Engagement Report

Summary of Findings from Stakeholder Engagement Events on the Development of Day Opportunities for Physical and/or Learning Disabilities in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust locality.

Venue: Bannvale Social Education Centre, Gilford

Wednesday 30 June 2015

Foreword

Following the recent engagement events on the future of day services in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust I have pleasure in enclosing the attached report providing feedback from group discussions at each of the local stakeholder events. If you were unable to attend an event I hope this report gives you a flavour of the discussions which took place.

As Assistant Director of Disability Services in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust I particularly welcomed the opportunity to be involved in each of the engagement events and to hear first-hand from Service Users, Parents/Carers and colleagues from statutory and independent sector organisations on what is important to shape the future development of person centred Day Opportunities.

The development of Day Opportunities locally requires ongoing cooperation and partnership working with a range of stakeholders with an interest in Day Opportunities.

The feedback contained within this report from the engagement events is of immense benefit to the Trust and other organisations in agreeing an action plan for the progression of Day Services. I wish to thank everyone who attended local events and contributed to group discussions.

I also wish to acknowledge the support of Disability Action in assisting the Trust in organising these engagement events.

If you have further comments or queries in relation to the development of Day Opportunities within the Southern Trust locality I would encourage you to contact Bronagh McKeown, Head of Disability Day Services who will be taking the lead in the development of an action plan for progression of Day Opportunities for adults with a disability (), Contact telephone number 02830825149.

Micéal Crilly, Assistant Director Disability Services, SHSCT

Introduction

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust hosted a number of public engagement events across the Trust locality to discuss the development of Day Opportunities within the Physical and Learning Disability Sector.

Invitations were forwarded to all Service Users and their parents and/or carers known to both Community and Day Centre Teams across both areas of Disability. In addition, invitations were also extended to other relevant agencies in the voluntary, community and statutory sector, for example local carer groups, Disability specific agencies, local councils and Education colleagues.

The purpose of the engagement events was to inform interested parties of changes happening within Day Services and to seek views on how to shape future provision.

The Engagement Process

4 engagement consultation events were held across the Trust during June and early July:

-WIN Business Centre, Newry17.6.2015

-Seagoe Parish Centre, Portadown30.6.2015

-Bannvale SEC, Gilford30.6.2015

-Appleby SEC, Armagh01.7.2015

Events were ran both in the evening and morning to allow as many people to come as possible. Communication supports such as Signers and Note-Takers were available upon request. Events were scheduled to last approximately two hours and were conducted within the following structure:

Day Opportunities Engagement Event

Agenda

-Opening Remarks

Micéal Crilly, Assistant Director Mental Health and Disability Services, SHSCT

-Service User Experience of Day Opportunities

-Parent/Carer Experience of Day Opportunities

-Developments to Date

Bronagh McKeown, Head of Disability Day Services

SHSCT

-Guidance on Facilitated Discussions

Martina McElhone

Specialist Outreach Support Officer, Disability Action

-Facilitated Group Discussions focusing on engagement questions (information recorded).

-Group feedback of key points to Assistant Director and Head of Day Services.

-Questions and Answers from Delegates

The event held in the Seagoe Parish Centre, Portadown benefited from a presentation piloting the Mapping of Day Opportunities online from Chris Cassidy, Principal Community Resources Officer, Armagh, Craigavon and Banbridge Council.

In total 284 people attended the events. In some instances written feedback was submitted from those who couldn’t stay for the full meeting. The focus of the consultation was to seek answers to three specific questions:

  1. What type of Day Opportunities do you wish to see developed in your area in the future?
  1. What other organisations statutory/voluntary/

community should be included in the plans to develop day opportunities for people with physical and learning disabilities?

  1. How can the Trust support individuals with physical and learning disabilities to ‘have a good day’?

These questions were addressed during the group discussions which in most cases were facilitated by a member of SHSCT staff. It is important to note that in terms of openness and transparency that views shared during group discussions at all events were recorded and passed to Disability Action who collated it within this report.

Question 1
What type of Day Opportunities do you wish to see developed in your area in the future?
  • Opportunities for mixed age groups.
  • Days out.
  • Meaningful activities.
  • Interest groups with outings.
  • Music
  • Art – ArtGalleries.
  • Photography
  • Taster days
  • Social opportunities
  • Activities to suit all abilities.
  • Full time activities five days per week.
  • Work experience
  • Person centred
  • Enjoyable
  • Courses need to have an outcome and room for progression.
  • Not tokenistic
  • Advanced computer courses not just the basics.
  • Productive
  • Variety
  • Positive
  • Safe and secure
  • Swimming
  • Catering
  • Vary the activities
  • Life skills e.g. budgeting
  • Subsidised transport
  • Continuity
  • Activities close to home so that carers can transport.
  • Education
  • Buddy/Be-friender scheme – “encourage independence from Mummy.”
  • Walking clubs
  • Age appropriate activities.
  • Small groups with support.
  • Armchair exercises – light exercise.
  • Local work related activities.
  • Fun
  • Social enterprise
  • Have a good week not just a good day.
  • Tailored/individual opportunities.
  • Club house
  • Church groups
  • Supported employment
  • Drop – In Centres
  • Bowling
  • Social Farm
  • Routine
  • Have a specialised centre and social centres
  • Provide opportunities which reflect a typical work pattern and the needs of the family.
  • Opportunities to meet people with a similar disability.

