North East Learning Disability Partnership

Transcription

1 North East Learning Disability Partnership Notes from the meeting Friday 27 th September 2013 Welcome and Introductions Sunderland The meeting was chaired by Sharon Bell and Lesley Jeavons We went around the room and everyone said who they were and where they were from. Minutes from the last meeting Kellie went through the notes from the last meeting. Everyone was happy with the notes but we had missed off some people from Darlington, Stockton and Middlesbrough from the list of who came. Kellie said sorry and we will put that right

2 Choosing a new Co Chair for the North East Partnership Updates Sam reminded everyone that in June the Partnership and the Regional Forum for people with Learning Disabilities talked about how the Partnership chooses a new Co Chair The Partnership has rules on how we work. You can see these rules on the web page at The rules say that the Partnership will have 2 Co- Chairs - Someone from the Directors of Social Services - Someone who is a self-advocate The rules say the Partnership will choose a new Self-Advocate Co- Chair in 2013 Sharon Bell has been the self-advocate Co-Chair for the last 3 years Everyone agrees she is a good Co- Chair so we asked her to help a new person learn about the job The Regional Forum will choose the new person in December so they can shadow Sharon until March to learn how she does the role

3 The regional forum will send out information on what it means to be the Co- Chair of the Learning Disability Partnership You can see more about the job of Co-Chair here Anyone who has a learning disability and lives in the North East can say they are interested The regional forum will have an election on 11 th December at their meeting in Middlesbrough What is happening with the changes to benefits Welfare Reform Yasmin Johnson from Stockton Citizens Advice Bureau told us about the big changes to different benefits She told us about the different problems people are telling CAB about because of these changes to benefits You can see Yasmin s presentation at

4 We worked in groups to look at the big things that are happening in each area The main points from each area are here. You can see the list of all the issues in each area at the end of the notes (Darlington) Interview (to see if I can stay on DLA) - Not local, travel cost, Didn t understand, No support to get/be there, Got a sanction Computers and Peer support important (Newcastle) Lots of work on what are people s experiences Work together to do this? (Middlesbrough) Welfare Reform Strategy Board Work looks at the Impact on different groups and the Different groups to help It feeds up to the Chief Executive to say this is what is happening, what you going to do? (North Tyneside) People can t afford Bedroom Tax No support with the letter to fill it in some people have had to find own support online

5 (Durham) Done Easy read guidance Held PIP event with 200 people (South Tyneside) Information on the changes is online What about people who aren t on line 60% of disabled people aren t on internet (Sunderland) Support Happening support with computer skills, budgeting courses by housing association What we want to do: what support options are available, make contact with CAB, duty calls in contact centre (Stockton) Been running the Money Matters Course Internet access via libraries, flexi walkers to help Direct people to CAB from libraries

6 What we are doing next on the changes to benefits Welfare Reform Each area did an action plan for what they will do next to find out about or help on Welfare reform A copy of your area s template has been sent with these notes We agreed that as a partnership we will Gather people s stories but we want somewhere to do this for just people with learning disabilities - We need to show the particular impact Ask Inclusion North to do this on their website this is not a campaign it s a request to host for others to use Getting your voice heard David Blewitt and Kathleen Ainsley talked about how families are working with the Council in North Tyneside. Helen Cruickshank from the Council talked about it too. David and Kathleen are part of the Cornerstone Group. David is the Chair of the special Cornerstone Parent Carer Focus Group

7 The Council want to make big changes to how Supported Living works in North Tyneside. At first they had a plan that the families thought were a bad plan. The Council and families have started working together to find a better way of changing Supported Living. There have been lots of positive changes to the plan so far. These include agreeing a way of checking quality and being open about how decisions get made. It is not all finished yet but both the council and the families think it has been good to work together like this. They said they think it is important for Councils and families to work together by - Communicating and sharing information - Being honest and open - Developing trust

8 We worked in groups on how people are getting their voice heard Involvement groups We each still have monies for Involving People It s not just Partnership Boards Carers Forums sending evidence up the line Use the Self- Assessment Framework question on involvement in recruitment, training and commissioning to drive up quality Partnership Board talk about all changes Make sure big meetings like the Hospital Trust Group use words we can understand and have helped to make changes for us CHAT group talks about changes in services and people s views are feedback to Graham Clarke (the manager) Middlesbrough First Self Advocacy Group Websites, Facebook pages Healthwatch Newcastle not being board members how do we talk about ACE volunteers our champions Fiona really good to have people with a learning disability background

9 Working or quality groups or projects Wider commissions that just Partnership Board Let s not forget people who check quality e.g. Gateshead Quality Checkers Champions, Commissioners Forum How do we make each service development must have service involvement People with learning disabilities are on other groups like Health Subgroup Transport Group Hate Crime Group People with learning disabilities come to meetings like this and have their views heard Feedback or consultation Fill in surveys to say what: Day Centres are like; about where we live Reviews with Social Workers and put views across By voting on important things Government/local mayor Councillor Leader Keep on saying what you want and don t give in Networking Meeting with friends and families and sharing stories Getting involved

10 Ask them Professionals sharing case studies Having easy to read documents with no jargon and in large font Being involved in reviews/meetings and choosing an advocate to support you if you wish Speaking up or campaigns Visiting different speaking up groups More campaigning Join campaigns such as the Campaign for a Fairer Society Sign petitions/go on a march/demonstration Talk to the council in the town hall Promote our groups/work with posters etc on buses, metros Go on the radio or television Make sure we include people with complex needs Having a group which is user led and a self advocacy group Peer support

