Mental Health (Care and ',Treatmenl) Iscotland) Act 2003, The Adult '.ISupport & Protection (Scotlandl Act 2007, and 'the Adults wilh Incapacity (Scotlandl Act 2000. ',We,work through identiliable issues, provlding l) information about the oprions that are available. '.Our.'supporttan be short'or-. lon8 term..dependinè.,on: neéd.'at'a pace,the. .iiinYlividual isicorrifortable wlth.. f 633 people supported . We work in partnershiFi with many local organisation5, Since advocacy. Is linp.ortant to eri5ure social iricluslon, social justice, equalitv anil fairness. Vie are jointly funded through the'Health and Social Care p,artnership'kr the core service and receive additional funding f roiTI the Scottish Government to delive'r the Self- directed Support Project. Three highlights this year include delivering one.:.to.one advo.cacy to..59911ndlvlduals,. 58
resolving 555 issues w•th a positive outcome for advocacy partners and giving our office a complete make over through decorating and upgrading. When we declded to decorate the office and Improve street presence, we couldn't find appropriate local fundin8 or affordable help. The decision was made by the team that we could do it ourselves and save precious resources. The team gave up their weekends Ènd we not only accomplished sprucing up the front offbce, a complete make over was accomplished. This has been a talking point in the community with visilors commenting on how good it all looks. We are challenged by the increased number of new introductions from the growing refu8ee community where individuals require additional time to proce55 3 language that is not their chosen one. We have now tapped into ihe Refu8ee Integration Team who provides tran51ators, and the NHS for people detained in h05Pital. One area of development Is wlthin the refugee community. We have developed partnershlp collaboration with the new Refugee Integration Service provided by HSCP. Thi5 Partnership Is worklng well, and we envlsage more Introductions will be forthcoming. Story of Change Mary & Jules Mory ond Jules found themselves focing on unexpected chapter. Mory hod been informed thot the horne thot Jules hos lived infor 30 years wos going to c105e due tofunding issues. Faced with the impendinq closure, Mory wos deeply concerned obout the lock of information and supportfor her brother. The prospect of Jules being uprooted wlthour ony soy In the matter left Mary.freling helplèss. She knew that.Jtsles, who had limited communication obilltles, needed'someone. to help hlm novigote this uncertain jo'urney. Pesperote to ensure Jules's voice wos heard, she sought the ossistonce of on Gdvocote who could provide the Support needed during this difficult time. Upon theirfirst meeting with the advocote. Mory poured out her concerrts. She expressed how Jules wos being overlooked In . the decision-maklng process. The. advocote listened attentively, recognising the importonce ofensurlng Jules's rights ond preAerencéswere respected. The odvococy journey began with o detoil of hi5 needs. The odvocGte spent time with Jules, observing his.routines. understonding his non-verbol cues, ond discovering the unique aspect5 of hi5 personality. Through patience and empothy, the odvocote established o connection with Juleg, creotino (3n environment where.he frlt comfvrtable expre55ing.himself. Mary'sftars of.Jule5 b'eing uno.wore of his Options storted to dissipote os the advocote worked diligently to gather inforrnotion obout potentiol living orrongements. They engoged with CO pmviders ond authorities involved in the.relocotson process, odvocoting for tronsporency and Inclusion of.Jules'ln the decision-making. 59
Recogni5ing the importonce ojcommunicotion, the advocate ensured thotjules received infvrmotion in a way that he could understond. Vi5uoI aids, simplified languoge, ond constont reossuronce became essentiol tools in breoking down the complexities of the impending move. As the proce55 unfolded, the advocote became Jule5'5 voice, orticulating his preference5 and needs to the relevont authorities. Mory witnessed o tmnsformotion in her brother, os he began to understand the chonges happening around hlm. The advocate not only supported Jules In the declslon-moking process but also provlded emotfonol support to Mary. In the end. thank5 to the advocate, Jule5 tronsitioned to o new home thot considered his unique needs and preftrences. Mory, nowfound solace in knowing thot her brother's voice hod been heord, ond he hod on odvocote by his side throu9hout the transformative journey. The story ofchangefor Mary and Jules highlighted the profvund impoct odvococy con hove In preserving the dignity and rights of individuols during tlmes of upheavol. Paul Poul came olong to our office with hls brother as he had attended o meetlng at the soclal work department and wa5 not happy when they spoke obout putting him into care, Pau15 brother hod accessed our servlce before and told him about 17dvococy ond how it would support him. Poul stated he needed an advocate as he wos terrifi'ed ol what was going to hoppen if no one wos listening to him. Poul 5ald he navlgated hls doys in o wh'lrlwind of ch005. He stated thot alcohol often served os his onchor In a seo of troubles. Amldst the chaos, Paulfound solace in his home. Poul sold he hod alway5 been 0 Spirited 50uI, but hi5 love for alcohol had become a constont. companion, blurring the lines between his deslres ond the grip OA addiction. A5 days folded into nights and re5pon5ibilitie5 bect7me a h'oze, he reali5ed thot hi5 brother w05 becoming genuinely concerned obout him. The soclal'work dèportment hod become Owore of Pouls, struggles.ond sought to Intervene. They deemed it nece550ry to consider a core homefor Poul, believing it to be in his best interest. Poul, fi'ercely independent despite his challenges, vehemently opposed the ideo. Feeling lost ond unheord. Poul complalned to hls brother, come olong to the Advocacy Service, (Ind was introduced to on advocate. The odvoc(7te listened with empathy and gave Paul the. time to tolk and exploin his issues. The odvocote understood the tomplexities thot brewed beneath Poul s chootic surface. Wlth the odvocate by his side, Paulfvund o newfound sense of hope. The (Tdvocate became hi5 voicej his confi'donte, ond pillar of support. Together, they navigo.ted the'maze of.social work meetings and GP appointments. T.he odvocote made sure Poul s opinions were heard,
his deslres understood, ond hi5 concerns addressed. In those meeting5. where Poul once ftlt drowned Gnd unheard the Advocate helped him orticulote his wishes cleorly. The advocote encouroged Paul to highlight hi5 aspirotions ond pointed o plcture of a mon strlving to recloim conrrol of his life. It Was on uphill struggle, the sociol work system, while well- intentioned. struggled to perceive beyond the surface, Yet the odvocote s persistence and Poul's determination begon to carve o path towards understanding. Through the odvocote. the sociol work team began to see Poul os person strlving to regoin his footing. Slowly, they acknowledged his preferences ond autonomy. It wos not on easy journey. There were 5etbocks, moments offrustrotion, and times when Poulftlt hls resolvefaltering. 8ut his advocote remained o steodf05t companion, reminding him of his worth, hi5 voice, and his right to choose his own path. Eventuolly with his advocate's support ond Paul'5 determinarion. o compromise emerged. Insteod of a core home. o support plon was toilored specifi'colly to Poul'5 needs while allowing him to retain hi5 Independence. It included regulor check-in5. coun5ellinq Sessions. and support groups to help him manage hi5 oddiction. Paul s chootic life did not magically tronsform overnight. hefound o glimmer oAstobility in his life. He reolised thot being heard was not obout the volume oJhi5 voice, but the depth of under5tonding and empothy of those who took the time to listen. Poul ond his brother often POP into the office to say hello to everyone. Self-Directed Support - Inverclyde 61
Self-directed Support ISD5) was introduced in Scotland on 1st April 2014 following the Social Care (Self-directed Support) {Scotlandl Act 2013. People receiving social care services in Scotland have the right to operate cholce, control. and Ilexibility to meet their personal outcomes. Local Authorities are required to ensure people are offered a range of options on how they receive their social care servlces and support. Cifcles Network's SDS Project alms to raise awareness and understanding of SDS and the process across Inverclyde amongst people accessing setvices, their families. and caiers by sharing information, supporting the communication of thelr vlews, and by facilitating peer groups. This project works on a one-to-one b3515 Wlth Individuals to support wlth the issues they come across in Telation to their Self-Dlrected Support package. The alm Is to encourage partlclpa0n In managing indlvidualised.. care,,and to. provide.8roup support throuBh.SDS peer groups, The5ei griOUPS.are. led.'.by. in'dividua15 who,.have personal experlence of Self,Directed Support . , and are,liappy.to'share their, journey with others, to,help them think..outside of the box and und¢rstand the."processes4more'clearlv, Our1project is funded through Ithe Scottish Goiiernment.. The first hlghllght of the year was In securlnB the self-dlrected funding for a further three years. This was fantastic news as we have diligently developed the project over the years. This result will enable the team to continue to grow and develop the project. i• pÉople:sUPPOrt2d Another hi8hli8ht this the year was securing the.funding to enable team members to participate in the L'evel.7,.. Brokera8e Award. T.wo"member5"are enjoyingithe="l+ll-. .learnin8 and,are committed to achieving this award..: Il. The best highlight for.the team was gaining sixty.positrve outcomès.for advocacy partners. Many organisations are still comlng to terms with th.e afterriiatli of the covid pandèmic, with many of their staff leavln8, belng on long term sick, unable lo recruit,. along ¥*liith long waiting Ilsts. It has been an achievement to haiie continued through relentlesslv. 62
One challenge that remains is the continuing lack of responsive via some local services as they experlence employees leaving positions, long-term sickness and recruitment difficulties. This has caused delays in gaining positive outcomes for some people we support. We have been lenacious in our delivery and approach to ensure that no one slips through the net as they become frustrated over slow progress. We ensure people are updated and involved and continue to pursue outcomes. This has increased the advocates, time in closing situations. Another challenge has been In supporting team members in a tlme of fi'nanclal uncertaintV• knowing that the funding could end. We talk openly about our position in weekly meetings and one to one coaching sesslons and have developed a spreadsheet to record telephone ca115, emails and letters that were not being responded to. for us to highlight this difficulty wlth the organisarlons involved. We made progress wlth the HSCP through dlrect contact wlth thelr Lead. We were invited into meetings In relation to SDS to highlight our work. Story of Change Story of Change- David- SDS Option I Davld s Addltionol Support Needs fASNJ Chlldren & Fomllles Soclal Worker introduced him to Circles Advocacy. Dovid wos 17-yeors old,when wefirst met him, he hos complex disabilitt'es and limited verbal communlcation. He p.ttended. on ASN education service outside Inverclyde until his 18th birthdoy in 2023. When he wos introduced to on odvocote, David lived with hi5 fother and step mum who both worked.with NHS Scotlond. David needed sUPPOrt tofi'nd o Personol Ass15tont (PA) under the Self-Directed Support (SDSJ (Scotlqnd) Act 2013. An 055essment of Dovid's needs hod olreody bèen conducted by o sociol worker, artd o budget of 14 hours support ogreed. including 10 hours ofpersonol core ond 4 hours of social SUPPOrt. rhi5 budget come to £9.000 per yeor to employ o PA. All thot remoined w05for suitable person to be identifi'ed ond hired. Initiol steps were to discuss on oction plon for moving Aorword ond obtain Dovid s needs-bosed ossessmentfrom his ASN sociol worker. The fomily Said that they hod been trying to get supportfvr o long time, oddin9 thot the Lockdown Imposed due to Covid-19 hod'greotly Increosed the delays ond difficulties. On recelpt of the needs assessment Dovid's odvocote wrote o job odvertisementfor a PA to be employedlor 14 hour5 per week. After gfJining David and hisfamily s approval. this was placed ot the locoljobcentre and employability services in Inverclydefvr a period of two i??onths. 'However, no-one enquired ab'out the post d'uring this p.ériod.'There were various réosons for this.. the Small number of hour5 being offered. ond high Staff turnover in the sociol care sector. David S Sociol Worker wos informed obout the lack olinterest in the 14 63
hours post. Communicating through Circles Advocacy, Dovid s fomily asked whether senior staff ot the ASN team would consider allowing Dovid's poternol grandmother to be employed for these 14 hours o week. She wos olreody providing Dovid wlth o high level of core on hi5 return from his educotionol placement, allowing hisfather ond step mum to continue with their employment. ASN Resource Allocation Group (RAGJ ogreed thot o distontfomily member could be employed 0$ Dovids PA, and they olso ogreed to backdate the coring role. The next phase of the action plan was to applyto the Scothsh Personal Assistants and Employers Network {SPAEN} for a managed SeIce at Level 3. To SUPPOrt this applicatlon Davld's father slgned off Oavld's detalls and mandates of authority and his paternal grandmother provided mandates of authority and details for HM Revenue and Customs IHMRCI. After submittln8 these to SPAEN further diffi'culties arose,. SPAEN could not provide a level 3 Service to new applicants as their banking provider was not allowlng new bank accounts to be used in this way unle55 there was an a8reernent to pay £0.50 pei transaction made on the account. This does not represent good use of public finances and SPAEN were only able to offer a level 2 package for this rea50n. A5 part of the level 2 package. SPAEN will: register David lor hls father on David's behalf l as an employer with HMRC Register. They wlll also set up all his employees with HMRC, communirate with HMRC on his behaff. calculatt and pay the PA'5 5alary14 weekly), calculate and pay HMRC income tax and National Insurance contrlbutions deducted from the PA'S earnlngs, piovide remlttance advice telling Davidlhis father how much to pay to thelr employees and PAYE Scheme These tasks a part of the responsibility of hirin8 a PA with an SDS Option I budget. SPAEM was set up to enable individuals who ch005e th15 Optlon to do so without being overwhelmed by the responsibility. Hpd they been èligible for the managed services, SPAEN would take on the additional responsibility of paying the PA'S salary, paying the employers Nl contributlons to'HMRC under the PAYE scheme. 4od drafting and Submitting David's annual direct payment financial return to the local authority. David's famlly thanked the advocate for all the support they provided in making it all happen. Story of change-.jim Jim is on elderly rnon.who need5 personal core ot home. He rèceives Option I (Direct Poymentj of Self-Directed Support, which ollows him to employ two Personal A5515t(7nts, makinfj hls core more conslstent Jnd personol. Jim olso used'hls SDS payments to subscribe to the Scottish Pers(>nGIAsslStant5 Employer s Network. 50 that they'would toke core of the poyroll, employer s insuronce. and pension.scheme.requirements. Jim s daughter was helping him to Cgmmunicote with them, but they. r(Jn into problems. Jim s Personol Assistonts were not being poid on the correct dates, ond they were hoving diffi'culty enrolling them in the 64
