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Valuing People
A NIACE Summary of the Implementation Guidance Circular
The Department of Health has issued a circular stating how the messages included in the Government White Paper – Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability in the 21st Century – should be implemented.
The White Paper sets out proposals for improving the life chances of all children, young people, adults and older people with learning disabilities and their families. It particularly emphasises the need for better co-ordination between services and the fact that services should be built around a notion of person centred planning for individuals with a learning disability.
Please note that NIACE normally uses the phrase ‘adults with learning difficulties’ to denote this group of adult learners but the Department of Health uses the phrase ‘learning disabilities’. It is the same group of adult learners we are speaking about. In this document we use the phrase ‘adult education’ to mean all providers of adult learning opportunities, whether in colleges, LEAs, the voluntary or community sector, or elsewhere.
Implementation Guidance
The main driver for the implementation of Valuing People will be the new Learning Disability Partnership Boards. These boards will have the responsibility of updating Learning Disability Joint Investment Plans and drawing up local action plans containing proposals for implementing Valuing People.
Learning Disability Partnership Boards have to be established by 31st October 2001. The Chief Executive of the local council with responsibility for social services is responsible for setting up these boards. Membership should include representatives from statutory services (including social services, health bodies, education, housing and Employment Service); representatives from independent and voluntary organisations and at least two people with learning disabilities and two carers.
Major priorities for the Boards include:
 | devising a framework for introducing a person-centred approach to planning services. |
| improving transition between child and adult services. |
| ensuring that as many learning disabled people as possible take part in education, training and employment. |
| modernising day care services. |
| advising on the cultural competence of local services. |
| enabling more people with learning disabilities to benefit from Direct Payments whereby they can buy in and control their own support needs. |
| developing access to housing for people with learning disabilities. |
| developing advocacy services for people with learning disabilities. |
Some of the documents they will need to produce are:
| a framework for introducing a person-centred approach to planning services by Spring 2002 |
| an inter-agency quality assurance framework by Spring 2002 |
| a workforce and training plan by Summer 2002 |
| a local housing strategy for people with learning disabilities and related plans for commissioning care and support packages by Winter 2002/03 |
| a local employment strategy and local targets for increasing the employment rates of people with learning disabilities by Winter 2002/03 |
| a framework for Health Action Plans and identification of health facilitators by Summer 2003 |
Particular priority should be given to developing a person centred approach for:
| people using large day centres. |
| people living in the family home with a carer aged over 70. |
| people living on NHS residential campuses. |
By Winter 2002 people with learning disabilities who make substantial and long term use of publicly funded services should have a named person to act as their service co-ordinator. This person should pay particular attention to achieving effective organisation and monitoring of services provided by all agencies.
Resources
A new Learning Disability Development Fund of £22 million revenue and £20 million capital will be introduced in April 2002 to support priorities for service change. Both capital and revenue may only be used where deployed as part of pooled funds under the Health Act 1999 flexibilities.
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Related Links:
| Valuing People and Post-16 Education - Guidelines |
| Education and Valuing People (PDF file) |
| A NIACE Summary of the Valuing People Report (PDF file) |
| Full Text of White Paper on DoH Website (PDF file) |
| What does the Implementation Guidance Circular mean for adult learning? |
| A NIACE Briefing Sheet: Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century |
| A NIACE Briefing Sheet: Valuing People: Briefing paper for Learning Disability Partnership Boards |
