Lack of progress in finding jobs

Fewer than one in 10 people with learning difficulties are in
paid work in many parts of England.

This was the case in half of England’s councils, according to the
Valuing People support team’s progress report published this
week.

Middlesbrough Council scored lowest with just 1 per cent of people
with learning difficulties in paid work in 2003-4, followed by
Liverpool, Barnsley, Hillingdon, and South Gloucestershire councils
with 2 per cent. Peterborough Council scored highest with 49 per
cent.

The report says that there has been least progress on employment
since the Valuing People white paper was published in 2001.

It also says that the number of people with learning difficulties
receiving direct payments nearly doubled in a year to 2,360 in
September 2004, but progress has been slow. Five councils –
Bracknell Forest, City of London, Haringey, North Lincolnshire and
Rutland – failed to provide a single direct payment to people with
learning difficulties in September 2004.

The report also raises concerns about the under-representation of
people from ethnic minorities in services.

It calls for a change in the performance monitoring systems for
councils and primary care trusts to ensure greater accountability
for Valuing People targets.

• Report at www.valuingpeople.gov.uk