pension Scheme. At thi5 point Jim's daughter opproached the advococy servicefor help in communicating Wlth the payroll org(Jnisotion. Jim's odvocote Spent time discussing their difficulties to under5tond the problems. He then spoke to o member of the poyroll team who explained th(7t they were waiting for some informationfrom Jim and his doughter They needed to set up a dedicoted bank occountfor the Option I poyments. to evidence the ossessed hour5 for eoch PA, and to provide them with stotements. The odvocote reloyed these requirement5 bock to JIM s doughter. who emoiled the information within doy5, ond we were oble to pass this onto the pay roll company. After overcorning this inibol hurdle, three- way emoil communication continued between Circles Advocacy. Jim's daughter and Puyroll Services. Within weeks most of the difficulties hod been resolved. and after o couple of months Jim hod recelved o refund of the £185 pension odministrotion fre. Jim s daughter found thot involving the Advococy service hod reduced the stress levels she experienced tryino to sort otst the issues herself. 65
Circles Advocacy, South Ayrshire Circles Advocacy In South Ayrshlre provide an advocacy service for individuals subject to the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) {Scotlandl Act 2003. the Adult Support & Protectlon {Scotland} Att 2007 and the Adults with Incapacity Iscoilandj Act 2000. We provide support at a range of formal and Informal proceedings including Mental Health Tribunals, Care Programme Approach meetings, Social Work en8agements/reviews, Children's Hearings, Looked After Child meetings and DWP health assessments among many others. We deliver'i55ue based, one to one and collective.advocacy and actively promote non-instructed advocacy, enabling us to support Indlvlduals who are not ble to access our servlce independently. We are also funded to provide advocacy for individua15 With issues relatin8 to alcohol and drug use. 603 people supported We provlde information and support to aS515t people In making Informed declslon5, to express their own needs and have as much control as possible over their own Ilves. We advocate 4iiith and'for peoplè affected by mental'health issues, learning di5abilitses, chronic Illness. physlcal Impalrments. people'living with'alcohol arid'addictlon, braln Injuries. dementia, autisti£ spertrum disorders arid adults at rlsk of harm. Our servlce works in partnership with a range of stakeholders, and reco8nises that advocacy promotes social Inclusion, équality: and social justicé: Iln.Orto¥pri2022.,,wè,were approached b,y.th Prlory, one of thè leading,'independent pr.ovlders' of,. mental health care,and adult social care. in the UK.:I:. The P.rlory manago'a 36-bed.low,sectsre'. hospital:. outside Ayr.arid a:furthertwo step-downfacilities'.- one in Ayr. and another in East Ayrshire,Iwhich havé.. ;: elght.and twelve beds, respectlvely.'.Thev approached us to ask rf we iiiould provide advocacy. to the patients under their care, as they were aware of who we w,ere and of th'e work'that we do. We are now tiroviding advocacy'for forensic 'ci- patients iri these th'ree settings, working viith them ori a wldé variety of Issues.'Wé hgve received- sltlve feedback f roni'patsènts %%iho are experlencl'ng the benefits of'having advocacy wiihin the h05Pltal. 66
We regularly attend around eight local and national development 8roups to promote advocacy and recovery advocacy. and to be involved in the development of various local and national strategies in relation to recovery and mental health. In addition, there are 23 local groups that we collaborate with on a regular basis In the form of forums or drop-ins. Some groups exist to develop how the delivery of health and social care at a local level. We attend these 8roups to expre55 the voice of the people we advocate for, to help them have a say on what Issues they deal with day-to-day and how thin85 can be changed to help enhance real life experiences. Other groups are communlty 8roups for people in vulnerable situations, who are experiencing homelessness, poor Mental health, drug, or alcohol misuse or who are Ilving in poverty. We were invlted to joln the South Ayrshire Community Justice Ayrshire (CJA) Partnershlp thÉs year. It was created to pfomote equality and drlve local communty plannin8 activity to improve outcomes for people wherever they are on the justice pathway. It a150 aim5 to improve outcomes for their families, victim5, and the wider community. They work collaboratively across the Voluntary Sector and the Health & Social Care Partnershlp to identify 8aps and deliver outcomes identifi'ed for people involved in the Criminal Justice system locally. This work supports and develops a knowledge and skills framework around Trauma Informed Justice for working with victirns and witnesses. Our involvement allows us to highlight and raise issues that are experienced by the people that we work with who may be vlcts'ms, witnesses or accused perpetrators. In the early part of last year our lead recovery advocate left thelr post to pursue another path. We qulckly Insti8ated our recrultment process to fi. nd another advocate. It was a challenging time, losing a remarkable and inspiring member of our team and we wanted to lind a person who also had lived experience of being in recovery and'who shared our value5, was passlonate and posltbve. We eventually found a new recovery. advocate who has both Inspired and driven us and our work fon¥ard. supporting people in recovery to b'e heard and to challenge srigma and discrimination. Another challen8e involved a collaboratlon wlth.the local authottty to create a local advocacy'strategy. We have had a few meetings together but unfortunately.the work stalled several times. We continue to share feedback in this Important matter in helpln8 the wider community know where they can turn to ensure that their rights are being upheld and to clarify the importance of advocary being widely known amongst the public. We are now working with people who aie.detained in hospital in a low secure forensic setting, both in a private hospital and in'the community. This presents many challenge5 67
along with opportunities to increase our knowledge in this area. We have been working and tralnSng on becoming more familiar wlth legislation used in thls area to effectively support people we work with. It can be a complex and challenging setting to work within. Although this area of forensic engagement is familiar, the level and extent are new. Some people we now work with have been in hospital for many years and have been moved from hospltal to hospital. Some patient5 do not feel that they have a voice or that what they have to say does not matter anymore. We assist people to raise any concerns they have, to challenge the views that exist around who they are and what they have done and to ensure that their rl8hts are upheld. Slnce the pandemic we have noticed an increase in the complexity of the i55ues that people are facing post ¢ovid and in the middle of a health and social care crlsls. Wlth local health and soclal care partnershlp5 findlng themselves wlth vastly decreased budgets and instructions to make cost cuttin8 savlngs acr055 all services, the fallout from this 15 affecting the communirSes that we work wlthln. This is taking the form of support provlders pulllng out of contracts for home care or 5UPPOrt work. Soclal work departmenis are only provldlng support to people In critical need and many other health care sectors are struggling to meet the needs of the communlty. The way that health and soclal care is provided has shlfted so much that many people are stru881in8 to',understsnd or deal wlth the result5n8 sltuations. We work with people whose ability to maintain their employment, receive benefits and afford food, childcare and help with thelr mental and physical health has been 8rosslv affected b.y both covid and the subsequent C05t of Ilvln8 crisis. A lot of basic ta5k5 such as; dealing with utillty bills, banks.and benetits are organlsed online no.w and many people we work with live chaotic lives caused by past and current trauma and do not feel able to manage these matters. This can lead to furthpr debt, trauma, and physical, emotional, and social isolation. For many, we are the only people that they have contact with to support them with their issues as other traditional sen4ice no longer provide support or practical assistance due to staffi'ng levels or cuts to funding or the changes to criteria for receiving support. As a result, we are Seeing more people comln8 to us with multiple requests for assistance. Some come to us as no-one else can help and they have tried everywhere else. Other people are introduced to us by different services and organisations who rannot ow are no longer able to provide the support to the person that they once did. We have adapted rapldly to meet this need and become knowledgeable about people's rights in relation to more complex issues. We are not the only local organisation experlencin8 such a dllemma. We work and collaborate c105ely with othèr organisations and the Health & Social Care Partnership to highlight where things need to change. Becoming part of the solution and 68
supporting people where we can. whilst helpin8 to change systems and structures will take forward responses to the needs of people in the community. We have developed connections with two new care homes in South Ayrshire, attending resident's meets'ngs, listening to concerns that people raise about the care they receive. Valuable feedback from both residents and care home staff has shaped new outcomes. Supporting people to have a stronger voice in what they want to see happening in the care home has been the aim. Learning and sharln8 where people would like to 80 on trips, preferred menu choices. lifestyle and care decisions Is fundamental to getting Ihings rlght. A lot of care homes became isolatin8 and fearful places during and after Covid restrictions and are keen for our help to ensure individuals in their care can enjoy more fulfilling lives. Story of Change - Frank Little wos known about Fronk when he wos introduced to Circles Advococy. He hod been found on the street by o member ol the public. unable to communicote ond with no form ol identifi'cation. H05Pltal 5toff 5U5pected that he had suffered o stroke ot home, become di50rientated ond then wasfound in the Street. Frank w05 odmitted to hospitol ond ploced on o short-term detention und,er th¢ Mental Health Act. Hi5 Mental Fiealth Offi'cer contocted us towords the. end of thls period to odvlse thot on oppllcotion was being modefqr a Community Treatment Order (.CTOJ. During our Inltlol vlslt, we used vorious strotegies to communicote with Fronk however due to ophosia he could not communicote his thoughts or understond whot we were soying. We suggested thot a reftrral be made to speech ond longuoge for on ossessment. A curator ot litem.wos appointedfor his Iribunol. We continued to visit Frank to. explain the proce55 and.to keep.him informed OA the decisions being mode. Speech ond Longuage theropist5 began to work with Fronk within the hosi>itol ond'we worked in conjunction with them. Over time, his written communicotion improved signifi'contly os well os his cognition. An Adults with Incopocity meeting w05 orranged to disCU55 the requirementfor Guardianship. We continued to visit Èronk to gain.his views on Guardionship & hisfuture residency. As befvre. we tried various methods of communicotson 69
to establish whot worked bestfor him. At thi5 stage. it W05 apparent thot Frank wos able to reod and understand written communicotion. This enobled u5 to write questions. and he w05 oble to point to the onswer of his choice. We were oble to successfully estobli5h his view5 on Guordianship. whot areo he wished to live ond whot level of support hefelt he required. We attended hls A Wl meeting to support hlm to share these view5 Wlth his wlder team. The legal representotivefrom the council shared how voluable our input was, given that he did not have any known relatives orfriends to advocate on his behalf. The decision wos mode to progress with Guardianship to 5UPPOrt a move to 24hour care, Frank oqreed with thls. With his consent, we also provided o personal statement of his views to the court. At time of c105ure, Frank remoined in hospltal owolting o court dotefor the Guordionship heoring. For mony, 'getting better, is about returnlng to the way they were before their stroke. Whi15t we are sure thi5 would have been Frank's ideal outcome,. we are olso awore that hefelt empowered in his recovery journey through his obility to cornmunicate in olternotiveforms. Spending time with Fmnk, explorinq olternotive meons of communicotion ond ensurlng he hod occess to the opproprlote therapie5 ollowed.hlm to hove o say about decisions mode about his lift & helped him to understond his options ond rights. James Jomes opproached us looking Jor some hqlp to contoct his houslng ossoclotlon. He wos extremely upset ond worrled about o letter he had received saying thot they were golng to force acce55 to his home to conduct gos/.boller inspection of hls property. The letter had been CGUsing him o lot of dlstre55. He said thot he hod been receiving letterslor about o year. but he had been ignoring them. James sold that he was embarrossed about the untidiness of his flot. Jomes told us thot he experlented poor mentol heolth ondfound deoling wlth the housing.osso¢iation incredibly challenging., He told u5 thot he hod trltd to phone them afew times, however, he could riot novlgote the outomoted response ond. Options system thot they operated on thelr phone'line. James did not hove access to the internet in hls home and $0 could not go onllne to speak to them. With Jomes present. we contacted his housing ossociotion ond explolned his situotion and the difficulties thot he wos experlencing., We 5UPPOrted him to arrangefor o suitoble appolntmentfor them to come ond Inspect his boiler. The housing associott'on were very syrnpothetic ond understonding of hi5 Sltuation and they provided Jome5 Wlth much 70
rea55uronce. Hi5 housing os50ciution were not owore olJame5' difficultie5 in communicating with them ond he now hos o direct line to his housing offi'cer should he require onythinq in the future. This rneon5 he will hove direct communication with o person and does not need to go through the outomoted onswer and option System. 11 Jome5 in now more confident ond oble to tolk to his londlord and they ore now oware of the difficultie5 he was hoving. Jame5 50id thot he did not know whot he would hove done if we hodn't spoken to them and 50rted it out. He said thot he nowfeels more comfortoble tolklng to hls housing offi'cer about whot help he needs In hisflat. They will be oble now to occess supportfor him. Feedback "Thonks so very much for believing in me and you have tried your best slnce I hove spoken wlth you your cornmunlcation hos been omozing agoln thanks so much" "I don't know where I would be without you.. "Children's panel went brilliant. They were thinkinq about stopping contact but didn't as odvococy stotement 5ald I hod reoched outfor 5UPPOrt." 71
South Ayrshire Recovery Advocacy We provlde an Independent Rights Based Advocacy Service to ind ividuals and their families residing in South Ayrshire who have been affected by problematic alcohol and dru8 use. This Servlce operates in collaboration with the existing Advocacy provision In South Ayrshire to ensure that Souih Ayrshire Alcohol Drug Partnership IADPI meet thelr statutory obligations lo provlde Advocacy lo people who have been affected by problematic alcohol and drug use. 122 people supported In 2022-2023, we experienced a 31% increase in introductions for people wlth substance use andlor alcohol dependence who are seeklng advocacy support compared to 2021-2022. This is due to consistent and intensive efforts by our recovery advocate and the wider team to promote ihi$ aspect of our work. In 2022-2023, 53% of recovery Introductions were for new people accessing advocacy who had.not used.it.before. The:'majority of those were, self-introductions, not from other or8anisations or..tradition'al services", Most people we advocated'for arid with were not working with other organisations or did not'h'ave any oth'er support In their life, either from famlly or friends, or other organlsations. People wh'o were extremely vulnerable and" Isolated, and people with whom other services were fi'ndlnB It dlffi'cult to work with, en8a8e wlth. or . who the people themselves dld not trust. When Vie are supportr'ng adults who live with'.sUbstancend1orlr, i.'alcohol.use to..attend child ,.protéction meetings and hildren's hearings. we are providing advocacy for people wh'ere no such other service exists in South Ayrshire. We have received extremely positive'feedback from parehts. other third seclor organisations. the'local Health & Social Care Partnership, and mem'bers of'the Scothsh- Children's Reporter Administration for the work we do in this aréa.
