Disability Harassment Inquiry

On 14 June 2010, the Equality and Human Rights Commission launched an Inquiry into disability-related harassment. Disabled people and organisations that support disabled people are invited to submit evidence.

Research published by the Commission last year found that:

• Disabled people are at greater risk of experiencing violence than non-disabled people.
• Ongoing 'low-level' incidents are widespread, may go undetected and escalate at some point.
• Incidents have a significant impact on disabled people who often restructure their lives to minimise real and perceived risk to themselves, even if they have not experienced incidents personally.

Through this Inquiry, the Commission will look at the actions of public authorities and public transport providers to eliminate disability-related harassment and its causes.

You can find further information go to the Commission's website.

The writing is on the wall for residential care

Sarah Maguire, Choice Support’s Director of Quality, says that the writing is on the wall for residential care.

Speaking at the Supported Living UK conference held in London on 10 June 2010, Sarah, Choice Support’s Director of Quality, cited seven reasons why the residential model of service provision is now obsolete, and is being replaced by supported living:

• In a consumer society where everyone expects to have real choices, young people with learning disabilities and their parents have higher expectations than in the past.
• Supported living offers people more rights and more disposable income.
• Public Service Agreement 16 aims to increase the number of socially excluded people in 'settled accommodation.'
• National Indicator 130 measures local authorities performance in offering personalised services to 'social care clients.'
• Once the NHS Campus re-provision programme is complete the focus will shift to re-providing for out of county residential placements that are perceived as expensive and of mediocre quality.
• Economic realities - supported living is perceived to be a less expensive option.
• The personalisation agenda.

Sarah went on to assess the recent history of alternatives to residential care, and some exciting new developments. You can see Sarah’s presentation here.

Signature Care and Support, a Hampshire-based subsidiary of Choice Support, is merging with Choice Support on 1 April 2010.

Signature Care and Support was formed in 1999 and provides services to people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and behaviour that challenges in Hampshire and West Sussex. It is one of the area’s biggest social care employers, with more than 250 staff. Signature joined Choice Support’s group structure as a subsidiary in 2008, and from 1 April 2010 the two organisations are merging.

Signature chief executive Theresa Pratt says: “Although Signature has been part of the Choice Support Group for two years, both organisations decided it was time to merge.” She explains that the main reason for the merger was to create a bigger, more robust organisation with economies of scale, which will ensure that services are protected and continue to thrive in the current economic climate.

For more information contact:

Theresa Pratt

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Being the Boss is an organisation of Personal Assistant (PA) Employers.

Choice Support is proud to work with Being the Boss. We have helped create an accessible version of the PA Employers Handbook. Find out more at the Being the Boss website

PA Employers Handbook

Choice Support is proud to announce the publication of :

'A Handbook for Disabled Employers and their Personal Assistants' (Accessible Version)