East Midlands Regional Forum

Regional Reps We now have 2 new regional Reps for the East Midlands Rashpal Binning from Leicester City Clare Crawford from Nottinghamshire

Local Reps we also have Local Reps in some of our 9 areas. They talk to people with learning difficulties in their area and find out what they want to speak up about. The Local Reps bring this information to the Regional Planning Meeting. They also take information back to their local areas. Michelle Cafferkey Adam Chilcott Dawn Bell Zoe Goodwin Nottingham City Derby City Northamptonshire Leicester City

Regional Forum Meeting 8 TH November 2012

Alison little came to talk to us Alison supports the Partnership Boards and Social Services in the East Midlands to work together to get good services for people with learning disabilities and their families. Following Winterbourne view, services in the East Midlands were checked to make sure nothing like that was happening in our Region. People want to find good ways to make sure it can never happen. In September there was a big meeting for people who plan and buy services for people with learning disabilities in the East Midlands. At the meeting they talked about how to make sure there are the right services to support people well and how to check to make sure services do a really good job and keep people safe.

Alison is planning a meeting to look at services for people who need special support like some of the people who were at Winterbourne view. To make sure they get things right, they need to listen to self- advocates and to family carers. They will find out what people want, what works well and what they need to do more. They will look at how to include people who use services when they check to make sure they are working well. Alison asked the Forum what were the best ways to hear what people think. In the new year there will be a number of different meetings around the Region for self advocates to say what they think.

What's happening in our Region we have a new changing places toilet in Leicester city Its good we now have regional and Local reps The We Think Advocacy group has been involved in a DVD for the mencap website Coming up PMLD event lunch of DVD Paralympics parade Nottingham new day centre which has a hydro pool In Northampton there is some good work in Hospitals a number of people now have Hospital Passports. We are involved in training people who work in hospitals. Good

People said what they are worried about In Derby Some day services and respite services may close we are not being told what is happening. A number of people said they still don’t understand how personal budgets work. After people have been assessed for personal budgets they do not have enough money to do everything they want. “I have lost a day at the centre” People being left by themselves as there is not enough money to pay for services. Changes to peoples support hours “we are confused”. There have been lots of changes within social services “we don’t get to see our social workers until there is a problem they are just concerned about money”.

Lack of jobs and support to get and keep jobs Not enough social opportunities People find it difficult to get to meetings – the day services in Lincolnshire no longer have transport so they cant get to the Forum. Changes to benefits DLA – Personal Independence Payment income support Council tax “this is all very confusing”.