Coventry Learning Disabilities Partnership Board Report on structure, links and work groups July 2005

Coventry Learning Disabilities Partnership Board 11 sub groups Representation on:  Local Authority Cabinet & Scrutiny Board  Professional Executive Committee (TPCT)  Themed Group Leaders /Advisors of Coventry Partnership Links to:  Partnership Boards - Older people - Children and Young People’s - Mental Health - Physical Disabilities Representation by: People with learning disabilities Family carers Voluntary sector Statutory sector Elected members

Coventry Learning Disabilities Partnership Board and sub groups communicationemployment health modernising day opportunities person centred planning workforce development transport minority ethnic communities transition family carers housing quality

Coventry Learning Disabilities Partnership Board Membership: Responsible for: influencing plans for people with learning disabilities in Coventry checking we have the right services and support available and that they are working properly making sure that we have plans for change and that change can happen passing information to everyone about the development of services making sure that everyone knows what is happening and what they have to do  4 representatives of people with learning disabilities  2 representatives of informal/family carers  2 representatives of Local Authority  2 representatives from Teaching Primary Care Trust (TPCT)  2 representatives voluntary sector  2 Elected members  Valuing People Co-ordinator

How do we do this: The Board in consultation with people with learning disabilities, family carers, the voluntary sector and staff who work with people have developed a three year strategy. This Strategy follows the themes in the Government’s White Paper Valuing People 2001 and shows our priorities and actions to deliver change. The key areas are: Partnership Working More choice and control for people with learning disabilities Supporting carers Improving health Disabled children and young people Housing, fulfilling lives and employment Quality services We have 11 sub groups who each have responsibility to develop plans for change and work towards making change happen. Regularity of meetings: The Partnership Board meets on the last Thursday of every month (except December)

Sub groups Membership: The membership of the sub groups has the same representation sectors as the Partnership Board together with people who have an interest (either as part of their work or personal) in making change happen. Frequency of meetings: This varies according to individual groups but is usually 4 – 6 weekly Accountable to: The sub groups are accountable to the Partnership Board and their work is supported by the Valuing People Co-ordinator. Each chair produces a monthly update of sub group work and a monthly update newsletter is produced that is distributed with Partnership Board minutes. Communication The sub group looks at how we communicate and also making communication accessible. It has produced an accessible information checklist and acts as an approval group where people with learning disabilities will give a “kite mark” to accessible documents and information. The groups is part of looking at how we can develop an accessible web site for the Partnership board and for learning disability information. Chairperson: Janita Wesson Employment The sub group is looking at how we can support more people with learning disabilities to have the opportunity of work. Developing opportunities means both in paid and unpaid work such as work placements and volunteering. The group also looks at developing training for work. The sub group have produced an employment plan, including an action plan for the next 3 years. Chairperson: Sandra Durkin (LSC)

Family carers This sub group is looking at the needs of family carers. The group has some funding from the Carers Special Grant to begin to develop a good carer network for learning disabilities in Coventry. Part of this work will be to hold some information sharing events and to establish a good database of carer information to enable services to plan and develop better support services for carers. Chairperson: Janita Wesson Health Group has written a plan to improve the health and access to health care for people with learning disabilities. This involves ensuring that people have good accessible information and access to health checks. The group have facilitated workshops and conferences and are also looking at staff education on needs of people with learning disabilities. Chairpersons: Raj Auchoybur /Pim Mission Housing This sub group has been developing a housing plan for people with learning disabilities in Coventry. It has recently completed a research questionnaire to find out what people want for housing choices now and in the future. The work of this sub group links to Coventry City Council Housing Policy and to the Housing Theme Group via Ayaz Maqsood. A commissioning plan for purchasing new housing options has been developed and new local initiatives are at the first stage of development. The sub group are now developing an action plan to move forwards with the recommendations in the housing plan. Chairpersons: Karen James/Pete Mattu

Minority Ethnic Communities This is a new sub group who will be establishing research information into the needs of Coventry’s minority ethnic communities with learning disabilities and how we can develop culturally sensitive services. Chair: Mandy Sanghera Modernising Day Opportunities The sub group has recently led an external review of the day opportunities available to people with learning disabilities in Coventry. The review report has made recommendations on how we can modernise our services to provide people with more person centred community based opportunities as an alternative to existing centre based activities. The group are now working on an action plan to deliver the changes required. Chair persons: Karen James/Darren Robbins Person Centred Planning The PCP sub group has developed a plan the purpose of which is to ensure that a person centred approach is taken to planning, developing and delivering individual services. A person centred approach means that the person and their family are at the centre of this planning and that services are developed to meet the needs of people and not the services. Chair: Clare Wightman

Transition The transition sub group has established an inter-agency transition protocol to ensure that young people with special needs and their families are at the centre of the planning process as they move from childhood to adulthood. This planning is particularly relevant to young people as they move from children’s to adult services and to ensuring that young people have options to enable independence rather than dependency on services. Chair: Debbie Brake Transport The new sub group for transport aims to look at some of the issues and problems that people with learning disabilities experience with transport. The group is planning to engage all relevant partners to look at how we can provide affordable, safe and flexible transport to meet people’s needs. Chair: Dilip Chauhan Workforce Development The group have completed a research project which looked at the skill base of staff working in learning disability services and their training needs. The group has just produced a workforce development plan to work towards ensuring that staff have access to and are able to receive the right training to enable them to provide quality services. Chair: Gary Bye (LifePath)

If you would like more information please contact: Janita Wesson Valuing People Co-ordinator