CPAG in Scotland Children and Families ProjectThis project focuses on two main issues: disabled children and their families; and situations where a child is living away from her/his birth family. This project aims to increase awareness and raise expertise in advising these client groups on getting their full entitlement of benefits and tax credits. This is through producing the Children's Handbook Scotland, and providing training, factsheets, an e-bulletin and ongoing second-tier support to advisers via our advice line. Children’s Handbook Scotland: This project has produced the Children's Handbook Scotland, which gives comprehensive guidance on benefits and tax credits issues where a child is living away from their parents. This might be if the child is at residential school, in residential care, being looked after by the local authority, or in foster care or kinship care. These situations throw up complex benefit and tax credit issues which this Handbook will help demystify. The new edition is updated with all changes to benefits and procedures. The content includes:
The Handbook is fully referenced to legislation and caselaw and includes practical examples. It is aimed at advisers and frontline staff such as social workers. It is available in print and is available online. September 2011 978 1 906076 54 2 £13.00
‘This is an area of social security law which can cause much confusion...the clarity of the information and clear structure of the chapters means this book will prove to be a valuable resource for advisers’ THE ADVISER (CITIZENS ADVICE) FactsheetsAround 65,000 children in Scotland have a disability or additional needs, putting them and their families at a higher than average risk of poverty. For many of them the benefits and tax credits system is an important (or the only) source of income. Yet less than half of those children eligible for disability benefits are estimated to be receiving them. For those that do claim, the process can be difficult and confusing. We have produced two factsheets which provide information for advisers on benefits and tax credit topics relevant to those working with families with a disabled child.
We have also produced the following factsheets which you can download:
To request printed copies of any of our factsheets please email acarr@cpagscotland.org.uk. TrainingWe have developed training courses aimed at frontline advisers, social work staff and support staff working with children and families. These courses are in our 2011/2012 training programme and can also be booked on an in-house basis.
The below two basic level courses are at the special price of £25 per person for organisations in Scotland. We also provide these courses in-house for organisations in Scotland for £150 in total for up to 20 people at your workplace or a venue which suits you. E-bulletinOur quarterly benefits for disabled children e-bulletin keeps you up to date on benefits for those working with families with disabled children. You can read recent editions below, or you can sign up to receive the e-bulletin here. Please note, we will not pass your details to anyone outside CPAG, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Advice line for advisers in ScotlandWe offer advice and information to advisers in Scotland on all aspects of the welfare benefits and tax credits systems through our advice line. For further information:If you are interested in this project and wish to be kept up-to-date with progress, please contact: Alison Gillies (Children's Handbook Scotland) Jon Shaw (Disabled children) This project is funded by the Scottish Government.
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