Disability Working Group
Satellite Group 4 Meeting Note 3 October 2005
Group 4 - Social inclusion; poverty; independent living; direct payments; care and support services; rehabilitation.
Attendance:
Jim Elder-Woodward, Inclusion Scotland (Chair)
Wyn Merrells, Scottish Disability Equality Forum
Kate Higgins, Capability Scotland
Stephanie Clark, Sense Scotland
David Thomson, Scottish Executive: Equality Unit
Graeme Bryce, Scottish Executive: Equality Unit
Sharon Wilson, Scottish Executive: Social Inclusion - Anti-Poverty
Sarah Stewart, Scottish Executive: Vulnerable Adults Unit
Apologies from/unable to attend
Chris Taylor, Scottish Executive: Supporting People
Ann Brown, RNID Scotland
Isobel Denholm, Barnardo's Scotland
Margaret Aitken, Scottish Council on Deafness
Kate Wallace, Scottish Association for Mental Health
Jeannie Munroe, Scottish Executive: Vulnerable Adults Unit
Welcome and Introductions
1. Jim Elder Woodward welcomed the group to their fourth meeting and members introduced themselves.
Note of the last meeting
2. The note of the last meeting was agreed.
Discussion
3. Background papers had been provided and these formed the basis of much of the discussion. In particular, discussion focussed on direct payments and independent living and care and support services. The group also gave some thought to beginning to draft recommendations.
Direct payments
4. The group had spent some time discussing direct payments at its last meeting in August and had asked for further information on a number of points. This additional information had been provided and Sarah Stewart from the Scottish Executive's Vulnerable Adults Unit, who was leading the Executive's work on direct payments, was also attending the meeting.
5. Sarah stressed that the Executive had a strong commitment to direct payment as a tool to achieving independent living. Additional funding had already been committed to support local authorities and thought was being given to what further funding might be needed.
6. Group members identified a number of issues:
- There was concern that Direct Payments Scotland was coming to an end. It was founded on the social model of disability and other organisations which might now receive funding might not subscribe to the social model.
- There was also concern that funding for other organisations such as older people's organisations or for family/children's organisations might mean that less money was available to support disabled people's organisations. The splintering of client groups might also mean duplication of effort and competition between groups.
- The relationship between local authorities and support organisations wasn't clear and there was some concern that middle markets might arise. In addition, since local authorities provided grants to support organisations they would determine the size and scope of the support delivery organisations.
- It wasn't always clear how funding for direct payments was used by local authorities.
7. Sarah noted concerns and commented on how useful it was to hear these views. She stressed that the additional funding for local authorities was new money and was clear that the Executive was committed to the social model philosophy and wanted to put systems in place which would meet the needs of disabled people and facilitate independent living.
8. She informed the group that new guidance for local authorities would pick up on many of the issues which were of concern to disabled people and which had been mentioned today. The guidance would include a requirement that local authorities give support to support organisations and encourage these to be user led where possible. The guidance was due to be published in December.
9. Group members made a number if suggestions for potential recommendations in this area, which they would return to at the next meeting. These were:
- That local authority performance on direct payments should be assessed
- That thought should be given to establishing a national independent living centre
- That support organisations delivering direct payments should receive a minimum level of funding
- That the Scottish Executive should affirm its commitment to independent living and the social model of disability
Care and support services
9. Papers had been provided by Chris, Kate and Jim. There was agreement in the group that the Executive needed to have strategic vision for disability so all Departments and Agencies could work to the same principles. It was noted that the UK Government's 'Improving the Lifechances of Disabled People' report was aspirational and contained a positive set of principles.
10. There was some discussion of the word 'care' and what this meant. The group agreed that while they didn't want to get hung up on language it was important to recognise that independent living and an emancipatory society were key goals.
11. Kate's paper had contained a number of questions, some of which could be turned into draft potential recommendations as follows:
Question
- Do we know what is required in terms of care and support provision? Do we know how many disabled people need and want care and support in Scotland? Does anyone know how much we spend and how much needs to be spent?
Draft recommendation
That baseline research should be undertaken to assess the provision of and need for care and support services for disabled people.
Question
- Do we need an additional support needs framework for adults? A system that focuses less on identifying people by their impairment and support need and more on providing the support that is needed.
Draft recommendation
That an additional support needs framework should be established for adults.
Question
- How are disabled people engaged in the design of service models for care and support? How should they be achieved at national and local level?
Draft recommendation
That disabled people should be engaged in the design of service models for care and support at national and local level
Question
- How do we ensure that disabled people have more say and more choice in deciding what package of support is for them? Do they have to be on direct payments to have that sort of autonomy?
Draft recommendation
That all disabled people are involved in choosing their support services
Question
- Until we have disabled people represented more fully at all levels of government, how do we ensure that disabled people influence the laws and policies that primarily impact upon them?
Draft recommendation
That the participation by disabled people at all levels of public life should be promoted
Further recommendations
12. The group spent some time going back over the issues which it had discussed at earlier meetings with a view to drafting recommendations. On prescription charging, the group wanted to recommend that this be reviewed in terms of how it impacts on disabled people. On fuel poverty, the Executive should acknowledge and address the fuel poverty needs of disabled people, including low income families with disabled children. On free personal care, the group asked for further information on the timescale and resources allocated to the review. And on the Forth Valley resource centre the group considered this was a good example of a one stop shop which could also be used as a place to provide information on direct payments.
Planning Future Meetings
14. At its next meeting the group would focus on looking at the list of potential draft recommendations (see Annex A). It would also want to consider wider issues of rurality, ethnicity, gender etc.
Date of Next Meeting
19. The next meeting will take place on Thursday 27 October, from 10.30-13.30 at Victoria Quay, Edinburgh.
Equality Unit, October 2005
Action Points
- Further information on the timescale and resources allocated to the review of free personal care.
Annex A
Satellite Group 4 - Social inclusion; poverty; independent living; direct payments; care and support services; rehabilitation.
Potential Draft recommendations for further discussion
- That the Scottish Executive develops and publishes a set of principles for disability equality
- That the Scottish Executive should affirm its commitment to independent living and the social model of disability
- That local authority performance on direct payments should be assessed
- That thought should be given to establishing a national independent living centre
- That support organisations delivering direct payments should receive a minimum level of funding
- That baseline research should be undertaken to assess the provision of and need for care and support services for disabled people.
- That an additional support needs framework should be established for adults
- That disabled people should be engaged in the design of service models for care and support at national and local level
- That all disabled people are involved in choosing their support services
- That the participation by disabled people at all levels of public life should be promoted
- That the Executive reviews prescription charging policy for disabled people
- That the Executive acknowledges and addresses the fuel poverty needs of disabled people, including low income families with disabled children
- That the Executive promotes the model of a one stop shop for meeting disabled people's needs, including support needs and information needs