Platt reminds directors they must support people with learning difficulties

Chief inspector of social services Denise Platt has published a
new report reminding all directors of their responsibilities to
support people with learning difficulties under the Valuing People
white paper.

The report follows an inspection of nine councils in 2001, which
found that a “step-change” in services was needed to ensure the
white paper’s objectives were met.

The main faults found were:

• children and young people with learning difficulties are often
  poorly equipped to make the transition to adult services;
• high quality ‘person-centred’ planning, good
  information, and where necessary the support of an advocate, is
  essential to increase choice and control;
• more needs to be done to win the ‘hearts and minds’ of carers
  if service users are to take advantage of new inclusive
  services;
• the early progress under the umbrella of ‘Supporting
  People’ in catering for the housing needs of people with mild
  to moderate learning needs to be extended to people with more
  complex needs;
• the needs of people from black and ethnic minority communities
  are not always being met;
• although partnership boards were forming, the pace of progress
  will need to quicken if people with learning difficulties and their
  carers are to benefit from properly integrated planning and service
  delivery arrangements.