Delegates gave an overwhelming thumbs down to the government's
Supporting People initiative because of its teething problems.
In a seminar given by independent consultant Kathleen Boyle, most
delegates gave the initiative five or fewer marks out of 10 when
questioned about its success.
Boyle's worries about Supporting People included whether
cross-authority working was happening and the lack of health and
probation involvement. She was concerned that eight "excellent
authorities" in London are not compelled to have a Supporting
People strategy, use the standard contract and work with
neighbouring authorities.
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"Excellent at what? Supporting People? I'm not sure they are," she
said.
But she thought it "brilliant" that Supporting People gave freedom
from tenure, from buildings and outdated models and from high
charges that prevent people working.
Neil Miller, independent consultant and lead officer for Supporting
People in the Isles of Scilly, said that, although there had been a
slow start across the country, this has "built up and has got
faster over the past three months".
