The Youth Support Team are a specialist team within the Children and Families Team, located within the Department of Social Work, Housing and Health of South Ayrshire Council.
We offer a range of support services to young people and their families and carers in partnership with Social Work and other key staff.
We are based in Troon, but cover the whole of the South Ayrshire area.
We work in partnership with young people, their parents, carers, and other professional and voluntary agencies in accordance with the principles of the Children’s (Scotland) Act 1995.
We work with young people known to the Social Work Department. They will be considered Children in Need, or looked After Young People in terms of the Children’s (Scotland) Act 1995.
Young people will have an allocated Social Worker and are often also involved with, or at risk of involvement with, the Children’s Hearing System.
The age range of young people we work with is usually 11-16 years in secondary education.
They may be experiencing a variety of issues and difficulties at home, at school, or in the wider community.
Common issues include family relationships, school problems, offending behaviour, anger/conflict, self esteem, drug and alcohol use, peer relationships etc.
To support young people to remain at home, within their own community, and within mainstream education, where possible and appropriate.
To support young people and their families to address and resolve identified issues and difficulties.
To work towards preventing and diverting young people away from formal care systems
To minimise young people’s involvement in the formal care systems.
Young people are identified and referred by their Social Workers via our regular caseload surveys, or via the weekly Screening and Resource Group.
Most of our direct work with young people takes place in locally based Groupwork programmes designed to address the identified needs of the group members.
We also provide individual support to young people either in addition, to or in place of, ongoing groupwork involvement depending on the needs of the young person.
We can offer high levels of support to young people at times of particular crises to help prevent family breakdown and the inappropriate accommodation of young people.
Young people can be identified and referred to the Youth Support Team by their Social Worker via the regular caseload surveys which the team undertake.
Referrals can also be made by Social Workers via the Screening & Resource group or the Youth Offending Resource Group which meets weekly.
Youth Support staff also welcome the opportunity to discuss potential referrals and offer general advice and consultation in relation to working with young people. We welcome the opportunity for partnership working and will attend any joint planning meeting to discuss concerns and possible referrals.
All our groupwork programmes are specifically designed to address the needs and issues of the young people involved at a given time.
This is done in partnership and via a process of negotiation with the referring Social Worker, young person, parents / carers and key others.
A typical group will consist of between 4-8 young people, staffed by 2-3 workers.
The group usually meets one night per week, over a period of between 6-14 weeks.
Programme sessions will consist of a variety of methods and approaches including exercises and workshops, games, discussion, quizzes, focused inputs counselling, activity sessions and outings all designed towards building positive relationships with young people, proving support and addressing the outstanding issues and concerns.
All programmes are evaluated and young peoples progress is reviewed at the end of each programme, with the involvement of, and feedback to parents/carers and Social Workers.
The Youth Support Team Also Provides Training and Consultancy on:
- Groupwork
- Gender Awareness
- Drugs Awareness
- HIV/AIDs Counselling
- Practice Teaching / Student Placements
- Team Building and Staff Development
- Volunteer Training
- Youth Issues
| Gary Hoey |
Team Leader |
| Mark Archibald |
Youth Support Worker |
| Billy Fisher |
Youth Support Worker |
| Chris Griffin |
Youth Support Worker |
| Kay Keen |
Youth Support Worker |
| Carol Lyle |
Youth Support Worker |
| Ann Allan |
Youth Support Worker |
| Billy Ferguson |
Youth Support Worker (Substance Misuse) |
| Fiona Stewart |
Senior Clerical Assistant |
| Karen Crane |
Senior Clerical Assistant |
|
