Neurodiversity champions announced during Neurodiversity Celebration Week
To mark Neurodiversity Celebration Week we are proud to announce that 20 members of staff are taking on the role of Neurodiversity Champions.
SCRA’s Disability group is partnering with Edinburgh-based charity, Salvesen Mindroom Centre to establish a Neurodiversity Champions Network.
The Champions will help raise awareness of neurodiversity within the organisation through providing training and awareness raising to staff. It will also provide advice and guidance to colleagues who are supporting people who have neuro-differences to attend Hearings, court and participate in the Hearings process more generally.
The Champions will ensure that sensory tools, visual information guides and other aids to support people with neuro-differences are available and actively promoted within all our Hearing centres. In addition, the Network will provide a feedback loop to SCRA’s wider Inclusion Steering Group on matters relating to neurodiversity.
The new network is part of our commitment to Keep The Promise.
Collette Gallagher, who leads SCRA’s Disability Group explained: “We are committed to becoming a more inclusive and aware organisation and we are working hard to Keep The Promise. The Independent Care Review told us that ‘there is an over representation of children with additional support needs’ and recommended that ‘everyone involved in the Children’s Hearings System must be properly trained in the impact of trauma, childhood development, neuro-diversity and children’s rights.
“Our Neurodiversity Champions Network will enable us to roll out neuro-diversity training to all our staff in a way which is tailored to the needs of each locality office and the children and young people they support.”
Collette added: “We had an overwhelming response from staff really keen to get involved and we are pleased to partner with Salvesen Mindroom Centre in the delivery of our champions network. This week sees the first of our train the trainer sessions for staff and we are delighted it is taking place during Neurodiversity Celebration Week.”