Question 2
What other organisations statutory/voluntary/community should be included in the plans to develop day opportunities for people with physical and learning disabilities.
  • Education and Library Board
  • Private businesses
  • Councils
  • Links with primary and secondary schools
  • Voluntary organisations
  • Leisure centres
  • Mencap
  • Gateway
  • Headway
  • RNIB
  • Disability Action
  • Cedar
  • Praxis
  • YMCA
  • Clanyre
  • USEL
  • Carers Matters
  • Church groups
  • Volunteering organisations
  • Cinema, theatres and local arts
  • Cabbage Patchers
  • Arc
  • Mourne Grange
  • The Trust should lead by example – use Trust facilities
  • Road Service
  • Set up programmes in museums
  • The provision of more ‘Changing Places’.
  • The government should provide an incentive for organisations to employ people with disabilities.
  • DRD
  • Service Users
  • Young people have a wealth of knowledge and creativity.
  • Community Access Officers
  • TAG
  • FOLD
  • Universities
  • Advocacy services

Question 3
How can the Trust support individuals with physical and learning disabilities to ‘have a good day’?
  • Provide a wide range of activities
  • Better communication between Social Workers, Carers and Community.
  • Family meetings – meet siblings. Look at Best Practice examples.
  • Listen to parents and carers.
  • Provide regular feedback.
  • Regular reviews, factual information not tick box exercises.
  • We want to feel valued.
  • Make sure carers are well supported and their thoughts and feelings are considered.
  • Person centred planning.
  • Provide information on travel. E.g. some people don’t know where to find travel information or how to read a bus timetable.
  • Provide a structured programme of activities.
  • Day Opportunities need to be more than a ‘sitting service’.
  • Signposting, transparency, openness.
  • Information on Human Rights.
  • Better staff training on specific/rare conditions.
  • Staff should to be good advocates.
  • Routine
  • Provide more support for the ‘Post 19 Challenge’.
  • Remove barriers.
  • Need to have a named Social Worker.
  • Day Centres could have Outreach Workers to support local opportunities and Service Users.
  • The Trust needs to value new approaches.
  • Employ staff who want to ‘go the extra mile’ – Staff Champs.
  • Disability aware communities.
  • Disability awareness training delivered by people with disabilities.
  • Allow Service Users to avail of activities from neighbouring Trusts.
  • Provide a productive day.
  • Remove/reduce bureaus barriers.
  • Ensure staff are appropriately experienced.
  • Provide activities in a familiar, consistent environment.

Additional Comments
  • Communication is paramount.
  • The Trust need to lead by example for other agencies.
  • The difficulty when you move between organisations is the breakdown of communication.
  • Facilities hosting events need to be fully accessible.
  • More respite required.
  • It appears there is nothing out there.
  • Carers are concerned that local centres like Zest and Horticulture will be closed.
  • Once our young people turn 18 years old we feel abandoned.
  • We need continuity of support.

Questions
  • How will medication be administered in the community?
  • Will Service Users be accepted in ‘normal’ society?
  • Who will provide training?
  • Who will safeguard vulnerable Service Users?
  • Will staff in Colleges or other venues have appropriate training/understanding of Service User's needs?

Summary

In summary, all events were well attended with high levels of participation at each event. There was good representation from the voluntary and community sector across both learning and physical disability. This was also reflected in the number of parents and carers who turned up to support those directly affected by the development and implementation of Day Opportunities.

Although feedback to questions was extensive it was evident that there were a few key themes:

Question 1: Whilst most stated there should be a wide and varied choice of activities this was secondary to the importance of activities being person centred – tailored to the individual’s needs/interests. However paramount to this was a strong expression that Day Opportunities were offered in a safe, accessible environment with appropriately trained staff.

Another key theme coming through from this question was the need for the equal division of Day Opportunities both urban and rurally – “localised not centralised.” – Participant.

Question 2: Being creative and forming partnerships across both sectors was a recurring suggestion from group discussions i.e. better utilisation of opportunities which already exists e.g. Craigavon Hub, Church Halls, Libraries etc. There was a sense of, as well as creating new Day Opportunities, a desire to promote and develop what is already there e.g. Men’s Sheds. It was acknowledged that there is the potential to devise quality opportunities by developing better links with the voluntary and community sectors.

Question 3: This question generated two main responses – transport and transparency. All groups cited the need for transport provision. This crossed all geographical areas both rural and urban. Not only is there a need for transport provision but a service which offers travel training, travel escorts, accessible transport which has to be flexible and operates a straight forward booking system. There was also a strong opinion that without some form of quality transport provision the Day Opportunities model would face significant challenges.

Going forward – continued engagement and transparency are the main issues for future progression. Many of those who attended the events stated that they valued the opportunity to be involved in discussion and debate and to have their voice heard. There were some suggestions that a Service User Forum be established for future consultation and a desire for ongoing engagement in the development of Day Opportunities.

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