Valuing People Now Annual Review on 23 April 09 Presentation by Berge Kanikanian & David Cooper

(1)Including Everyone Some people with learning disabilities miss out more than others. These groups must be included in all plans about learning disabilities, example people with complex needs. Valuing People Now says it’s important that families have a say in how people are cared for and supported.

(2)Personalisation Personalisation is about planning with people and their families about the care & support they want. Person centred planning, direct payments and advocacy have helped, but more needs to be done. Example - for people with complex needs. “Putting People First” helps Councils introduce Personalisation in their area. Example - Individual Budgets.

(3)Having a Life Better Health A number of reports have shown that people with learning disabilities do not get the same healthcare as other people. Valuing People Now tells us what the Government is going to do about the 10 things that the report Healthcare For All said must happen. This is something for our Health Sub Group.

(3)Having a Life Housing There are plans in Valuing People Now to give people with learning disabilities more choice about where they live and who they live with. The Government will work with Housing and others to make sure local housing plans include the needs of people with learning disabilities, and older family carers.

(3)Having a Life Jobs Valuing People Now says that helping people, including those with severe learning disabilities get a job, is very important Valuing People Now will be preparing an Employment Plan in Spring 2009.

(3)Having a Life Education Getting college places has been difficult. Families and young people have said that transition planning does not support them well for the move into Adults. The Valuing People Team are working with Children’s and Families Services to help them introduce person centred planning approaches.

(3)Having a Life Relationships and Having a Family People with learning disabilities must have the chance to meet new people, have relationships, get married or have a civil partnership if they want to. The Government will work together to make sure that parents with learning disabilities get the right support to be good parents.

(4)People as Citizens Advocacy The National Directors for Learning Disabilities will have a programme of work to:  Find out what advocacy services there are and how much they cost.  Help advocacy services to check if they are giving a good service & give better services to people from black and minority communities, and people with complex needs.  Help People with learning disabilities to be leaders.

Being safe at home or outside The Home Office is making a Hate Crime plan, to include the needs of people with learning disabilities. The Government is going to change its rules about how to protect people with learning disabilities – its called “ No Secrets “ The Government is making a new policy about how to take cases to court when:  A person with a learning disability has been the victim of a crime.  A person with a learning disability is going to be an witness in court. (4)People as Citizens

Access to Leisure Services Valuing People Now says people with learning disabilities find it difficult to use local leisure services mainly because of poor physical access, information and support especially for people with complex needs. The Government will work with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to see how local leisure services can be made more accessible for people with learning disabilities. Transport The Government will work with the Department of Transport to check that their transport plans include the needs of people with learning disabilities.

(5) Making Valuing People Now Happen There are different GROUPS working together to make it happen I.e.:  National Learning Disability Programme Board will check how Valuing People Now is working at Government level.  Regional Learning Disability Programme Boards will check how it’s working locally, and report to the National Board.  The National Forum for people with learning disabilities and the National Valuing Families Forums will continue. The Valuing People Now Team will give extra help to Partnership Boards who are finding it hard. Learning Disability Partnership Boards will be very important in making things happen locally.

(5) Making Valuing People Now Happen All Learning Disability Partnership Boards need to: Prepare a Yearly Report, to the Regional Board. Look at their membership to make sure everyone who needs to be there, is involved and Involve people with lots of needs. Make equalities a big part of their work programme. Partnership Boards who need more support, will get it. What else OUR Board needs to do: Raise awareness locally of Valuing People Now Review our local plan