Circles Network's recovery advocate arranged for various recovery gfOUPS including ROADS (Recovery Out of Alcohol and Drugs Support). HarbourAyr and River Garden and invited them alon8 to our team meetings. They have also attended networking meetings With Ayrshlre Council on Alcohol and Harbour Ayr. They have also attended drop-ins at Harbour Ayr, the LADDER (Live A Differeni Day Embrating Recovery) group. the PING IPeer Involvement Network Group), HAPI Women's Recovery group, the We Are With You family group and Ayrshlre Council on Alcohol. Also. the Wallacetown community drop-in sessions and Care and Share. The recovery advocate also attended the Overdose Awareness Day Flower Walk event In Ayr and the Palsley Recovery Walk. RE(OVERY I, WALK We were approached by the South Ayrshlre Justice Service team to ask if we could presenl a talk on advocacy and recovery advocacy to a group of social workeT5 who were undergoin8 tralnlng In crimlnal Justice soclal work. We explained what advocacy was and about the work that we do in South Ayrshire In relation to people who are involved in the criminal justice system. Feedback was incredibly positive from both attendees and or8anisers. Sometimes our effectiveness with supporting people to resolve thelr Issues Is Ilnked to the lirnitations that exist In the wider comrnunity,. such as the avallablllty of supports, criterla for accessing other services and wider i55ues. Individuals who seek our support with housin8 issues, for example, if they are. looklng for support to move tenancy from an unsuitable area to a preferred one or being able to Ilve somewhere other than In the area that is being offered by the local authority. This Is an area where the resolutions are difficult to find for people, The only thlng we can do in these sltuatfons is listen to people and support them to have a stronger volce. Some advocacy partners ca'n get frustratèd if the'resolution, or progress of their issues are not dealt with qulckly..'Often advocates must wait for replies lo questions or decisions from other services to enable siluations to pro8re5s or change. Several services, especially In health and social care, are short staffed, underfunded and extremely busy, and such fartors exacerbate delays. Due to limited or reduced resources, some individuals. issues are unresolved or simply take longer to settle. People want to be heard and taken seriously. The nature of our role is to ensure this happens in and empathetic and 5UPPOrtive fashion. This alone can make a positive difference. We are in discussion wlth the local Drug & Alcohol Partnership to link in with them to Increase the provislon of advocacy to rural areas within South Ayrshire. We have secured place on a converted ambulance purchased by the partnership to travel about and connect other local organisations to ensure joined up working and awareness- raising of what is on offer. Many people in recovery or beginning their recovery journey who are finding it difficult to access suitable and safe accornmodation have contacted us. Some people are 73
being released from prison with the hope of beginning their recovery journey, only to fi'nd themselve5 With little or no support, and having to be housed in temporary accommodation within the community that ihey previously lived in. They are beln8 housed next to drug dealers and old associates that they want to get away from and h'nd their recovery journey halted befofe it has begun. People are telling us that they cannot access support packages due to not meeting the hl8h criterla set by the local authority. Third Sector organisations are relied on by the local authority to deliver solub'ons, however, are limited due to budget restraints. As a result, people can find it hard to move on and progress in their lives. On top of this, some organisations found themselves unable to continue during and after the Covid pandemic. which resulted In less organisations on the 8round. There is hope for people who experience substance use and poor mental health however. wlth the Introduction of the new MAT Imedlcation Asslsted Treatment) Standards for Scotland. This will allow people more choice. support, and acce55 to treatment for their substance use, such as having the right to access treatment or support on the day that they ask for It. or that their treatment Is not condional on them bein8 abstinent from substances. The Standards recognise that people who use substances need to be treated with dignity and respert and receive trauma Inflirmed care. We attend various Third Sector and Partnership forums,. which enable us to collaborate closely to highlight where things need to change. We are a valued part of that process and support people where we can, assisting In systems chan8e. creatln8 Structuie5 to 5uIt what people in the community need. We have attended various learning and development events over,Ihe last year to push forward, and.hl8hll8ht Issues irnportant to the people,we work wlth. Story of Change - Jim Jim Inltially contacted Clrcles Advocacyfor support to attend o Looked After Chlld {L4CJ meeting. He hod been ottending Chlldren s Heorings with hi5 solicitor but dld not hove onyone to support him at the LAC meeting5. Hefound the Heorings extremely diffi'cult to ottend but hefelt better knowlng hls solicitor would attend these with him. He hod not ottended mony LAC meetings however os he felt very much on his own ot these and thot he Wa5 not being listened to or taken seriously instead, it seemed to him he wos constantly being judgedfor hls post substonce use. Hefelt, thbt oll efforts thot he had made to address hi5 5ub5tance use were being ignored ond was overwhelmed ot having to ottend o meeting comprising 15 or more people, all talklng obout the mi5tokes that he hod mode. Jim olso stated thot no-one wos helping hlm to reod poperwork in relation to the LAC meetings. He wos receiving 50- or 60-page reports through the post.ond was worried about his mental health and his recovery due to the stress. Jim 0150 5toted that he hod other i55ue5 in his life thot needed dealing with, but he did not know whè're to Start with them. He sold thot he wos 74
worried about otherlomily member5, he 0150 had debt 155ue5 and 5moller concern5 thot CQUsed anxiety thot would grow over time. We supported Jim to read the poperwork ond oddre55 any issues or questions that he hod about them. We supported him to preparefor ond attend LAC meetings, liaise with children ondfamily social workers and the children s reporter. We supportedfurther by ottendin9 appointment5 Wlth him at hi5 solicitors. We liaised with the children ondfomily social worker to ensure thot hi5 full views were being included in ony paperwork and went on to support him to contact other locol orgonisations, thot he was not previously awore of. to support him wlth some other Issues. As o result of us discussing and explalning the poperwork to him, he felt that he had more of on understonding obout what was ht7ppenlng ot the LAC meetings and hearings and in turn. whot his rights now were. HeAelt thot he wos being listened to more at meetings ond oppointments. Through tolklng to hlm ond breaking down eoch step, he said thot he had o cleorer view about whot he needed to do to oddre55 some of what was hoppenlnq in his life, which In turn, supported hi5 recovery journey John John w05 introduced to us by o mental health li¢7i50n nurse ot the local college. John was 17 ond experienced poor mental health, us¢d substonces ond hod o hlstory of past troumo. He was stru991ing ond had been threotened with removalfrom the college due tofi'ghting ond abusive behaviour toword5 5toff and students. He had o dlfficult relattonship with hisfornily and wos homele55 Os he wa5 Spending hls nlghts staying ot vorioul , friends, houses. He was a very vulneroble,young mon, ot risk of being exploited. When we met wlth John and Spoke to him, he 50id that he Was always belng blomedfor trouble and never got apy pralsefor dolng anything good. He admitted thot he did couse trouble, but he was offorded no respectfrom onyone ond wos belng treoted like o child both ot home and at college. We Supported John to attend appolntments with the Child ond Adolescent Mental Health teom. meeting5 regurding hi5 housing situation. Iioi5ed with the local housing team. support workers, the college. 50cioI workers, the Deportment of Work & Pensions, his GP ond attended Teom Around The Young Person meetings. to help him shore his views ondftelings obout his situotion. As o result of this support, john was able to communicate hi5feelings ond his dreams. He wanted to stoy in collège. get o job. find somewh'ere to stoy, ond not be defined by his behoviour. John said that. wlthout advoc¢7cy help, he'would have struqgle&.tO,5hore whot he felt and wonted (Jnd would not have ottended ony.'necessory appolntmehts. He wos able to remoin In college with more support. He nowAelt confi'dent und oble to cope and hos attended (Jppointments ond meeting5 on his own. 75
Feed back "Thank you very much. you've been able to do something about this when no one else has." "It is greot news. thonks in no smoll port to your help, it hos been o positive outcomel We connot thonk you ond Circles Advococy enough for yoursupport with this. It hos without o doubt mode o mossive difference to the outcome... helped make 0 5tre55ful situation feel much le55 overwhelmlng." °Thanks so much for beinq my sUPPOrt it's opprecioted beyond beliTef." 76
Circles Advocacy, Moray Adults residlng in Moray can receive independent, expert, issue-based advocacy from Circles Advocacv. Moray. While supporting people with health and soclal care concerns is our main purpose, we also play a signilicant role in helping people who currently have or previously experienced diu8 and alcohol related difficulties that have impeded their need to start OT continue thelr Tecoveryjourney. Adults wlth incapaclty Issues, adult SUPPOrt and protection. and individuals who have been detained under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act are 8lven priorlty over other introductions, people supported Our primary goals are to uphold people's rights, support their right to have their ioplnions heard, and disseminate informatlon to help people make educated declslons on matters affectin8 their lives. The first highlight of our year would have to be our team day in June. We.compleled.our team plan for the coming year and reviewed our trainlng needs. We consldered the issues and vlable solutions around suiclde prevention as part of our work In the Suiclde Prevention Group in Moray, contributin8 the voices of peoFile with lived experience to this area of work. We also contlnued work we be8an two years ago'looking at the distinct foles team membef5 hold: what individuals can offer the team and the service we provide and what support is needed from collea8ue5. This resulted with, the team f'eeling the benefi't of the Team Day and a full staff.team In place so. Although the'demand ori the service had increased again, Ive felt in a strong place.to manage this. The tenderfor provision of advocacy in moray.was Immlnent and the..C.EO,'.alongrWlth.Ithe 'prevSous manager, gave a.'presentatSon to The Moray:Councll In support:of,the tender.',There had been a delay iri notification of the outcome frorn early December.. and.this.,led.to'a-dRlay 7,7
in appointing a new Service manager This rolled over into the next quarter and the tenderin8 process was still "live." A service manager was finally appointed to begin in p05t at the end of February. We had previously tendered to deliver advocary for Self-Directed Support, directly funded through the Scottish Government. and were advised of our success in belng awarded this contract at the end of March. This funding supports the excellent work alreadv achieved by Circles Advocacy, Moray iii other areas. We look forward to developlng this servlce and provlding advocacy to anyone who wishes to review their SDS package fundlng Options, Unfortunately. one particular challenge would appear to effectlvely run through. influence and affect all that we do- This is the level of support being required by our partners in the community. We have seen an increase in the complexity of work partlcularly around adult protects'on (API and adults with incapacity IAWII. Our caseload is also directly afferted by the inability of statutory services to provide the support being identified by our partners as essential, due to the pressure statutory servlces are under and the lack of care In the communlty, The lack of avallable care staff, lower levels of HSCP funding, a hlgh-.turnover of staff wlthin Ihe Local Authority are all combinin8 to create the perfect storm when It comes to care provislon in Ihe communltv, There has been an increase in the number of introducti'ons specifically to support partners, views to be heard for Adult sup.port and Protection144%1, Adults with Incapacity1150%I and Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (92%} legislative matters. We have since faced the daunting challenge of some staffing issues which have unsettled the team. The previous service manager, and Scottish manager, had been working through these Issues. with the support of the wider Circles Network Team, and hoped to see resolution early In the new year.-'T.here has been some re501ution to this with the appointment of an'.experienced mana8er.to the role. Thus far, this appears lo be having a settling effect on the staff team while they face the new reallty of havin8 dlrect line mana8er in post. Collectlve Advocacv which had begun tentatively In one supported accommo'dation setting continued into other settings. We were able to therefore further our reac,h and'provide advocacy to a greater share of.the local community that we had done in previous years. Within these care settings, we found that many residents were raislng the same or very similar concerns and so It became much more effettive to provide "Collective Advocacy" This allowed the advocate5 lo provide the sarne high level lif advocacy support in a much more time efficient manner 78
