How we care for our older people is one of the most basic indicators of whether a society and its services are functioning well. However in less than twenty years 25% of Scotland's population will be 65 or older and those over 70 will be living with an average of three chronic conditions. So, are we caring for our older people well now? Are we prepared for the increased demand ahead? What can we learn from current trends and good practice and what needs to happen next in spending and service evolution to prepare for both the challenges we face now and those that are imminent?

This conference will take place online. 

The Scottish Government’s Bill to establish a Scottish National Care Service has now been published. However, original discussion and proposals have now grown to cover adult, child, justice, substance misuse and some mental health services – and this new service would be accountable to Ministers. So what do you or your organisation need to understand about what’s in the Bill in order to plan and prepare for what is coming next with the creation of the Scottish National Care Service?

This conference will take place online.

The Scottish Government wants to partner with Scottish councils and others to deliver 20 minute neighbourhoods in Scotland. Its intent to do so is included in the 2020-21 Programme for Government and many places in Scotland do seem to have the building blocks needed to become 20 minute neighbourhoods. However the same is also true of many other communities globally – and yet few have so far succeeded. So what does it take to move from just proposing 20 minute neighbourhoods to really delivering them on the ground in Scotland?

This conference will take place online.

Scotland’s care system is in desperate need of overhaul - capacity, funding, staffing and quality of care are all stretched beyond limits. The Scottish Government wants to address these challenges by creating a Scottish National Care Service. The proposals now cover adult, child, justice, substance misuse and some mental health services. And this new service would be accountable to Ministers. Is this the right approach, what exactly is being proposed, what would it mean for the delivery and quality of care services and what are the implications for your organisation?

Online

Scottish Government, councils, education departments, schools, teachers and third sector bodies all want to deliver real progress in tackling poverty and attainment. However its scale, nature and shape has worsened during pandemic. Everything that was already difficult is now more complex and more deeply seated. How therefore do we move forward? This conference will set out the strategic picture we now face, discuss the emerging evidence of what has been happening on the ground and give insight into effective interventions.

Online

This conference – the 8th annual care of older people in Scotland conference – focuses on the core challenges facing care delivery for older people in the time of COVID and beyond. It examines the care of older people after pandemic and how we empower older people and value the care workers supporting them. It looks at what we need to do to get it right on frailty and pharmacy to drive up quality of life for older people. It is intended for all people and organisations involved in the care of older people in Scotland.

Online

This webinar explores the legal and service delivery implications for all Scottish public authorities of the implementation of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child into Scottish law. It will examine how public sector bodies - and anyone undertaking functions or providing services to children with public money - can meet the challenge of acting compatibly with the incorporated UNCRC requirements, reflecting them in their day to day running, culture and practices.

Online

This webinar will explore the critical role of Scotland’s third sector in supporting communities, public services and the economy as they grapple with the task of delivering recovery from the COVID pandemic. It will discuss the strategic importance of third sector activities in all aspects of Scottish life, the centrality of clarity in leadership and funding within and for the sector and the prospective role and challenges for the sector in helping to deliver recovery and aiming to ‘build back better’.

Online

All of society has been impacted by coronavirus but those most affected are vulnerable older people and particularly those requiring care, either at home or in a care home setting. Providing protection and prevention has been a complex, delicate and extended task, but it is only one side of the equation. What have we learned during the coronavirus response so far about best practice in care? What are the challenges in delivering quality of life - as well as sustaining life - for older people during coronavirus and in the ‘new normal’?

Online

Scotland’s child and adolescent mental health services were the focus of a transformation strategy prior to the emergence of coronavirus and the impact of lengthy lockdown. The aim was to deliver the recommendations of the Joint Task Force on Children and Young People’s Mental Health for a new focus on prevention and early intervention and better joined-up and seamless general support. How has coronavirus affected reaching these objectives, what are the mental health effects of the crisis and where do we go next in trying to support hard to reach children and young people?

Online