19 February 2015 Norman MacAskill SCVO/Care Farming Scotland

19 February 2015 Care Farming Scotland What do we mean by care farming? The benefits of care farming UK initiatives Care Farming Scotland Looking ahead

19 February 2015 What do we mean by care farming? Social farming Social crofting Green care Ecotherapy Range and diversity of models Many names but a very old idea “It is impossible to dismiss the subject of asylum farms without some reference to the way in which they contribute to the mental health of the inmates.” Report of the Commissioners of the Scottish Board of Lunacy 1881

19 February 2015 What do we mean by care farming? Care Farming Scotland says: Care farms provide health, social or educational care services for a range of vulnerable groups of people including those with mental health problems, people suffering from mild to moderate depression, people with substance misuse history, adults and children with learning disabilities, children with autism, disaffected young people, and people on probation.

19 February 2015 What do we mean by care farming? Care Farming UK says: Care farming is the therapeutic use of farming practices. Care farms: Utilise the whole or part of a farm Provide health, social or educational care services for one or a range of vulnerable groups of people Provide a supervised, structured programme of farming-related activities

19 February 2015 (Thanks to Gordon Gatward for this slide) ‘Care Farming in the UK : Evidence and Opportunities’ Hine, Peacock, Pretty 2008 The benefits of care farming

19 February 2015 UK initiatives 2005: first national care farming conference 2011: National Care Farming Initiative (NCFI) launched as a new national charity Drew on experience from across Europe, particularly the Netherlands Increasing body of research on impacts of care farming Change to Care Farming UK in 2011

19 February 2015 Care Farming Scotland June 2008: first meeting of interested group in at Royal Highland Show August 2008: steering Group convened for first time May 2009: CFS is formally launched Company and registered charity

19 February 2015 Care Farming Scotland Initially hosted by SAC/SRUC Now hosted by Apex Scotland Partnered with Rural Network for events and visits Funding from Scottish Government and others Appointed part time Development Consultant Newsletter and new website Actively promoted at RHS, Young Farmers Conference, Rural Parliament and other events Slower progress than we hoped - but interest in care farming is noticeably increasing

19 February 2015 Care Farming Scotland The VISION of Care Farming Scotland is that every person whose health and wellbeing can benefit from time spent working on the land will have the opportunity to do so, and that every land manager with the will and capacity to offer these opportunities will have access to the support and information they need to develop them sustainably. The MISSION of Care Farming Scotland is to support and promote the development of care farming in Scotland so that its social and economic potential is understood and exploited by policymakers, land managers and providers of care and support services.

19 February 2015 Looking ahead Continue to raise awareness and build common understanding Build and sustain a network to support, encourage and share good practice Build evidence base and lobby decision-makers Build capacity of the organisation Explore funding opportunities, eg LEADER Appoint full-time development officer

19 February 2015 Care Farming Scotland Thank you