meanin8 that many more IndSviduals, and Indlvidual i55ues, could be resolved than if attempted consecutivelv. We have continued to embed advocary wlthln the Adults Support and Protectlon (ASPI procedures in Moray Council Adult protection team. Regular meerings. minimum quarterly. take place with supplementary pre-meetings occurring to support and prepare, It has unfortunately become a recurrin8 theme that advocacy is not informed, and therefore not invofved, at the earliest most opportune moment when we could have made more of an Impact to prevent further issues ari5in8 and Impactin8 the partners we 5UPPOrt, However, wlth the ASP lead we have also developed a worklng partnershlp to develop effective referral procedures and creaie and review Statement documeniations. Story of Change - Pat Put 15 o young woman 5ufvringfrom eoting di50rder5, body dysmorphia, onxiety. and emotionolly unstable per50nolity di50rder (EUPD). Shefinds It chollenging to hove in-depth discussions about her needs ond desire5 Wlth her P5ychiotri5t ond otherprofe55iona15 due to her high level of anxiety. When she contocted Circles Advococy, her primory worries were thot she hod askedfor ond never received o face-to-face meeting with herp5ychiotrlst to go over her prescription regiiyien.. She was olso dissotisfied with the ossistonce she wos currently receivlhg from her support worker ond communlty psychlotric nurse (CPNJ. Since the advocate wos able to prove that o face- to-foce meeting wlth the psychiotrlst would not be feasibl¢ fvr two months, o different orrongement wos mode whereby the odvocote would ossigt >Gt durin9 her subsequent phone consultation. Before the phone consultation. Pat gave the psychlotrist o written statement outlinlng her oplnlons re9ording her medlcotion. This éncouroged a thorough dlscussion olevery drug, potential modificotions. ond the best times ond methodsfor implementing those chonges. As o porticipont in rhe meeting, the'advocate took note of oll Pat's changes. She says she tokes the medlcotion "randomly" because shefi'nd5 It difficult to recoll specifi'c5 of conversations because of her anxiety. For thefollowing appointnient, aface-to-face meering Was scheduled to qo over the modifi'cations. 79
Pot wos worried thot her CPN ond support worker would "hote her" if she voiced her concerns, this is o common emotionol response among those who hove EUPD. Pot stoted the problems ofter receiving a55uronce5 from the advocGte. Afterspeaking with the CPN ond support worker, the odvocote recommended thot the support be reviewed. Pot wos pleosed with this. Pot discussed her desired outcomes wlth the odvocate prior to the meeting. ond the odvocote wrote them down (7nd sent them out beforehond. As a result, Pot didn't hove to voice all of her concerns ot the beginnlnq of the review because everyone hod o clearpicture ot thot point. It was decided on o new support plon. Throughout the process. Pot Stated thot shefelt well supported by her odvocote, ond she subsequently sold thot she could not hove done it without their help. guidonce. and support. Cloire's Mentol Heolth Offi'cer referred her to Circles Advocacy because she wos unsure obout accepting o short-term detentton certifi'cote from the nearby hospitol. The following duy, Claire was visited by an odvocote. She informed the odvocote that she hod been h05Pltalized for ten days ond hod previously turned down the offer of advocacy because she felt "hopeless" ond that there w05 "no point os no-one reolly cored," including herself. The Advocote gave Claire a chance to tell "her story," reassured her thot they could ossist, ond introduced themselves. Clolre received osslstance In comprehending the Mentol Health Tribunol procedure ond the volidity of contesting her Short-Term Detention Certtfi'cate. Claire soon frlt that She had a better understonding of the,procedure ond declored thot she now w.anted to contest the Section 44. Cloire then allowed the Advocote to contact the Mentol Health solicitor She had chosen from Circles. list. Cloire'5 case wos brielly di5CU55ed with the sollcitor ond plons were mode,to enoble the completion of on opplicotionfor the revocation of the Certificate to be Submitted to the Tribunal. The Advocdte concluded by leaving her o Circles pamphlet, their contact information, and an assurance thot they would come back to plck up her 5totement of Views prior to the Trlbunol dote. Cloire expre55ed her grotitude to the Advocatefvr the clorifi'cation, stating thot shefelt hopeful ond empowered now ond thot she wos hoppy she had decided to occept the Advocote's help. Wrltten by the partner herself: A troumotlc experience at the dentist left me unable to continue.with.my.usuol dentol health routine. One experience changed mefrom being o regulor ottendcnt ol routine dental ond dentol hygienist oppointment5, oble to discuss treatments and conf7dently represent my5¥1f, to the ¢xoct opposite: Ponic attacks and, anxiety took over notjU5t ottending the dentist but even tolking about it to onyone.. Not being able to.express yourself, your opinions or mGke informed decisions 15 on overwhelming'leeling which impocts on your 5elf-confidence.and leoves youfeeling very vulnerable. This was a,fteling I had never experienced beforq. My GP suggested o referrol to O P5ychologis¢ ond I woriked.with her to learn strotegies to help me monaqe my'(Jnxiety. 80
Regular exposure visits were orranged and eoch one resulted in complete panic. I was struggling ond osked o friend to come with me. It meont I could ht7nd over communication to myfriend, but it wos difficultfor her. She is o long-tlmefriend, too close to be impartiol. In my work I hove often referred clients to advococy never imogining thot I would need it, but I recognised that I now needed help. I mode on oppointment with Circles. I crled throughout thotfirst meeting os l endeovoured to tell my Story. The advocote wos patient, listened. and provided ti55ues. Since thotfirst meeting. she hos been on the journey with me. She hos ottended appointments Wlth me, helped with communicotion and continued to provide tissues. Having someone with me meant I couldfvcus on opplying the strotegies my psychologist tought me. I trust her ond am oble to be open with her in o way I can't with family andfriends as I don't like them to see me distressed. My odvocate ensures my questions ore osked and my concerns expressed when I con't do itfor myself.. She 15 my voice. When my anxiety and emotions get in the wt7y, she helps keep things on track. Ir A5 o result ofsupport. l om progressin4 on my journey back to regulor dental treotment, but It is slow going. l om confi'dent ond,independent in oll other oreos ollifr but ofter more thon a yeor, this Still knocks,me off myftet. . Wittsout my advocate, l.doubt.I w.ould have.been oble to change clinics, occess the treatment required or.have o soy. in what,happens to me..She hos mode o huge difference ond greotly helped. l om forever thonkful., Ir 81
Circles Rural Academy The Rural Academy Ss a hands-on alternadve education centre situated in Warwickshire. With a trauma-informed and therapeutic approach, we offer a range of vocational courses. Currently, we provide the "Horses 4 Courses" programme, created by Circles Network, which emphasises rufal and equine education. This nurturing curriculum covers topics such as rural living, independence skills. employability, and animal care, while also Integrating English and Math learnln8 through practical activities both onsiie and offsite. Additionally, we offer a variety of ASDAN courses tailored to the interests and 8oals of each partlcipant. Our outdoor learning spaces, located In log cabins and 6pecially designed gazebos, allow for year-round programming, We have a team of horses and ponies that iare carefully selected and tralned to work alongside our educators, fostering conh'dence,. trust, and,communication in children and youn8 adults. Ouj primary particlpants are often those who face challenges in traditlonal classroom envlronments, All our courses are flexible arid achievable, providing individuals the opportunity to re-en8a8e and transition back to mainstream education when suOport;hburs'. appropriate. The.academy continues to serve a diverse 8fiOUP Jof chlldren and. young adu.Its,. inclu'ding those who experlence highi levels of anxiety that hinder their ability to attend tradltional mainstream education. This includes.. Children and Young adults diagnosed wlth Autism.a.nd'.Pathologlcal Demand Avoidancei.:: IPDAI. Young people copin8 wlth dlfficult,,home sltuath0ns.and/or acting as'youn8'car.Èrs,.ri': Individuals who have faced bereavement and'various form5 of traurria. both past arid present. Children and Young adults who hav éxperienced adve-rfse childhood'traum3, including attachment trauma. Learners who are awaiting specialist'provisions and'Education, Health. and Care Plans IEHCPs1 to support-their educational advancement,. Post-16 learners with diagnoses of learning disabilitie5, learning difficulties, and F)hysical Impairments: 82
Children and Young Adults who have been temporarily excluded from mainstream secondary school and are actively working toward transitsoning to a new school. HAF projects contlnued to be a positive experience for all. Children had the chance to enga8e in equine-assisted activities, including grooming, leadlng, and therapeutic bonding sessions. These experiences not only deepened their connection wilh ihe horses but also imparted Important lessons In responsibility and empathy. Additionally. arts and crafts offered a space for children to express themselves creatively and explore varlous artistic technlques and medlums. With support from facilitators. they were encouraged to unleash their ima8lnation and produce unique pieces that showcased their personal interests, experiences, and emotions. Mentoring and Coachlng The Mentoring and Coaching programme ha5 been launched, allowing us to offer support to schools during our collaborations, This Initiative will enable u5 to reach various educational environments, providing mentoring sessions for students to discuss strategies for managing issues such as anxiety, anger, and bereavement, ultimately increasing their learning in a less conventional settlng. One of the challenges we have faced over the year is recruitment due to the prevalence of zero-hour contracts and the uncertainty of secured working hours, which has made it difficult to attract and retain candldates Another challenge we face each year Is the uncertainty around staffing needs at the start of the academic year. Since schools are often unsure of student numbers and requlred hour5, it becomes difficult for us to recruit effecrivelyi as we don't have a clear picture of siaffi'n8 requirements . Our focus for development will be in 8ardenln8, providing Indlvlduals who access our network with the opportunity to learn and develop valuable skills. Through thls inltiative, they will gain a deeper understandin8 of horriculture, includln8 how to care for, grow. and maintain gardens. We plan to build 3 polytunnel that will be accessible to 311, allowing year-round cultivation. The produce grown can then be sold in our shop, giving children and 83
young adults the chance to see the entire process from start to finish, while also contributing to the local community. In our post.COVID soclety, we have noticed a rising number of chlldren and young people who struggle to access mainstream education or become school refusers. This has highlighted the need for aliernative provision to address the noticeable increase in behaviours within school that are potentially diffi'cult to manage. Acknowledging this shift, we have proactively initiated new projects to support our community. These projects are crafted to cater to the diverse educational requirements of Individuals who encounter difficulties thrlving in traditional educational settings. We are committed to creating incluslve, nurturing environment5 to enable academlc, social and emotional 8rowth. Our dedlcation extends beyond academlc goals: we alm to cultivate resilience and a sense of belonging among OUT learners. y addressing the underlyin8 reasons for their behaviour and providlng effective alternatives, we are workln8 towards a more engaging and incluslve educational'landscape. Our partnerships go from strength to strength. worklng with more schools from the local area and working with students who are both on short-term and lon8- term placements. Alongside this we have continued to build relationships with companies in the local area such as Shine a Light, Pets at Home, BNI. member and Hoof Prints. Story of change - Leo Leo wos, Il'yeors old, ond he hod olreody been through more thafl most children his ogè. There h(3d been doys when the weiqht of everything hefelt wos so heovy that he didn't know where to put it, s0.lt ended up on his skin, leoving morks thotfoded but never trufy went away. rhe world oftenfelt too loud, t¢K much, and too fastfor Leo, ond in those moments, he was eitherfi'ghting hi5 way through it or desperotely wonting to runfrom It. Recently. thinqs hod storted to chonge. Leo was no longer in the noisy, crowded school where he d oncefrlt invisible and out of place. Now, hè is accessing our ocodemy, with focilitotors who understand him. They created soft spoces where he con go when he needs a break, ploce where he con breathe, collect his thoughts, andleel saft. Leo 0150 attended our summer activity day5 for Six hours each doy,.he Spent tim.e leorning in . a woy thotfi'nolly mode sense to him. His fvcllitators tolked to hlm obout thin¥75 thot he loved-like shorks ond dinosaurs. Hisfascination with them hod always been his e5cape,' he could tell onyone who would listen about the mighty T rex or how sharks hod survivedfvr millions of years, odopting ond evolving to their surroundings. He loved thot they were survivors, ond he begon to wonder if he was one too. 84
