Giving New Energy to Valuing People Rob Greig and Nicola Smith National Directors: Learning Disabilities June 2007

‘Refreshing’ Valuing People People Tell us the Valuing People Policy is Still Right BUT It’s Getting More Difficult to Make Progress Money is tight Mainstream services are not listening People are not sure what the ‘big priorities’ are Valuing People is six years old and some managers think they can ignore it

‘Refreshing’ Valuing People So we want to give new life to Valuing People by ‘Refreshing’ it. The Valuing People policy won’t change We will learn from what has worked so far – and what has not worked It will be based on what you and others have told us about how things are going. We will set new priorities for the next 3-5 years This work will be done by the autumn.

What Should The ‘Refresh’ Focus On? You Tell Us it’s About Being a Person and Having a Life Being listened to Having a paid job and money Having my own place to live Being healthy Positive relationships (including sex) Being safe Being able to get about to do things

The Minister Wants to Focus on 3 or 4 Big Things This is so we can really make progress on the most important things. Here are our first thoughts on what those 3 or 4 things should be. Having control over your lives and services (Individual Budgets, In Control, Direct Payments) What you do during the day – paid work, education and changing day services for the better Being healthy – getting the NHS to do its job better Making it happen including making (some) Partnership Boards work better. POLICY DOCUMENT

What Do You Think The Valuing People ‘Refresh’ Should Have as its Big Issues?