Aberlour Child Care Trust, 36 Park Terrace, Stirling FK8 2JR
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News - in Depth
17/10/2007
Opening of New Crannog Centre for Dumfries and Galloway
Photocall:
Crannog Centre Formal Opening
Wednesday 17 October : 10.00a.m., Thistle Street Stranraer.
Ailleen Campbell MSP, Scotland’s youngest MSP, will officially open Aberlour’s new purpose built centre for young people who need help and support to continue in education and remain in their community.
The new flagship centre will be the base for the Crannog West service. This delivers a range of services for Dumfries and Galloway Council to children and young people in Stranraer and rural Wigtownshire.
Councillor Dennis Male, who chairs the Social Work Committee, said this was a partnership that was truly delivering results:
“We have worked with Aberlour for several years and this project is an exciting development that increases and enhances services in the west of the region. They were able to secure funding not available to the public sector and we were able to support them in the site acquisition.”
Steve McCreadie, Aberlour Assistant Regional Director said: “ Creating this new building in Stranraer is part of an ambitious plan to improve provision for vulnerable young people across the whole of Dumfries and Galloway. This flagship facility, and the home of Crannog West, will enable us to offer a much more comprehensive service to more young people in the area. We have a great deal of work to do to improve the educational attainment of the most vulnerable young people. This building will help us to work ever more closely with our partners in Dumfries and Galloway Council, Scottish Children’s Reporters Administration Children Panel and NHS, to do just that.”
Aileen Campbell MSP, added:
“I am delighted to be opening something that benefits so many young people in the area”
Aberlour managed to secure 400k - the largest grant offered to date by Communities Scotland Futurebuilders programme, and also attracted a grant of 100k from the Henry Smith Fund. Aberlour also committed its own funds to support the Crannog expansion as the local authority had increased funding for the services.
The Council’s Design Services project managed the building and their vision was instrumental in bringing the building to life. The new facility has a number of teaching areas with the latest technology and high quality educational resources to help young people enjoy learning again.
The building is bright, airy and welcoming and also provides office and meeting space for support staff. All the spaces and areas can be used for counselling, educational support and teaching, family meetings, as well as supervised meetings with parents/carers and young people. There is also accommodation available for hosting other specialist childcare services such as children’s hearings health clinics and child protection interviews. Discussions with Scottish Court Service are continuing to explore the possibility that the building might be used for vulnerable witnesses to give evidence to courts remotely.
Up to 20 young people with complex needs and issues use the building everyday. There is no typical day. One child could be having lessons to support Standard grade work being undertaken at school, another engaging in work to improve problem solving skills whilst in the kitchen another young person could be receiving support about a crisis at home which is affecting their behaviour at home and school.
The building cost £1.4 million and the work was completed on time and within budget.
In addition to new facility at Stranraer the Crannog service also has a new base in Annan and Castle Douglas. Aberlour has also now employed fifteen additional skilled staff including teachers, social education workers and assistant service managers to help establish the provision for young people across the region.
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Media Enquiries to Kelly Bayes on 01786 450335 or 07717 535822.
Notes to editors
1. Crannog provides social education programmes to young people, mainly aged 12 to 17, who are excluded or at risk of repeated exclusion from school and are, or are at risk of being accommodated. The service was established in 1997 and is delivered by Aberlour in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Council, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, SCRA and the Children’s Panel.
2. Aberlour runs 47 services that make a positive difference to the lives of around 6000 children in Scotland every year. These include projects that provide residential care and therapeutic, educational and practical support for looked after children and a range of services for families that promote positive parenting and learning.
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