The chonges didn't end there. Leo ond his fvmily had recently moved to a new house. The old ploce held too many memories of hord times and night5 thatfelt too long. This new home was brighter ond bigger. with 5poces where he could be himsell. He wa5 spending more time with hisfvrnily now. leorning things together. like cooking dinner with his mum or spending time with his brothers and sister. Every day, hefelt o Ilttle closer to them, ond he reolised thot they were allfiguring things out together. Leo is leorning new things every doy. He wos dlscoverlng that he wa5 good ot moths and that he could now even begin to write his very own short story. The scors on hls skln hoven't dlsappeored, but they ore now remlnders of howfar he hos come. Ollie At our Easter HAF progromme, Ollie found himself amongst a vGriety of octivities and lively children. Initially overwhelmed, he observedfrom the sidellnes. he51tant to joln In. However, gentle positive words Irom ourfacilitotors and the friendly comradeship of the other children encouraged him to enjoy and porticipate in octivities. Doy by doy, Ollie tentatively explored new octivities whilst hesltont toAully engage. he gradually became le55 anxious around other5. Whether It was pointlng Eosteregqs or ploying outdoor gomes, each experlence brought hlm o sense of belonging, As he interacted with hls peers, he d15covered common interests ond shored loughter, slowly Aorging bonds that he did not think possible. It Was Ollie s encounters with the minioture Shetlond ponies thot truly enhonced his time ot Circle5 Network. Atfirst. the sight of the ponie5 mode Ollie onxious ond scored. Yet, with gentle encourogementfrom the older children and the patient guidance of the teom members. Ollie found the couroge to opprooch them with core. A5 he tentatively reached out to Stroke their 50ft coot5, hefelt colm in their presence. He smiled and loughed ot their gentle demeanour ond ployful antics, fi'nding comfort in their 85
company. With eoch visit to the yard, Ollie s confidence soored, hi5 ftar graduolly replaced by o newfound sense of empowerment. Through his interoctions with the ponies, Ollie leorned valuable lesson5 about trust potience, ond self-ossuronce. He discovered thot couroge w05 not Gbout beingfearless but rather aboutfocing hls ftors head-on, one small step at a time. And 05 he nurtured his bond with the ponies ond the other children. hefound himself gmwing more confident in his own obilitles. By the end of the Easter programme. Ollle hod undergone o remarkable transformation. No longer the timid young boy who hod joined us for thefi'rst time, he emerged with his head held high, o sparkle of confidence in hi5 eyes. With his newfound love of horses and the great experiences of his time ot the Easter programme. Ollie mode a plea thot wouldlurther expond hi5 resilience. Inspired by his growth and the supportive community he hodfound.. Ollie 5 Mum eagerly obliged ond enrolled him in the Soturday club ot Circles Network where he has mode quite on impoct and a lovely new set oAArlends. Flaunt and Flourllsh- Urban Academy 86
Circles Network have created a new well-being training school, in the heart of Rugby for people to come along and socialise, receive treatments in hair and beauty from trained practitioners alongside our attentive students. At Flaunt & Flourlsh the educational provi5ion1s accessed by students from the Circles Academv aged 13 and above who may encounter everyday life challen8e5. At our salon we encourage our studenls to participate in practical vocational training activities, including hair and nail care, photography, and customer service tO8ether wlth an emphasis on life skills that encourage self- esteem and independence such as ¢leanin8 and tldylng, effective communlcationi goal settin8 and problem solvlng. support hours Our students are introduced to Ihe team via local schools who recognise that their students would beneh't from a communlty envlronment in which to learn and develop. Funding arrangemeDt5 are agreed through our inclusion on the Alternative Éducatlon Framework with Warwickshire County Council. ,.The Flaunt & Flourlsh Salon is not lust about hair and beauty; it is about empowerment, independence, and personal growth. We provide a"supportive communlty in which individuals can ..practice job preparation skills, allowin8 "part?cipant5 to find their unique path to success. Four highlights th15 year Include: Circles Network $CceSsfUllY opened Flaunt &. Flourlsh In collaboratson with Milkshake and Belle Peau Welcomin8 our first students to Flaunt & Flourish: Collaboratlng wlth local businesses and charltSes wlio'have o'fferè'd theiè Filactica I'support. and donations.. Partnerln8 wlth a local charity supportin8 chlldren wlth cancer to provide them and their families with pamper sessions. 87
There were a few challenging moments during the year. and we faced a problem with the utilities at the salon; meaning that the salon could not be opened for three days foi health and safety reasons. This is now resolved. A new boiler was later required, which we had not expected. this led to the closure of the salon for a few days. Durln8 thls closure we relocated the students to our rural hub in Ru8by, so that their provision was continued. A5 Students en8a8ed in new learning through their attendance at the salon. it became apparent that some young people had slipped behind in several Subjects throu8h long absences from school. As their contidence grew in happier surroundings. we encouraged a nevdound aptitude for learning and in collaboration wlth local schools, have hired a tutor, specialising in English and maths to work Indlvidually with any learner who expresses an Interest. Flaunt & Flourlsh opened In July 2023, after the covid pandemlc. Due to school closure during the pandemlc, Clrcles Network are aware of the challenges some students had to face once schools had re-opened. Thls Is still affecting many young people, impacting on thelr current education placements and the need, for some, f()r a vocatlonal alternative, Since openin8 Flaunt & Flourish in July 2023 we have beèn WDrkin8 With local Schools and have developed great partnerships Wlth them. Our person-centred approach allows us to work with this schools to nurture the wellbeing of the students. 5taff.from Ihe'schools have been pleased to see the impact of the support provided to their students'and they have taken the time to vlsit on a regular basis, further strengthenlng the bonds. We plan on increasing student placements in the coming year and look to open further urban vocational opportunlties for vocational Options. Story of Change - Ella Ello is 14 yeors old. She. is a.young person with doily struggle5, these rongefrom.onxiety. onger, ond o dislike.oj troditionol educotionol environments. She hos settled into the solon environment ond hos ropidly chonged her outlook on learning. Through our person-centred opproach she h05 found her voice and is working through her insecurities. Since ottending the solon, she hos become more resilient. which Is helplriq to build her cohfidence. She is engoging with other students, overcoming her 5truggles.with trust. She now porticipotes in 88
both procticol ond ocodemic leurning. Although Ello has not been with us long, we hove noticed the progress she is moking ond ore delighted to note thefriendships she 15 building. We, along with her porents ond her school team are looking forword to watching her flourish. Joanne Joanne is 0 24-yeor-old young womon, who 15 diognosed with globol developmentol delay, Gutism, speech, and longuoge diffi'cultie5. When we met with Joonne, we learned thot she struggle5 Wlth relationships with people outside of herfomily, ond experiences anxiety at the onset of loud noises or unexpected change. She sought comfort in behoviour ond choice5 oppropriote to a much younger person. Joonne ottends Circles Network to encouroge her inclusion in communlty, to acce55 Jurther leorning ond employment opportunitie5 ond to leornfi-rst-hGnd experience5 through practical ond vocotionol opportunities. Herfi'rst chollenge5 involved building relotionships with Aocilitotors SO thot Joonne couldfeel Safe qnd build trust in her new, unfamiliar environment. Workin9 closely with Joonne. using o person-centred opprooch, and encouraging posltive behaviour ho5 given her o sense of security. We emborked on a leornlng progromme to develop communicati.on skills, build her understanding of adult life, ond gradualfy implement new activities. The connections she hos mode with other students ore growing ond'she enjoys contributing to group tosks, worklng together. She is ortistic ond loves being involved in drawing, jewellery moking, hoirstyling ond.hos reèently begun to,moke.,drinks ond,snocks. by herself. Although Joanne still'requlres reossuronce. she Is delighted when she h05 accomplished new skills. Inltlolly terrlfied when heorlng r'he vocuum cleoner In operotlon, she now uses It herself. She enjoy5 welcoming client5 to the solon and helps them get settled, she will assist with stock taking (Jnd with cleaning Shelves ond bu5in5. Her enthu5ia5m in c'hatting to people she.hos got to know Is.wonderful to,Seé,.:Her parents ore thrllled that she hos chonqed in so mony ospects,.showing gr¢o.ter confi'dence ond having much to tolk.about. Joanne hos more to lookforword to no.w thot she is overcoming herfears ond concern5. Her new interest5 Involvefashion and shoppingfvr clothes and jewellery, réRlaclng toy5 and dolls for shoes ond croft Items. She olso attends the rurol hub and loves the horses and Jolnlng In cookery cla55es 89
with the Cofe Fridoy crew. We believe that She is beginning tofiount her previously hidden bright and lively per50nolity. Taking the Lead - Rugby 90
At Circles Network. we believe in the power of Equine-F3cilitated Learning to bring about profound and positive change in the lives of young people. Our project offers a distinctive and comprehensive approach to personal developmeni, catering to individuals facing diverse challenges. such as autism. anxiety. disability, behavioural challenges. or a desire for personal growth. The programme begins with a warm introduction to our equine partners, where participants learn about horse beh3ViOUf. care. and communication. This foundational knowledge seis the stage for a lourney of self- discovery and empowerment. Expansion of programme reach.. One of the significant achievements of the Taking the Lead programme over the past fiscal year has been the successful expanslon of Its reach. We have managed to extend our services to more children and families In need, This growth was facililated by strategic partnerships with local schools and community centres, which helped us identify and support more children facing developmental challenges. The Increased vlsibillty and accessibility of the programme have allowed us to make a greater impact in our community, providin8 essential support to a wider audience. 4* Comrnunlty Engagement and Awareness Campaigns.. Increaslng awareness about the benefit5 of equine facilitated learnlng has been a prlority. Over the past fiscal year, we launched several communitv engagement and awareness campaigns. These included open house event5, workshops, and informational session5 airned at educating the public about our programme and Its irnpart. These efforts have not only helped us reach potential new particlpants but also built a strong network of 5UPPOrters and advocates In the communlty. The campaigns have enhanced our vlslbillty and credibility, leadin8 to increased Interest and support from volunteers and local buslnesses. Positive Participant Outcomes.. The past year brought about remarkable success storie5 from our Equlne-Facilitated Learnln8 programme. Many young people who participated in our programme experienced transformative personal growth. We documented numerous Instances of increased self-esteem, reduced anxiety, and improved interpersonal skills shown by partlclpants. Parents and caregivers reported si8nih.cant positlve chan8es in the lives of their children. affirming the programme's impact on their overall well-being. These heartwarming Success storles served as powerful motivators for our dedicated team of facilitators, reinforcing our commitment lo making a difference in the lives of young people. 91
