Supporting Choice and Control The role of support organisations Jess Wade and Ann Allcoat
Self Directed Support Scotland Funded by, but separate from, the Scottish Government
A national membership organisation which actively promotes Independent Living by supporting, working with, and championing the aims of self-directed support Disabled People’s Organisations.
The role of Self Directed Support Scotland • • • • • •
Raising awareness of self-directed support Offer training and resources User-led organisation Working with Local Authorities Supporting members Supporting and developing new/emerging Disabled People’s Organisations
Disabled People’s Organisations DPOs are user-led organisations, i.e. the people who the organisation represents or provide services to, have a majority on the Management Committee and there is clear accountability to the people who use the service
Standards of Disabled People’s SDS Organisations • Work within the Social Model of Disability and under the philosophy of the Independent Living Movement • Peer support based • Recognise that carers have their own needs and requirements as carers
Who can Disabled People’s SDS Organisations work with? Disabled People’s SDS organisations can support anyone who is eligible for self-directed support. Including: • Disabled people • D/deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people • People with mental health problems • People with learning difficulties • Older people • Parents of disabled children • People acting on behalf of those without capacity
What Disabled People’s SDS Organisations typically do • • • •
Provide independent, impartial information Peer support Support to prepare for assessment Independent information on SDS, including SDS options, implications, individual budget • Help develop, agree, and review support plan
What Disabled People’s SDS Organisations typically do • Help with organising and managing support, e.g. choosing a service provider/agency, purchasing equipment, recruiting and employing Personal Assistants • Payroll support • Managing Individual Service Funds (when offered!) • Learning and training opportunities
Why User-Led? • • • •
Develop appropriate and effective support Genuine understanding Real experience Peer support is an effective way to build confidence and provide practical advice • Impartial and independent of providers and local authorities
Why User-Led? Experience of direct payments indicates that support “is more likely to be successful if it is provided by organisations controlled by disabled people or people who use social care services” (Glasby and Littlechild, Direct Payments and personal budgets, putting personalisation into practice p187, The Policy Press 2009).
So What?! • Facilitate genuine choice through knowledge and understanding • Facilitate genuine choice through peer support • Facilitate genuine choice through practical support and assistance • Facilitate genuine choice through training and confidence building
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in Scotland 27 carer-led Carers Centres across Scotland providing unpaid carers with: • Information and advice • Emotional support • Opportunities to be involved in shaping services • Other carer-identified services appropriate to the local community
© Carers Trust
www.carers.org www.youngcarers.net
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in Scotland Supporting around 53,000 adult carers in Scotland • Information • Welfare benefits • Training • Opportunities for respite • Opportunities to meet with other carers in support groups and consultations • 121 support • Awareness raising of carers’ issues © Carers Trust
www.carers.org www.youngcarers.net
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in Scotland PRTC Carers Centres have a commitment to being quality organisations, demonstrated through external accreditation. PQASSO
Quality Mark for carers’ services
© Carers Trust
www.carers.org www.youngcarers.net
Advice / Support Organisations Capacity & Readiness Subgroup • A subgroup of the National Implementation Group • SDSS and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in Scotland are co-sponsors of the subgroup • Produced a ‘Support Pathway’ to identify services offered by support organisations at every stage of the SDS journey • Have some questions for you …
© Carers Trust
www.carers.org www.youngcarers.net
Advice / Support Organisations Capacity & Readiness Subgroup In small groups, discuss: • What support and advice services are available in your area? • Are you in contact with local support services? How do you keep up to date? Are the services offered enough? • Is there a need to develop standards for support and advice services? • How could this be approached? What would you want to know about the quality and standards of services in your area? • What guidance could be developed for commissioning?
© Carers Trust
www.carers.org www.youngcarers.net
Feedback • Key points • All will be written up and fed back to the subgroup
Thank You Jess Wade Manager
[email protected] 0131 516 4194 © Carers Trust
Ann Allcoat Development Manager (Scotland)
[email protected] 0141 221 5066 www.carers.org www.youngcarers.net
