1. Care & Repair Scotland Conference
October 2018

2. Happy 30th!

3. Who are Foundations?
National Body for Home Improvement Agencies in England
Took over from Care & Repair England in 2000
Key role in improving the delivery of Disabled Facilities Grants
Part of the independent DFG Review team
Director of Foundations – Paul

4. Disabled Facilities Grant
Home Improvement Agencies

6. DFG TIMELINE Local Government and Housing Act 1989
Money Well Spent 2001
DFG Review 2005
BRE Report 2011
DFG Reforms 2008
DFG Review 2018
Good Practice Guide 2004
Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996

7. DFG Review
DFG Quality Standard

8. And the opportunities for Care & Repair Offices and Home Improvement Agencies

9. Based on existing good practice…..

10. DFG Quality Standard
Does not set out how to process a statutory DFG application
Built around 10 themes
Based on good practice but intentionally brief
Says what good means
Reflective "Do you....?" questions
Links to good examples or practical resources
How to set up the “system”
Started before the DFG Review and re-written since

11. Inspiring Change
Understanding behaviour change
The Spread Challenge

12. 10. Value for money
Do you understand and measure the Social Value of adaptations?
Do you have an efficient and timely process for pricing and ordering adaptations?

13. Sector Survey 2016

14. DFG Tender Portal
Schedule of standard works items for a shower adaptation
Local builders submit their prices for each item
Technical officer inputs quantities for each job
System generates instant quote from every contractor
Choose successful quote – instant to contractor

15. 9. Housing Options Do you provide advice on housing options?
Do you have an up to date Register of Accessible Properties?
Do you provide access to services that provide practical and emotional support to disabled people choosing to move home?

16. Doesn't Need Adaptations No LLTI or Disability
Total Population
Lives in a Household
Has LLTI or Disability
Requires Adaptations
Still Needed
Major Adapts
Wants to Adapt
Eligible for a DFG
Agency Assisted
DIY Application
Not Eligible for DFG
HIA
Local Builder
Back of Daily Mail
Wants to Move
Extra Care
Supported Housing
Sheltered Housing
Adapted General Needs
Minor Adapts
ICES
Handyperson
Retail
Assistive Technology
Already Done
Doesn't Need Adaptations
No LLTI or Disability
Lives in an Establishment

17. 8. Tenure neutral approach
Do you ensure that all residents have equal access to home adaptations, regardless of tenure?
Protocols in place with housing associations
Equivalent procedures for retained council housing
Awareness raising with private landlords

18. Islington Landlord DFG
Actively encouraging private landlords to apply for grant funding for adaptations
Recognising a need for adapted properties to rent
Grant of up to £15k if the property is available to rent by a disabled person for 5 years

19. 7. Assistance Policy Do you publish a Housing Assistance Policy?
Current Housing Assistance / RRO policy that addresses:
Works costing more than £30k
Use of the test of resources
Appeals process (not fettering discretion)
Appropriate (minimal) bureaucracy
Review process

20. Dementia-friendly environments
Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020.
Use of DFG funding to make homes dementia friendly.
Good lighting, pictorial signage, open cupboards, familiar designs, etc..

21. 6. Timescales
Do you publish expected timescales as part of their service standards, and monitor and report on their actual performance?
Do you record the NHS Number with every DFG Enquiry/Referral?
Linking housing and health data allows correlations to be identified

22. Timescales in Walsall
Website gives target timescales for different types of adaptations
Performance against targets published

23. 5. Staffing
Do you have housing and occupational therapy staff in the same team and same location?
Do you identify a key worker as the main point of contact throughout the process?
Do staff have opportunities for training and networking?

24. Case Study: Integrated Team
County area with 5 Districts and 3 HIAs
Multiple teams, managers, offices, access points, waiting lists
Competing priorities, no overall ownership
220 step customer journey
35% drop out rate

25. Integrated HIA Structure
Management Board
Service Manager
Team Manager (OT)
Senior Housing Assessment Officer
Housing Assessment Team
Senior Housing OT
Housing OT Team
Housing Manager
Senior Surveyor
Technical Team
Professional OT Lead
Staff seconded from Districts and County

26. Enquiry to completion times

27. Results Shared vision, goals and strategic direction
Single access point and one contact throughout the customer journey – multi-skilled workers
22 step customer journey (down from 220)
Drop out rate falls from 35% to 3%

28. 4. Combined services
Do you ensure that an assessment / application for a DFG considers other services that may be available?
AKA as a Home Improvement Agency / Care & Repair

29. Care and Repair Services
Information & Advice
Handyperson Services
Help to Move Home
Repairs & Improvements
Warm Homes
Hospital Discharge
Adaptations
Home Safety
Repairs & Improvements
The Swiss Army Knife of Housing Services

30. USPs of Care & Repair
Tenure neutral - usually the only housing support service for owner occupiers and private renters.
Have staff with a range of skills, knowledge and experience
Have links to associated organisations for referrals, sign- posting or access
Skilled in delivering repairs, improvements and home adaptations
Clients can access this wide range of support

31. 3. Public information
Do you provide accessible, accessible, relevant and up to date forms and guidance, available both online and in the community?
Do you also have an accessible contact point to find out more information and start an application?
Availability of assistance and support is publicised
Good quality public information is designed in consultation with disabled people
GPs and community health workers are trained
Initial point(s) of contact are well known, and include triage and signposting

32. AdaptMyHome.org.uk
DFG contact info for every LA in England
Basic information on DFG eligibility
In response to the poor information on many LA websites

33. 2. Co-production
Do you co-produce your policies and strategies for home adaptations with the people who need them?
Do you co-produce the design and specification of home adaptation projects with the disabled person and their family?
Service users are involved in reviewing and improving delivery of services
Could be as part of an advisory group / user board
Satisfaction surveys and feedback are monitored and used to improve delivery

34. Idapt 3D and Virtual Reality
Most people can’t visualise 2D plans
3D systems now available and affordable
Virtual Reality – the future?

35. 1. Commissioning
Do you produce Joint Strategic Needs Assessments for Housing?
Do you have agreed joint strategies for action?

36. Outcome Primary Prevention Lifetime Homes Decent Homes Adaptations
Adapts Register
Planning
Policy
Secondary Prevention
I need help to stay living independently in my own home
Care & Repair
Help to
Move
Home
Repairs
Major
Adapts
Asst
Tech.
Equip-
ment
Re-ablement
Care & Support
Property Person
Outcome
I can continue living independently in my own home
Institutional Care

37. The next 30 years? More than home improvements?
More than caring and repairing?
A real opportunity to integrate housing services
Person centred, outcomes focused
Joining up the offer to health and social care
No-one else can deliver tenure neutral services
Do we need a new name?

38. www.foundations.uk.com Paul Smith pauls@foundations.uk.com
@otherpaulsmith