Adaptin8 to Diverse Participant Needs.. As the programme expanded, so did the diversity of the participants, needs. Each child comes with unique developmental challenges, requiring personalised approaches and intervention5. While our team is highly skilled, the varying degrees of speech delays, emotional issues, and social difficulties necessitated a more tallored approach than initially anticlpated. Ensuring that each child recelved the appropriate level of attention and support, we adapted our programme to cater to such a broad spectrum of needs and completin8 ongoing adjustments and continuous professional development. Maintaining Consistent Programme Quality- Ensuring consistent quality across all aspects of the pro8ramme proved challenging as the number of participants and activittes Increased, Wlth the expansion, it became essential to maintain ambitious standards in every session. from the interaction with the horses to the delivery of therapeutic activities. Variability in session quality was sometimes noted due to differences in facilitators, experience levels, fluctuations in volunteer support, and varying participant needs. Addre55ing thi5 challenge involved developin8 more robust training programmes for facllltators. Implementing standardised procedures, and conducting regular evaluations to monitor and ensure the quallty of the programme remalned consistently high. In response to the diverse needs of our participants and the goal of enhan.cin8 therapeutic outcomes, we have recently introduced sensory integration activities.into the Takin8 the Lead pro8ramme. This Innovative approach aims to provide additional support for children. with sensory processing challenges, which are often present alon85ide developmental delays such as speech and social inleraction difficulties, Sensory Tralls and Stallons: We have developed sensory trails and stations around the site, incorporating various textures, sounds, and visual stimuli. Thesé stations allow children to èxplore whilst leading the ponles to Interact wlth differen't Sensory eleme'nts In a safe environment. Incoiporatin8 Sensory Elements into Existin8 Aetivities: Existing actlvlties, luch as brushlng and ground exerclses, have been modlfled to Include sensory components. For example,'different brushes and textures are used during brushing, and obstacle courses now feature sensory elernents like varied surfaces and lactile materials. We plan to continue refbnlng and expanding our sensory integratlon offerlngs based on feedback and observed outcomes. Re8ular assessments and updates to the sensory plans will ensure that each child receives the most effective support. Addition311y, we aim to create resources and workshops for parents. helpin8 them understand sensory processing Issues and how to support their children at home. 92
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been felt in various facet5 of society. including Equine Facilitsted Learning programmes like ours. Here is how we noticed a change in the specific issues we addressed among our participants considering the pandemic: The pandemic brought increased awareness of mental health issues. and many individuals sought out our programme as a means of coping with heightened stress, anxiety. and isolation during the pandemic. Speclflc Challen8es Among Participants Anxiety and Stress: One of the most common issues we encountered among our participanis after the pandemic was the heightened j anxiety and stress. The uncertainty and dlsruption caused by COVID- 19 have taken a toll on mental well-being. Taking the Lead has proven effective in providing a sense of calm and stabilitv. Social Isolation: The re5trlttions on social gatherlngs and activlties led to increased Social isolation for many individuals. Taking the Lead not onty offered opportunities for outdoor interactions but also connections with the horses, and other children promoting ? sense pf companionshlp and belon8ing, Developing partnerships With our volunteers, Hoofprints Ridin8 S¢hool, Pets at Home, and the Co-op biou8ht..many additional assets.to our Taklng ihe Lead pro8ramme'5 commitment to community engageffjent and sustainablllty. Partnershlps wlth Volunteers The Taklng the Lead programme.has successfully r,e¢rulted dedicated volunteers who share a passion for Equine Therapeutic Learnin8 and the well-being of oyr p.articipants. These volunteers offer their time and expertise to support.the programme's activities. Partnershlp with Hoofprlnts Ridlng School To expand the reach and effectiveness of the Taklng the Lead programme, we have established a partnership with Hoofprints Rldlng School. This collaboration alms to enrich the experlences of our participants Ihroug'h shared resources, rlding, expertise, and complementary prO8rammes. Partnership with the Co-op and Pet5 at Home Poth the Co-op and Pet5 at Home, through th¢ir &en¢rous involvement extended beyond linancial support: They offered fundraisin8 op.portunities, such as community fundraising initiatives, to help generate resources for our Taking the Lead programrne. Story of Change - Freya 93
Freya, a 13-yeor-old girl, hos been attending our Toking the Leod se5sionsfor one hour each week. Her progress In these se5sion5 hos given her the confidence to join our Saturdoy Club, where she now porticipotes forsix hours every Soturdoy. Freya begon ottending Toking the Lead sessions with o degree of apprehension. Initially shy ond reserved, she gradually become more engoged and confi'dent through consistent participation and encouragement. Over time. Freyo has developed essential leodership skills ond improved herobility to tommunicGte ond collaborote with peers. These 5e5sions hove provided her with a safe spoce to express herself and build her self-esreem. Building on her succe55 in Taking the Lead, Freyo is lovlng her participatlon at Soturdoy Club. o significont step that highlight5 her growing confi'dence ond enthusiasm. The extended duration of the Soturdoy Club sessions ollows Freya to Immerse herself rnore deeply In our equine focilitoted learning octivities. She hos adopted well to the longer sessions, showlng increosed stomlno ond o positive ottitude towords the vorious tosks ond chollenges presented to her. Freya hosformed a Special bond wlth our horse, Ebony, during her tlme ot Saturdoy Club. Initlollv tentotive, Freya quickly.grewfond of Ebony's gentle ond calm demeonour. Through regulor brushlng, octivities, ond spending tlme t¢ether. thelr connection has deepened. Ebony's potient noture hos provided Freya with o sense of comfort and confidence, helping her to open up and trust more e05ily. This bond hos been In5trumentol in Freya 5 emotional growth, und she h05 extended her sklll set. Freyo recently porttcipoted In o horse-ridinq trip orgonised by ourfacilitotors. Despite the presence of many 5tudentS She did.not know, Freyo opprooched the experience with openness ond excitement. Her willingness to engoge with new peers and try new octivltie5 showed her growing 50cioI confidence and"adoptobility. Freya had afantostic time during the trip, forming newfriendships ond demonstroting her ability to thrive in unfomilior sociol settings. Freyo hos been experiencinq difficulties ot school. which hove impacted her acodemic performance and overall well-being., Despite these chollenges. she hos shown resilience ond determinotion in her effort5 to,overcome them. Her participation in our progromme has provided her with 0 supportive environment where she con escope the pressures of school (Jnd.focus on her personol growth. Freya's grandmother hos expressed interest in hoving her attend our olternative provision progromme starting In september. This progromme ¥vould offer Freya o tollored educorional 94
experience, combining L7cademic learning with the theropeutic benefit5 of equine fvcilitated octivities. 95
Ready, Steady, Go! _ Midlands Ready Steady Go is a project funded through BBC Children in Need. The aim is to provide support for disabled or disadvantaged children, from birth to 5 vears old. through sessions which link with the early years, foundation stage. Parents and carers are In attendance and gel the opportunity lo socialise and make new friends durin8 the six-week programme. Children learn, alongside ponies and each other; development skills In relationshlp building, lan8uage and communlcation, early maths, and literacy, play and relaxation. We have promoted the pro8ramme widely to include children in this age 8roup who have been adversely affected by the pandemic, knowing that those years have prevented m05t little ones from sociali5in8 Wlth anyone outside of their c105est family members. Childpen in Need Increased Parent and C3reBlver Involvement., The programme empha515ed the importance of involving parents and care8ivers In the learnlng process. Ready Steady Go introduced workshops where adults could learn how to support their children's development through equine-facilitated activlties. These sessions strengthened the bond between children and their caregivers, offering lools to enhance communication and emotional connectlon In everyday Ilfe. Feèdback hlghlighted how these workshops empowered parents to continuè supporting their chlldren's growth beyond the sessions. 105 chIldn supported Positive Impact on Early Socialisatlon.. The programme made signllicant strides in enhancing early socialisation skills among children under five years of age. Through carefully designed group activities, young partTcipants"learned to cooperate, share, and communicate effecrlvely while en8a8in8 With the horses. The structured yet playful envlronment provided a safe space for children to practlce social skills, leading to increased confi'dence and smoother transitions into nursery or preschool settings. This aspect of the programme was particularly pralsed by parents and care8ivers, who notlced Improved social interactions in the children's daily live5. Successful Communlty Outreach: ReadySteadyGo launched a serie5 of community outreach. and awareness campaigns aimed at educatlng the public about the benefits of 96
equine-facilitated learning for young children. Through local events. social media, and partnerships with early childhood centres. the programme successfully raised awareness and attracted new families. This initiative not only increased programrne enrolment but also a greater understanding Wlthin the community of how interactions wilh horses and time in nature can support early childhood development in unique and meaningful ways. Seasonal Limitations and Weather Conditions.. Weather-dependent activlties wlth animals brings challenges due to seasonal variations or adverse weather conditions. Low ternperature5, heavy rains and other weather-related constraints sometimes impacled u5 as we used the cabin or the stables to ensure we could keep children sheltered. Adapting to Diverse Developmental Sta8es'. Ready Steady Go faced the challenge of effectively tailoring its activities to the wide range of developmental stages among the chlldren. Slnce this 38e group covers significant developmental differences, from toddlers to those approaching sthool age, creating sessions that met the varied needs and abilities of all participant5 required careful plannin8 and flexibility. However, the team ensu red that each activlty was en8a8ln8 and benefi'clal for chlldren at distlnct stages of development, whlle maintaining group dynamics and safety. Expandln8 the pro8ramme by addlng an extra course each week reflects a commltment to accommodatin8 the needs of the parricipants and their families. By offering an additional set of sesslons, the pro8rarnme became more accesslble to famllies with varying schedules. This flexibility allowed more children to participate, accommodating those who could not attend the previous schedule due to conflicts or logistical reasons. This also enabled us to Increase the numbers of ch'lldren supported. Changes in Participant Behaviour and Needs: The pandemic may have Influenced children's behavlour and emotlonal needs, wlth some experiencing increased anxiety or soclal challenges due to the extended periods of isolation and chahBes in routine. A5 a result, Ready Steady Go ha5 5UPPOrted these altered needs, focusing more on emotional well- belng, socSal re-integration, and 8radual adjustments to group activities. Challenges with Consistency of Attendance: Post-COVID, Ready,Steady Go ha5 experienced fluctuations In attendance due to ongoing uncertainties and change5 In famlly circumstances. With varying levels of comfort and shlftin8 priorities, some famllles have struggled to maintain consistent participation. This inconsistency has impacted the children's 97
learning experience. We aim to invite them back for further sessions once disruptions ale settled. Increased Credibility and Visibility.. Collaborating with a well-respected organisation like BBC Children in Need enhanced the pro8ramme's credibility and visibility. 8eing associated with such a reputable partner has elevated Circles Network's profile, attratted more participants, and stren8thened relationships with other stakeholders, such as local authorities, nurseries, and potential donors. This hei8htened visibility mlght have encouraged more families to enrol their chlldren in the programme. recognising it as a trusted and worthwhile in itiative. Story of Change - Pheobe Phoebe. o bright ond curious 4-yeor-old girl, comes from o supportiveAomlly environment. Phoebe hos foced chollenges typicol ol her oge. Including difficulty In expre55ing emotions, adjusting to new environment5, ond developing sociol Skills. Herfamily recognises the Importonce of eorly childhood intervent70n ond enrolled Phoebe in Reody Steady Go to support her holistic development. Before jolnlng Ready Steody Go. Phoebe struggled wlth sepororion anxiety, shyness, and Ilmlted communication skills. These chollenges Inhibited her obility to engage with peers. express herself confidently, and navigate new experiences independently. Phoebe's p(7rentS expressed concerns about her rF.adinessfor preschool. ond hoped that our proqromme would provlde her with the necessary.ski11s and confi¢ence to succeed. During Phoebe's parriclpotion in Reody Steody Go, severol positlve chonges'.have been observed in'her development. Phoebe has blossomed into G more confident and outgolng young girl. Through engoglng activities and interactions with. peers. facilit(7tors, ond horses. she ha5"gained the 5elf-ossurance to explore her i. I surroundings, exprèss her t.houghts and emotions. ond interoct co'nfi'dently with others. Reody Steody Go hos provided Phoebe with many opportunities, to,develop e55entiol sociol ski115. Engaging with both peers ond horses In'our equine therapeutic learning environment, she hos leorned to share, toke turn5, and collaborote. laying o solldfoundotionfor.poslt7ve soclal interoction5. Pho.ebe's longuJge,ond communication skills hove.thrived during her time in the progromme. Through storytelling, slnglng,'ond interac,tive games,"she has exponded her vocabulary, Improved orticulation, ond gained confidence in qxpressing herself verbolly. 98
