Campaigners have dubbed Valuing People Now, the
long-awaited strategy for people with learning disabilities,
“unrealistic” after ministers failed to back the plan with any new
funding.
The
three-year strategy, published today, asks health, social care,
housing and transport to begin designing services around the needs
of people with learning disabilities.
It promises to enable one of the most excluded groups in society
to “lead their lives like any others” through increased use of
advocacy and person-centred planning.
The
chief executive of Mencap, Mark Goldring, welcomed the document’s
vision of providing people with learning disabilities with a
better range of transport and housing options, and support to
express opinions, find a job, and enjoy personal relationships.
"Serious reservations"
But he said the charity had “serious reservations” about whether
“hard-pressed and under-pressure local authorities” could deliver
the reforms.
Jo Williams, co-chair of the Learning Disability Coalition,
which represents ten organisations in the field, agreed with the
analysis: “It is unrealistic to expect that improved service
provision for an increasing number of people can be delivered
within the current financial envelope. At the moment resources…are
allocated on inadequate and outdated information.”
Publication delayed
The publication of the strategy, originally promised in the
autumn,
was delayed by care services minister Phil Hope because he said
the delivery plan needed further development.
Despite this, Williams said the government had failed to analyse
“the funding implications of delivering Valuing People Now”.
Hope will be monitoring progress as co-chair of a new national
Learning Disability Programme Board, with support from regional
boards, while delivery will be led by Anne Williams, national
director for learning disabilities.
Relationships
In local authorities, social workers and managers are asked to
have “an increased focus on home ownership” for people with
learning disabilities, while transport departments must develop the
range of support they need to travel.
Local learning disability partnership boards, which include
people with learning disabilities and their carers as members, will
even be asked “to develop systems and processes which will enable
people with learning disabilities to build and sustain
relationships”.
However, James Churchill, chief executive of the Association for
Real Change, an umbrella group for more than 400 learning
difficulties providers, said £1bn would be needed to make
Valuing People Now a reality.
Related articles:
Learning disabilities: Valuing People Now and Community Care's A
Life Like Any Other campaign
Expert guide to learning disabilities
External information
Mencap
Association for Real
Change
Learning Disability
Coalition