11 Sharing information and ideas led by us Collate all the information we have about welfare reform in one place such as Inclusion North Website including accessible information, where to go for internet, where to get help filling in forms Go to different centres and take to people and share stories Help each other - User forums can help Carers can help Being involved with your local network meetings/partnership boards. Given time to understand what has been said and the opportunity to ask questions and clarify information People with learning difficulties are chair/co-chair of meetings

12 The North East Advocacy Project Kellie Woodley explained to the board about the advocacy project and that it had started in the North East after all of the abuse at Winterbourne View. In the North East we wanted to know what was happening for people, and advocacy was supporting people. The work started with a scoping of what advocacy is funded and delivered now, it then focused on 3 areas to explore in more detail these were - Self Advocacy - working with people with learning disabilities living in assessment and treatment units to do a self advocacy project, and test out what it takes to make this happen. Family leadership - working families to figure out what best support families to be involved and equal care partners for their relative. Buying advocacy - working with all of the tees commissioners to help them think about a different way of buying advocacy. The project has designed some resources for self advocacy groups, families and staff to use and a full project report is available from Inclusion North website. To read Kellie s presentation and reports click here

13 Date of the next meeting: 3 rd December in Middlesbrough Who came to the meeting? Name Kevin Pringle Linda Lord Claire Higgins Martin McGoff Yasmin Johnson Dan Maddison Claire Quinn D Wright Hilary Slater Harry Longmoon Steven Roberts Joanne McGeachin Paula Lowson David Taylor Glenn Robinson Brian Devine Glenn Howe Kathleen Ainsley Chas Blackey Area Newcastle Middlesbrough Middlesbrough Middlesbrough Stockton Middlesbrough Sunderland Darlington Darlington Darlington Darlington Your Voice Counts Talk To Us Talk To Us Durham CC Durham NT User Forum North Tyneside Skills

14 Helen Cruickshank Bill Norman Bernie Cowan Sharon Bell Lesley Jeavons Ian Ramshaw Ray Venus Steven Stuart John Soulsby Samantha Clark Kellie Woodley Apologies Andrew Mitchell Robin Flintoff Andrew Minster North Tyneside Newcastle Gateshead Sunderland Durham Stockton on Tees Gateshead Gateshead Gateshead Inclusion North Inclusion North Stockton Stockton Stockton

15 Local Sheets Appendix Durham: Partnership help with welfare forms could we check that out in each area honest broker What do other areas have - Is there one point of contact? Who is it helpline in Durham Easy read welfare information Share it spread the word (got expert help) Share event information what was talked about what was the outcome Darlington: You can go for help with benefits to CAB and Darlington Association on Disability. It can be hard to get an appointment at CAB Too many changes to benefits confuse everyone Cannot understand letters lots of jargon, not in easy read need support to understand Interviews not local, needed to arrange own support, cover travel costs yourself, interviewer talked too fast and used words I didn t understand ended up getting a sanction because I didn t understand what was in letters

16 Gateshead: Some people are better off Regular updates on welfare reform Case studies gathered at the board Feedback through DWP and Finance Told DWP their information isn t accessible Euro MP: Dave Clonnan survey wants to Took feedback from Gateshead People to Minister via Ian Mills Reply was a bit take it or leave it in jargon CABS doing more for less Newcastle: Financial Inclusion Team Active Inclusion Involves Welfare Rights work on Advising people We want to have one place to bring everyone s stories together Champions asked people about benefits over 50 People not knowing what they are on now System says person has to apply themselves Have to fill in on line Feedback we want one place for case studies building up evidence

17 Durham: Partnership Boards/Locality meeting passed on information on changes Easy read guidance produced with Welfare Rights Events for people with information about changes (200 people attended) Experience found it good to change Ongoing work to reassure people Issue with people getting medicals in inappropriate places North Tyneside: One benefit all in one (every 2 weeks) used to get pay once a month There is support to get more when needed Positive change one lump sum every 2 weeks 4 events put on to communicate changes in welfare All people written to about Bedroom Tax Most people can t afford Bedroom Tax other bills can t pay Received forms providers for ISL deal with it Department for work and Pensions Employment support allowance support available on line

18 South Tyneside: Case advocates supporting a lot more people with welfare reform problems case studies are a good way to share experiences (Gateshead YVC have some examples) Your voice Counts AGM 3 October has welfare reform theme and expert guest speaker (John Mosieur he has spoken to South Tyneside Learning Disability Partnership Board) More accessible information is needed A lot of information is online I am not on the internet Sunderland: Budgeting courses Ask the Welfare Board what support is available in Sunderland Ask Citizens Advice now the changes are affecting people with learning disabilities Welfare Reform Strategy Board what can we do in Sunderland to set one of these up

19 Middlesbrough: Help from different Faith Centres Welfare Reform Strategy Board Good support for people from Housing Groups Middlesbrough Welfare Rights Service CAB and other agencies that work together and give people go advice Social Workers help us to understand Welfare Benefits Welfare Rights Officers hold surgeries to help people like Middlesbrough House Malcolm from Welfare Rights comes to talk to us Estates Section fill in forms for us Food Banks being set up Life Line at Newport Centre that can let people have a free meal Job Clubs to help people get jobs Asylum Seekers and Refugees helping with knowing what to do (benefits/crisis/where to go) Help for people who don t speak English can talk to people who can speak their language