Good morning Barry,
Here in Queensland we are in the lead-up process of establishing a
number of 'Local Area Coordination' (LAC) pilots. LAC was introduced in
Western Australia some ten years ago, and from discussion with contacts
there and from documentation I have seen has much to offer.
Just in the last few days the Department has issued an introduvctory
paper in two parts. I was impressed by its content and tone.
If you like to send me a private email, than I will send the documents
to you as an attachment in msword6.
I doubt that it will solve your problems, but if it puts positive
thoughts and ideas in your had it will not be a waste.
rgds John
Barry Ruffell wrote:
>
> Under the UK personal social services system, assistance is provided to
> people with disabilities following an "Assessment of Needs", usually
> conducted by a Social Worker.
>
> Owing to financial constraints and other factors, these assessments tend to
> be very limited in scope, and focus pretty exclusively on requirements for
> physical interventions (transfers, dressing, personal hygeine routines,
> etc.). Consequently, they are "service-led" rather than "needs-led" -
> that is, they seek to answer the question, "How much of our customary
> survival-at-home service are you entitled to?", rather than the question,
> "What can be done to overcome the barriers keeping you from a more
> satisfactory quality of life?"
>
> I am involved in developing and implementing a Direct Payments Scheme, the
> aim of which is to place more choice and control about service delivery in
> the hands of the user, by transferring the management of the funds to
> him/her. This raises the inevitable question, "What can the money be spent
> on?" - or, put another way, "What is to be described as a 'need' with
> the terms of this arangement?"
>
> There is a logical tension between a broad view of 'needs' derived from a
> notion of 'reasonable quality of independent life', and a very
> circumscribed view based on the concept of risk-management and the
> avoidance of (more expensive) residential care. This tension has to be
> resolved in the negotiation which tkes place between the Client and Social
> Worker: the trouble is that Clients are generally disempowered and at a
> disadvantaged in representing their own interests as robustly as they might
> in this negotiation. For example, people are only likely to ask for
> services they know to be available rather than seek innovative solutions.
> Furthermore, people often don't like to get stroppy in dealing with
> service-providing agencies because they are frightened of losing what
> they've already been allocated.
>
> The point, then of this enquiry is to ask whether anyone on the list can
> help me to identify or draw up a guide to which disabled people can refer
> in the Assessment process. The aim would be to support disabled
> service-users in thinking broadly about the assistance they require, not
> only for maintaining physical 'care' but also for accessing valued roles in
> family, community, work, education, and so forth.
>
> Barry Ruffell
> West Sussex Direct Payments Scheme
> 35 Worthing Road, East Preston
> West Sussex, UK. BN16 1BQ
> Tel: 01903 782345 Fax:01903 776377
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