Phoebe hos shown remorkoble progress in building independence ond resilience. With the encourogement of ourfacilitotor5 and the gentle support of our equine portners. she hos leorned to tackle new challenges with enthtssiasm, problem-solve independently. ond embrace new experlences with conft'dence ond curiosity. Engoging in o variety of sensory ond physicol activities, including interactions with horses, hos enhanced Phoebe's fine ond gross motor skills. From pointing tynd drawing to outdoor play and equine-05515ted exercises, she hos developed coordinotion, bolonce, and strength, all goodfor her physicol development. The Reody Steady Go proqramme hos hod o profound impoct on Phoebe's overoll development ond readinessfor preschool. Her parents ore thrllled ot howfvr she hos come in o brief time. 8y combining eorly childhood educo170n with the theropeutic benefit5 of equine interaction, ourprogromme has empowered Phoebe to thrive ond Succeed. 99
REPORfoFThE INDEPEIIOEiifAuDifoAS TO ThETAUSTeEs ANO.MEMBERS OF
aRCLES NEtWORK
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RepoRTOF THEINDEPENDENY AUWORS TO TriETAUSTEES AND.MEMaERSOF CIRCLES IIEJWORK Mjners whlehwe thre vewiiedloreport by ¢x¢pplF IN the Ilhl of Ll8 knowl¢dgtr arrf Unaer51aDdlng ol the ¢harttable eonwatsy Its 0rOrment ¢M¥ln•d In Ihe.¢0Ue of Ihtr i¥¢ have nol Idefttsfd n)aleiial mlsthlem2Tr1y iftlhe Rowt ollhe Tfystets. Wve have #othlng lo wport of the foRvAIfig mattern re Ihe c%#3 Acl 0$ Ihe Cltaiities Accouhts (Seojland) Regulations 2006 (as )Iiwi>d¢dl reqiilffj u$lo ieport ID y¢uK Ih our ¢t4"nlon.' Jd¢qlte proper )¢uJynting iecoyds hive nal been ke cr lettsins adequate for wi audit have not b¢•nVe0frQrn bro¢¥ nrl $StE£l ty fifiin¢ialslJl¢nients arè ntsl In Agr¢¢meni Ihe omntlng iecor4Jg arnl r¢kn4' cert1[$£10$URj of In¢sfeu' f¢niuneialioD sptt4f+8d tylatyi are nol mul#; or Ive hav8 rtotreethd the Inftsirnthtion and wlaftHlt¢n5vre iewlrnfoiouraud: or the lye nol enliled lo lake JOvJnlage tho Smafi ¢ornpard¢5 ex¢nwlion frm? towep8re a Stsatsgk Report ly in w¢parfn9 th¢ Report DI th? YnJsl. ktsp¢>n$Iblll60I tm#tse# As exkYalnBd mDrt In SlaleffnI ol Trtle¢s. Resrthshbaitie4 the ITU5t•ts we"fesporisiknlt Iw'1h pr¢puab'on otthe fiThan¢lal slatemenl$ afid fw belry satt5fj•d Ihatlheywkn i ¢N• and lolr thi, •t¥s 6uoh ini¢mJl ¢ontiol 07 the lrtwttes. doleimln¢ Fs 5$¥ry lti eno• th• pletIon of finMd¥ •t•l¢rnents tbat e freèfr¢rn m4leAtsl m158tthinen¢ ith¢lhetdue lo tiaud ¢1 ¢rior. Its PFPWtll9 the Inint411 tIi¢ffn th• IN$tsos arè re9pMle lor 0ss&8iw4 Ihé ¢onyaTh •bS11ty Io rKInnut ay 4 901rtg c¢fi¢em. <11sdoylfig, aa apocabie. mthilen rtlalod'lo golnk Coneem and U9 th¢.goln9 con¢ein basls of ?Gwvnor#J ¥ns$ lh• trpJsk¢s eltheilntend 1o154uid•te therhar*thlE+ u1mpv or loce•5¢ og¢roloAg. 91 havo altemobve but ¢Odo s ioi
R£POIITOF THEINDEp&eoENT AUDifoRS TO THETRUSTees AND MEhl8EPSOF CIRCLESIIETVIORK Our re¥pomi Ilttles tsr the tudrt of the ffininelal 8totefftBnts Oui ¢¥eciives ait t• ¢blJln i¢asonable asSur•e vAYethOf thar¢lol $14teniefits as J iyholè a Ie Imm matetlal mlsstatmeni ithether ¢Jue to or eNoF, arKI lo tssve e Relrt of the Independenl Authors Ihal In¢fud¢s our opinlon. Reasoftlble aswrance is a hlgh Yel ot aswYafio6, bth 1$ a guarantee that tudit c4)dts¢led In t1 bSA% (UK) viin •hiiays ete¢l a nbateiial fflisslifem¢nt vihen 11 t5. MISalemen19 eaTh Ironi Irau6 or¢Tror and are considereo morfal If. tn¢rrfk1¥ally orln Iht theycovld reasonttbly be txpeded th irtfluence tho ¢¢onw4e d¢dslws vl vs¢ts ¢n on the basbofmfffiartOal stalernerf$. Il•¢nl l•wNGhvury¢¢edur¢$4rn¢apa rf¢Jet4¢kng lffe9uthrflle4kncJ¥I4fr4 l detrd liityulaNfls. b¥Judinq traJ, Jre irotsn¢es of NomplI• I1h lows and Itllthi1ion& We design procedvfeg In fine our r¢sponsibNies, ¢Tred ab¢v¢, lo derA malertal sSIa1MENt9 In resgec1 of Sii¢gvlaiities, indudln9 Irau& 0b1ecbes ol fyjr aLtdit aro (o obtlTr seThI apwoprijtè authl ¢Sen¢9 regIn9 tom10 vAth l&prJ nO rtpulatlong that have a dii¢d eff tsn the delermln4Uoh ol n)Alenal anwunts rftsdosuie tn the fin4Ddal sfat¢ment& lo pertCm) I1[0¢tdUr¥ lomlp thnlity ir1rA5 of n¢n4aTrplianc olhei la%¥$ o9ulafjofj8 Ihai may have a material efftrl on th¢ finartcial stalw)tI and tg respor1 approprf31ety to bJontifd oi &P0¢1e¢l nonurnplTran¢e 516th and rtgulalions lJenUft¢ rirythem In r•lit5on lo Iravd. th obdi¥e> ol audll ¥r• Idefi¥fy and asjem the rfsx olmJerfal mlssi•tem•nl al thè statemeThis due 10 fraud. obtuiti sulThdertl appr¢wlalt audil ¢dencE regarding the aG$essed rfsts of m4trfal rnlsslj1tJcntr¢1¥ to rrn Ihrougl 1nI9 4rtl Implemting apprOlat0 resportses and lo rEsptrnd apwoprfafety lo fr#ud or suspedéd fra1 klenUfid dudn9 Ihe atKbL rtthy¢v•r. 11 l¥ tho prlmary o11Nsttte$, ¥.A¢h ikn'twthslghl tyf tho¥¢ ¢h41ytd g0vemcK lo •rts1¢ the enli opernllons art ¢ortdKted Tn de¢0ar& vAh IIA. wovfolM of iavrg aNI re9vlallons and th• and detectton of traud. 81sed oh our und¢rnlandimJ ol th earfty, iiits Idenifi•d Ihal the pdTht(pJl tlsts 01hthKilp11anct vllh latr arttl r¢141od to Ult Charfllès Ael 2011, and ive the &xl¢nt lotrhlch novAThptyan¢• t hava a 'mJteOal eifxl cn Ihe ffnanclal statern¢r We ovaluJed managemenl's In¢t•lN¢¥ aml tspporf¥JnIu ror frnudulenl niJnlpuialoD ot Ihe fina[41 9laiem¢nl fjtsthdiiig th• #l tyerrtda of ,¢•ntrol8k and d¢l¢hYdn•d thal Ihe prfn¢lpal rts$ 4vert teliled to th? poytln9 of Inapwoprtalc iourDal #nltl& and maolgomertl blps lp key w¢c¢untkng judgtmenls and ¢stirnal¢?. lft i6tnlifylfy) and isserj rtsk3 of mtsstrnffit ofln•gulaNl&., lTrJudkn9 frau4 th¢ authiengaytympht t, . oblalrtgd ar und•is1iAJno 01 Ihe legal aftd regulatw fraM¢w1hal th• 4htrliy cwrtt•i In Ifid hthii Lbe c¢•nly1s ¢rWNg ¥rtth th¢ it141 ar ie•thilory ulr¢d manJgennl tw$t8es. about lIr id8nlJftullon an¢F asgessment of lh¢ rlsk? ¢1 Iwvlailttes. In¢lutho any 4etsai su4pu¢t¢il•r all¢g¢d Irthn¢es ¢ffraud.' . 5cussed maN¢rs rtoA4¢mpllanM wdh lo1 and 9¥110$ arrfl how ihl fyxwr InrJud1rn9 assessment of.lthv and vAwetho ffftaNail stslBrwtts m4y be sus¢ephNtto tray4. - rthlttved fflknules •f m¢¢liios ¢f the eovd ol TntStees to Idinlty $lwlkanl w UNnV)I lrtnsactlong ind . re¥lewed accounting estimales Iw and .evalUalw htit¢W wth1urJng any bla4 ieposenl J ofthaletlalffllsslatèment.due tofm¢E Jrmt tseuui¢ol'th• Inhw¢nl 4n414!lon9 ol•naudlt. Ih8rn1s'• rflkthal"w• wlll Mtdel•d •lINegl•1ff)4 IncludlTrg Ihos?18adkng to a nuterfaj wlsslalemeol In the rthaficiJl slalemenlg or rtheompUaThtt¢ wAth ¢eyation. Thb rfskSnteases the ffjOTe Ih41Santt i,Ah a lavioi fe9ulalicn Is lom the eYtnt5 Iw3aons Iled&l in ts financ1 sl*ernery15. vie v&1 be leys fikety lo become .01 uBlances of n0twrfiln The rtsk 15 atso gr¢alts f¢#ardln9 ine#iilarttles lo fravd ralhei thBn eryow. a9 fraud InvolWS inl¢nllotha1¢arualrt forgery. C$10 •ngssloD ormlyey¢Mnlth 102
REPORT OF THE INDEPENDEKf AUDrroRS TO THE TRUSTEES AND MEMBERS OF CIRCLES NETWORK A fvrther dewiplion of our responslbllilles for the audit ol the financial stalemenl¥ is localed on the financial Reportln9 Councifs vRb3ile at VWAv.frc.oro.ukliudrtow¢sponslbillti. Th1$ deseAiption lormg part of our Report of Ihe Independent Auditor¥. U8e of OUT Teport Thi> report19 mad¢ ¥olely lo Ihe charbl4bl¢ companys memberg, as a body. th accoan Chapter'3 of Part 16 01 Ihe Companieg Act 2006. arKI to the challlable companys trustees, as a tthly, In attonlance vlilh Regulation 10 of the Charilles Aaunt9 (S¢olland) Regulationg 2006. Our aurfrt ivork has been undertaken so Ihal ive might stale lo the charilable eompanys m8mbern and Ihe truslees those mailers vie are requifed lo slala to them In'an auditors. report and for no other purpose. To th¢.fvlle$l extenl perniitted by 11, we do ftot acc¢pl or assume responsSbilty to anyone other than Ihe charflable company and the eharitaljle companls membws as a body, for our audit woiK forthls reporL or for the opiTrM$ Ive have fomd. MIchel Vincent (Senlor Slalutory Auditor) lor and on behaN ol FNltion Athlsory LLP eligible lo acl as an auditor ift temx of Section 1212 of the Cornpaftreg A¢t 2006 29 Wood Streel SlraffordauponAvon C7 Datè. ...21.1.111.4.* ............... 103
CIRCLES NETWOR1( 5TATEMENTOF FIMAIIC4AL ACTivm. ES IINCORPOAAnNG AN INCOMEANOEXPEIIOITURe ACCOUNTJ FOR TIIEYEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2Q24 2tr24 umes1rfe Re1$fIed Total rvnts No1es INCOME ANO ENoOWMEls FROM Ooft•Uort$ 4NI10oad¢s 247 Cb•iitible acti¥itle$ Irtott frtyn Ch&frtalJltrAefvlUes 1.41?44 477,111 1m7J55 1.72l115 lrtv¢stm¢nlln¢¢o Ot1r1¢m '13.114 1 882 125 Trfal 2 671702 477358 60 2719959 EXPENOITURE ON Chgritable actlvilies Exoendllur# fr¢vn trthwllabl• AlIeS lftv¢stnwts NEfiNCOME 244146 114,474 331135 Nfflfflovemenl Inlund• 276.ty28 gIS91 37Q,619 332.135 RECOMCIUATION OF FUIIOS Tffjal luftds'brou9 1.4241,12 104,491 I.20468 TOTAL FUNDS CARRieD F017WARO COPrnIIUING OPERATIOMS and &wAdllure has araen t10mlnUthl •dbAtles. 104
CIAeLes NETWORK STATEMENT OF FIP4AHCIAL POSrnO 31 lt4RCH 2024 ¢te$ xeDAsseTS Tarolble Jsxl 12. 107.7QS %7JOY CURRENT ASS$ Ob11)ts Inv¢slrn¢nts 13 14 15 3271 265,9YS X)0.$40 247.847 1087 740 lJ44,454 1.636,127 eREroR$ Iillrfj thiewttlth Iyear 16 0441) DSS,WJii NÉT CURRE#T ASSEFS 7 1480296 TOTAL ASSEfs LESS CURRENT LIA81LITIES 1.gOJJ22 1.$37.603 IIET ASSETS L272 1 $32 803 AINDS UAioslrlel8d fund Q¢n¢iol fynd qTrJted fvnd 19 1,613,515 1,298,748 129 364 A4strfd•611mdY: R¢31rfc124 fjjftd 104 491 YOTAL FUNDS.. il)14wnl¥ hAv• bèen ITh K¢onlan¢• Yllh th• appkat4• f• charfla Th¥ f ents i¥ece appMv•d eoarf ol TnAlee$ #nd 4thh¢rfsed lty tswe o .. •nd i¥tr• At4 •'n ItJ•haN by.. 105
CIRCLESNEIWOAK STAfEMENV OF CASM FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENL)EO 31 MARCH 2024 2024 Ce8h Ilowsfrom wr8tlnoa¢tivitie$ sh oeneoledfrw owralirm Nel oro¥lde& by op¢r48N actjvfttes 264AOI Caih IILWAty Irom Inv¢$llng acti¥1¢ Pui¢ha$8 01 tan9lble 6x¢d assets Sale ol *aNjIe awts irtefO3tKe¢¢lved 115,968) P3,616) Chènop ITr cashaAd eash equfvaleTrt• ITr th¢ perfod Cash ond e88h ¢qul¥alent• •t'tr beglnnlng of th• rnPOo pertod 194.447 Yd&038 7S Co¥h ond ¢a?h ¢qufval¢nts eml af thè repon Ptod 1087 740 106
CIRCLES NEJWORK NOTES YO Tme STATEMENT Of eAStt FLOWS FOR The YEAR ENOE031 MARCH 2024 ReCoMCIUATN OF NET IXCOME.TO MEfcASM FLOW FROhfOPERATINGACTIVITIES Ilelln¢otxtsiht gerioo l•& the St•iemeniof rinaAel81 AGtsvilie$l AdjustnntS for. O¢preclatlDn (GaInOsseS onlnvoiimtnts Los8llpr¢fiilon 41wsalo1 Inlerest (thtreasoydecftage In deblors Ov¢reastln ¢edlltslS 31111$ 332.135 27,010 8,129) 26.7S4 12,271 (6,N2) ¢2.293) 101.n2 3,11 S.7ai Mil.¢4ih provld by•peiAllon• AIIALYSISOF CNAIIGes IN NEf Fllllos A1114m JiW24 Ilet ¢Jifi. Cash al barl¢ aThl kn haml 1.282 187 Uqulil re?ou¢¥ Q¢ptysll¥ Irktludeo lft t•¥h 247 647 0?6 Tolol 107
orRCLES tIEfwoRK MQTe$ TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMWS FOII TIIE YEAR ENDED 31 RCH 2024 ACCOVlfflWG poucies 8oiis ol prepailng the financlal 8tatrm¢nts C•de$ Nehyort Is a lte C6mpaJry ty guai4Aleo lft EWafi(I I Walt& In li weni olthe bling i¥outrJ up. Ihe Imlity In fespecl ol Ihe guaiantee ts limtsd to E'l per meniber of I Charfly. The •Sdr¢$s ol lh• Ir•glst¢r¢d offKt ts qlveD In ih chjrfty IrmIlIty) on pAg¢ 1 of Ih•$• fftn)n&al $taleml& The Dalure of ihe ¢harftr8 Qwall$ am1 wlTh¢tpJ aclbvltte5 SlipwTrj knemduals YexpnCe 50dal exclu$sop.w arq ulrfsk DlbelrffJ lsolaled ihrow ttisabty. lonp te or OJhudAgadvantage¥, Ctrdes Networt cufisliths a'pubTrc b¢n¢Qt #rllty as dqffined ty FRS IOZ The thi•ne4al $141etnents have tsen pY¢paied iti ac¢orfanc¢ 4vllb A¢eountthg Rtrpthr4J ty (thaJs: steni ol Rt¢ominvnded Pridice appliut4e tg weparing 11elr a¢eounf5 In arx4rdance iirth the. anclal Reilimg Star#laid appucaa Fn the UK and Republk ol Irtlthd iswed (n oclo12019. Iho ThnarrJaS ReporltN4 siandjid appl¢•t4t In ihe Untt¢l awj Rwthll¢ ol Ifelano IfRS 1Q?k ihe CompanEeg Acl 20(t&ar UK Gefiefally A¢pted A¢¢Oun,'kn9.P1k T fifi)nd stalem•nts pr¢Mnt¢d In sternng the ¢utY•w ¢5 lh• eh•Jty robI•d lffj Ihe neèresl pNod. Ineom• thcLYrfn9mwrM• 4i•lrKhthd Stmtnt ofRTran¢W ISofA)vrtwn Ihe'ch•ltyls ltyaty 8nldlEd lo Ihj Jflei any wfominott cond[n3 hav• b¢eTr Ihtr arnouTht ¢an b• thea4 NObfy 411d il 03¥t Ihol Ih income vhll b• reC¢tI, donallong lo bo rnv4nlged Ihe elarfty lim b¢•n nolltsd of the anwjufjts th• i¢NlmAI ¢•le In. vAil1ry 11 lh9 •i¢ co11$ •114th¢d lty tho. YOnltloD thi9 r¢qulrns a la¥el ol befare enthn)enl ¢an b¢ obianed Ihen In¢om@ ts deferfeo unld Ihwe condltlMs a rnet.01 th¢ lulNlnrrt d thost cor71 Ions b wlljth Ihe conlF4y ol Iht and11 ts wthble Ihat tlw will bt fwfin¢ No amounl Js hdudeo h th ¥tJt•ffil¥. fw Wufite•r lime l• ith lh• SORP. Furfhr Irom tyadino •clhth$'lndwl•s Incorn eam¢Ofrfm l¥nthahiffj ttvenls and tsath'fyj actlwU¢J lo r&s• funds for lh• ¢harlty. ts weel¥ed lft supWIAg yoc4s In 'tosalse lunts and 1$ re¢oJnlsed ¥.tsn ènl]deThnl o¢utNe Th• th•rity iec¢h8 govemm¢nl gt4hlJ. Incthme frorn gtyywnmeNt Ind other gT&nt swOtte11 ar i¢cwJied al latr value Ih•thaklfy hu enllenlI rlfltr ary pertomianco ¢.ondltiMJ havo le n)ei M Is wob3b.lè Ihot th• i.m b¢ ¥rf¢lv£d, 4h¥ nNJthl' ¢ai be rdi•tty. 11 enlidMfi1 ly not meL tPffjn Iht$B wrwns deleued. lTh¥wImI.lro¥Uffl¥ ts e•m¢d thiwh hoidth9 asJ¢l for Invubmni It dh4SM afys IntQi?$1. Whe14 il is rtoi lo Ioenbfy iNvml MargeAl ¢¢¥ts Ynthln 41 s¢hBnK.ih aSOnable aceuiay (he lfiveSbne s1t<thts rtFrted oflhesè ¢95t& 11 ts Induded Ihe nUnt ¢an b? ffleasurnd ielkw. IntW fn¢(¥ 15 uslng effe¢llve In1¢ro4t mttiwd thldeTh1 and rethl IncTh 1$ t•¢cnl$e•J o Ihtr rJrtV$ rfghl lo r¢othT ptymtni e31•b115hDd. expenth'tvte ATh •xp¢ndSlw on an act4uJi% and tt$ Ix•Tr undti h•adln95 aggvegole eo31 lled to lh legOry. ExptAthlvr8 Is. ¥Erwts¢d Ythere there 18 4 k941 OF twstwcfve atlon to mèke p4ments to INtd p111$. h ts prolth thal the striuernehl i1 bè 1•gllire(l ind lh¢ wnthjrt ol lh¢ obligofjon be. measurod rebth*. Il b calogorfsed, under Ihtr OIIW.auetsJnd olhw¢491 108
aRCieS NEnvoAK
IIOTtS TO TMEflNAt4CIAL sfATEMEtirs-¢ontinutd
FOR The YEAR EWOEO 31 fyIARCH 2024
Acc
vvwntun be.rftsbty*Stlmaltrl.
