Project News for January and February 2017

Throughout January and February, we have recruited and held interviews and focus groups with several groups of people with learning disabilities and with family carers of people with learning disabilities, and these are ongoing.  We are now beginning interviews with faith leaders and would like to hear from any faith leaders who would be willing to participate. We are also currently consulting with social work departments, having obtained approval from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), to run focus groups involving a range of both social work and other professionals involved in adult health and social care.  Again we would like to hear from anyone who would like to participate in one of the focus groups.

We attended the Forced Marriage Unit Partnership Board meeting in January where a Case Study was discussed regarding how NGOs in Scotland (where laws vary slightly) might process and progress cases of forced marriage.  Following the Partnership Board meeting Rachael met with staff from Hemat Gryffe in Glasgow to share ideas about working with people with learning disabilities who are at risk of forced marriage. Rachael also presented at a conference on capacity & consent to sexual relationships organised by East Dunbartonshire Health & Social Care Partnership. Since then the FMUs annual figures detailing 2016 cases were published (9^th March) and can be found by following this link:

 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/forced-marriage-unit-statistics-2016

We are also seeking applications to attend a workshop about forced marriage.  It is aimed at practitioners who could contribute to the shaping of policy and practice around assessing capacity to consent to marriage;  we are looking for practitioners who have experience of assessing capacity and who can share ideas about what good practice might look like.  Further details and an application form for this workshop, which is being convened by the Ann Craft Trust on behalf of the My Marriage My Choice project, can be found by following this link:

http://anncrafttrust.org/news/my-marriage-my-choice-workshop.php