Advice Service Capability Scotland (ASCS) dealt with over 2000 enquiries in 2009 and 2010 looks like being just as busy. ASCS is a national disability advice and information service which provides free confidential advice and information on a range of disability issues including advice on cerebral palsy, housing and transport.
ASCS Manager, Lorna Thompson, explained: “Disability impacts on every area of a person’s life and sometimes people aren’t sure where to go for support. We welcome and encourage enquiries on any disability related issue no matter what the topic. In most cases we can provide appropriate advice and information but if we can’t we always signpost someone to another relevant organisation.
“We have a lot of useful information readily available including details of disability equipment and suppliers, lists of disability organisations and trusts and charities which give disabled people grants."
ASCS is one of the helpline partners of the Parenting Across Scotland (PAS) project and is often the first port of call for parents whose children have been newly diagnosed with a disability. A parent recently contacted ASCS just after her 12 month old son was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and a visual impairment. The mum was very upset on the phone and wanted to talk about how she felt, what the diagnosis meant for her son now and in the future. As well as providing an opportunity for her to talk about her fears and concerns, ASCS also sent her some of our factsheets about cerebral palsy and she borrowed some of our library resources. The parent has been back in touch several times since then to ask other questions such as how to get in touch with other parents, how to stimulate her son through toys and play and information about specific treatments and therapies.”
A lot of the enquiries ASCS deals with are very practical, for example, it recently helped one holidaymaker find out where he could hire a hoist, shower chair and accessible car for a break he was planning to take in the North of Scotland.
In addition to the helpline, ASCS also has a lending library with resources about cerebral palsy and children’s books about disability. The library is available to anyone in Scotland who has an interest in disability. The library catalogue is available online as part of the Scottish Health Library Catalogue.
Looking to the future ASCS has some exciting plans for 2010. Lorna commented: “We are looking forward to being part of the Families for the Future project which will see us collaborating with Parenting Across Scotland and the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships (CFFR) to identify the issues which concern parents with disabled children. We are also looking to further develop the support and information we provide on housing issues as Capability begins work as one of the Scottish Government’s key strategic partners on housing in April.”