109
CIRCLES MET4vORK trIQTES YOTHE ftIIANCIAL STAYtIlEKfs.'Mntlnued FOA ThE YEAR ENOED JI IAAACH 1024 AccouimMG POUCIES- nnUed G¢lftgC¢tKm Th8'finaJI Jlat¢rnentsha¥beer4 yepared on a 90irycon¢DbxslJ asthe'lwsleey I"tha{ fflJlirfal wicwtalnll¢s The tsusttts havt ¢gnsld4r40 thD l•yel ol lund9 hekl and the fyxpeded l¢vel ol Irtmrne and &yrrfKlur• lor 12 Inofttng Trom JuLhtylslvJ lh Inanclal slal?Di¢nls. Tr Iwthjdtd ineomtr aml e%lIr¢ l $uffKlenl i.Aih tho ltrvel of See8 for lh• ehatity to be atl¢ to CRITICAL ACCOUNTIPIG JUOGEMENTS.ANO KEI SOURCES OF e$llMA7IOM UNCEi¥fAIMrY 1n.ltte Jpstho1ioTr rf the IljnI9 e$, •r¢ rnqtho lo make JL¥lg•Ats, es11iMI and assumpknfis abDUtlhe ¢alln9 vatue of'asstls Ihaf arn rffjl 16adlty awaienl from other Sfjrtek The .esfimJt•>'•na Underj aMumptiM$ are basod on Iu710rfC e¢peileDci and Olr laclm thhl aits ¢ongld¢rel lo Ix ielivant. A¢lual wulls muy dlffei fv¢m Ih¢s¢ lmates. The elm@les and undetylng a55MplI0nS ale i¢wkn¥ed on an Mg¢bvJ basts. R¢vlslon? tg qorounth est'rn•les are re¢ognlstO tn Ihe perfed In )ch thè es1lnia is ¢1 Iht iévtslon aff&ts Ihal period or in the p¢rfod of tht levis wn(I fvlurr perf4J¢ts rf.Ih¢ i¢vtston allxled ¢utrtrt¢ and fu18 dods. The aiaas itthtr• IhEse 490M¢n ano •sllrnales .v 1 malt tl for lh• tharflr. D¢pr4.dalknaoJ ledJ1VII Th• Tlth$ have le1d lty• Uv•$ •1 xgadattdffu1y valu•s ot tarw Wd. Jssel dass4s and hwe cont&h01 Ill¢ awt ItV¢$ 4ndth$lduaJ¥abJ28 are"woprfal¢. OONATIDN$ AMO LeGAUE$ Donafjo 16,9S2 428 110,736 FUndttln9 111 423 1The rrtAn DwattOD5 arns Loga£4•8 w41 t77,•80 f4423- th11,428> olithlth t34T (202J. £1.0301 as altrtbutsiAe to i¥lrtt¢d (tsnds. IxvÈStIrtENTiMCOME Panx lfilv¢41 I)Mdw$ . l•Mm• trom In¥estrnent Mc¢mt YM £13,114 CaOXJ,- 2). ol £nll (2trfJ . w atLtlbtstaUe lornstrtteJfufOJs. iio
CIRCLES NETWORX NOTES TOTHe FIMANCIAL sTATEAIENT.S-uunY¢ FOR ThE YEAR £NOE0 31 MARCH 2024 IIICOME FROMCHARITABLe ACTIVITIES 2024 Income from CttIlaeAtth1jiey I r24 11$ Inr&vM trorn Ch¥"l¥tAè ArfNlbe¥ was £1,897,655 r2wrJ - I,n4,115) ol vthkth 71.111 W . t33q136) vias allrftsJtatrAe to r¢striclo¢ fvs OTIIER INCOME 2074 Sth olG0> and S 1 160JII Iorne from Ch•ftJble AdMBe¥ iiiJ¥ £1..160.911 f2m- uei123) 4f iJ¢h £nP fd023- fjffj iyas altatI¢ io rtstrlel¢d Iljrn AWALY%S OFTOTAL IMCOME Unre51rtete 110strideo Tol•l Tol 2014 2024 2024 Athrf•¢y ¢¥ ¢1 SvDO0rt Qommunlty Support fordiklren andfanths Central se 1,27CI,3S3 295.217 753,199 230,733 19,627 I,SOI.096 314.a44 753,199 60.857 1,3J8.486 IS6,464 694.7 458,961 73 3 149060 In(4wM relallwl? In 20rs vffls ¢1.3J6,4Ge ofiyhkh £107,K? via$ 81blbuthbJ•.to rethed I>. Income ielRlin9 10 Svppc4f tsT Ilm1 ln 3 was FASB.96T. ol vrns allrfb¥laLle to ieslJKted CMARIIAÈLE AcrivmES COST.S S¥atyCosl$ Wedation X124 2024 2rd4 Chwltakle Eypenthture 2.076.666 27.010 $92A94 2.786570 7,375 R88412023-£304,710}ofth+ abo¥e¢<8lsv¢w• atlknuiatAetc+RsIrfctfOd&443,0I5QQ2J .n,070.843)•llhe abov W5ts wtsre alblWabltrttsvnr•srrklod iii
CIRCLES NEfvioRK .NOYES TOTHE FINANCIAL STATtMEHfs.¢onlinue FOR TIIE YEAR ENO 31 W4RCM 2024" NEI INCOM6YeXPENOITURei el In¢ome1(eywh$r¢j lsslaled aftei charylrfue(rrtthgl. Otpreciètlon. assets IDtftc41¥sumlus on41$DosJlof as$•lJ 27.010 26.754 J921 IRUSTeES' ReMuNeiiAIION ANO BENeFffS Kly management pernannel arn eond¢14d i? b¢ Btsafd ol TThslees l09etrf iyllh lh¥ Ch1 Exeeutht. (Xknr and Refvl IAanaoeA. Jll9r¢g)t¢ i¢niun¢roUoD ol kèy mapa9ern•nl personTr l$as fdttyy. '2tr24 2tr23 Wages ind frysu¢onD• P•ll¢ 371.804 299.444 TNsr¢¢$ no rnnwnernlK?Th dudn9 thè y2JT 12tr11' ZNAI Tkn• worn no Twsle• eyens•s alldurfng thoaT for travtllo ffetlrty'{2W23,' 10. STAFF COSTS 2024 2023 Waga Ind $)14rf¢ SocTral ¢osl• Other ptsul•n eo9ts 1,906,401 134,585 1,6S&,1 114328 1814 770 Th¢.Ivir•g• D110Mb0Ieff<0¥$dUthg Lheyoii l0llo1VY. 2024 173 2023 116 The numbei •1 ornployee9 entyoyee bpneffts lox¢luO¥y enwoyet ponsloo e05ts) 9?$¢ K60.000 ivas.. £¢O.Q01. É9q•OO lfy MptEI of lh• eniploy•¢ ¢ffloh'im¢rf* th the abovè roryi £13,471)vArn ffla4• lothe defimd nIAbUl(0n pens1 $ch¢m ol £14471 r1021' 112
CIRCLES NeTWORK NOTes TOTIIE FIPIANCIAL STA"TeMENTS- contSoued FOR TNEY£AP ENOEO 31 MARCM 2024 11. AUDffOR'S AeMuHeRATK)N 2023 Feè$payfjL48lothe charfty8 athrfoi •dM ollhe dyai5fyts art31 arx¥xFnts fevJ pJyatle tfj Iht¢harft<8 a1 lw'olh•i4eri& ¢wnl8 Piepardllon F¢es 11 TANGIBLE Hxeo ASSETS Fblures and Qrnct Motor COST At l A?223 IDnst Olspo$ 118y6 4588 160 101.Qg0 37.120 263.638 $0,260 At31 202 - OEPRECIATIOII l Ap512023 fofvw ÈllTh"naledw dlspoE•I 100,1Q8 5.783. 3012 80.411 14,395 18 .21J.331 27.010 At 31 2024 IIET BOOK VALiIE At 31 2024 107 705 Atsl 2023 11 OoR$ m¢>imts duvhlhln one year. Trade dEbt Oth¢1 dEbtgrs Ptepaymenls arAI aeerutdlr*om• 286.711J 1,000 113
CIRCL'ES METWORK IIOTES TOTME flNANCIAL sTATEME15-¢0nlnUed FOR The YEAR ENOEO 31 ACH 2024 13. OE8TORS.¢on1trtyJed 24 AmwAts laljnp thtt'afterrnore Ihm one year. Olherd•bla aMOts 14. CURRENT ASSET INVESYMENTS 2024 LW•d ImvlMer1&. IS. CASH A7 BANK ANO IM HANO Geft¢Tal R¢%tskaad Jnd nd Tolal lunds Tot31 lund$ ,CMh In hand Cvrnent and depostl 1,52J l.Qa4 I,S23 196 129 1 280 664 1.277 'r4ts1 19&129 aL187 1087 COI[0A&..AOVMTS FAWXG OUEi%rfH]N ONE YEAR 3024 Tt4d• rJ4dloi Sotw soly and oth•rtsx Oih¥wediio AfnJatsanddeknred Income 24.716 34,S91 14,J66 7$ 7ffi4 22.7x4 4818 17. LEASINGAGRE&IEiir$ thnum1¢3$)yIFrtnts MdernofvcanceUat4D •perdtln9 leaseg lalj • 3924 Withkn one year 8efvieen oneandfN•ye*rs 74,N8 76.015 11 114
CIRCLES NETh4OAK HOTESTOTHE FINANCIAL STATEMEIITS- eontlnueo FOR7HE YEAR EIIDED31 MARC+1 2024 I& AIIALYSIS OF NET ASS£Y$ 8EIWEEN FUWOS 2024 nd rnd¥ Fk4¢d w•ls Ckntnt aSSEt$ rretstUabfitr•4 104,7S1 1.748.305 107.705 1344.434 917 52x17 1.636.127 196.129 1704,140 1082 Z222 1 S3 115
CIIICLes NEllvoRK MOTesTOTHE FIIIANCIAL STATEMENYS w¢OMiw¢d FOR IHEYEAR EtIDEO 31 hilRCH'2024 l* hfOV£IAEMTIN fUNDS 'IqOOD 129J04 qQ429 Fd% 31 Iil¥oh ¢i.'Ic 117ASY ¢7.7 &31D '10,627 4ZiO 1114 774 T•¥LFyr41 116
CIRCLES NEIWOAK I¢OTES TO THE FINANCIAL sfATEMEKfs-¢ontintsed POR THE VUR 8IDeo'3f PAARC.H 2024 19. MOVEMEirr IN FUIIOS-¢ffitinued F¢iDd Oe8¢ilpiStyn Dejlgriiiied Fund>: As8ets al Er4ulpm?rt Rene%val 8vJkngs Punds set gslde to rewa¢¢ th¢ hoMknx and4the.r vehkkn. Funds stl uskle far sthing up a nmv spee4 11 iew¥ed, and feplacenienl4fileo 0$ kthtetsl phollxvpetslphr•r We funds set ishle •% a ¢Jepowt for 4 fuiure pwrknas8 ora l)ulthngl¢ffice IlnewJe Aestheled Fund&. SikL¥r¢¢t¢d Stspport TNS woiecl ra&od •Yarértw * undernlath ol and Lh¢ otes$ auoss loveKtyd4 WYWSt people a¢$95n9 sepKes, thtrkr lonths, care15 ty sharlftg iNlmiatSon. $'Pporny them to wl ass thdrvknand laufjlJttsw pe¢r4foups. Ifthp¢ryl•nl PmlesslonJl Atfvtsty Svpptyl prad• tty 4mpaS Hfe C•fw• Yrt4cy Rte D& Indeper•Je'nl Prnle¥ylonal AO¥w suppo wavlded Its that haye attéssed ware a¢¢e$slng O£vgaDd thhcs SeThkes. The pi¢lecl Yilll defver play sessions to ehlthen and.. yOLry peorrfe The 4¢1i%rflle3 alm to improv? ¢OnIMUnI1l. poshhe ielJttonshlp 88CChifdrenlnNeed ¢unvths' C4pllol Ooniiiort (Aeadery) funds l• bo. u¥eJ fot lh i•rtAJtthi¢rtl of th¢ ouldooF eduryjlofj The prott¢l ejeifvers ttyutno Iherig•utl¢$¢sslw lordsabhd and lu¢fv411119d chrtthen aJ¢youngpeopl&. ThL% project pityAde$ kw¢ortW9 lo support chIrn vrtl yourt9 peo¢4e andthosaiiirlh leaFr4ng dIabHi% l¢18avg hagpitals and.access sullat4e 3UPPQrt In ¢0miTwntt Ofvei41 #A O100rpIah1, iyothg ¥'AthID Ihe ni1ural eThthmeal to Inty•a$e m11] wifc¢ln9 Jnd rnFndfvlne locounl¢TrcI lh• prgalh•lwpJct4lihtspandeffk fw¢hlldrerK Jnd P•tsiH'oni4 NNS Prnlecl WW M¢rf41 rt¢•lh Its. #ELATED PARTY OtSCLOSIIFIES Owb4 year th¢ orxwed P¥elT&su bBtOngir ¢0 (he CNel Exttullv¢ and Pa i¢nlaJ ol 8.1 (202k£18.0001. Al the year ended £Na Qfy23SJffj) rernathed outst•ndlry T11] 1$ 81gAtfie4nlly belwfflwkel i¢M•L estim4l£d 31 £80,000, and,, lyi$ aJff¢d th• Otsaid 01 Yrusl•eJ. Th• ad(rtIOn inunt. l•laJlng £62,OQQ. hJs been lfirjuded a9 donii led IrKOn Iii the acc15 and a r•lated Ittdlth)n ronl¢hary W>Jring year. transadions {n9 t*) £lII I23. K441}wro Ted w b11 the LSle Cai? Chajitsbh TpJ¥k J r¢l41¢(I thle 19 Ihefe belng T4wlee& Th1$ resle(l In the rJ4ernJ pNlllgn Wlord£94rJO284K isrtJl¢hblnthKt•d viRhln olhw'tt¢difgr& 117
CIRCLES NEtWORK
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-conea
FOR TNE YFAR EMDED 31 MARCH 2024
DEFERRED Imcome
1 Year
Adth'..%*Tesj.29727rt¢}.:.iiegth¢td;O(rva'.ikne .