1. Developing Supported Living in Ealing …….. Rethinking current services

2. Why supported living is important Research in Ealing in 2006 shows us: 31% of people live in care homes 15% of people in supported living 1.5% of people own or part own their homes 5% of people have a direct payment 3% of people live in their own homes without formal supports 0.2% of people live in NHS campuses Over 25% of people live outside of Ealing These figures are based on people known to services

3. Is it such a big deal to have? Your own home A job Things to do Friends Control over your life

4. Features of traditional services Group people together because of their disability or ‘level of need’ Assume that people have to be ready before they move on Judge people on how successful they are at community living Frequently on the basis of what skills they have developed Consequently, services retain most of the power and control

5. Quotes from consultations with people with learning disabilities in Ealing “They should not send people to live away from their family and friends” “There is not enough housing for people” “I just want to get my own place” “I want to choose who I live with” “I need to learn how to use money and how to get on the bus so I can be independent” “I want to decide which staff support me”

6. People have new expectations Choosing: Who you live with Where you live Who supports you What you do How you live your life = SUPPORTED LIVING

7. Principles of Supported Living Keeping housing and support separate Focusing on one person at a time Personal choice and control Rejecting no-one Focusing on relationships: making use of informal supports and community resources Kinsella, 1993

8. Separating Housing & Support People can have real security of tenure and not be moved against their will Housing Benefit can be claimed and pay for housing costs Housing providers and support providers can each concentrate on what they do best One aspect can be changed without it impacting upon the other Home ownership becomes a natural follow-on When the person wants to move, they can do so at their own pace

9. Supported Living issues Getting the right support – just enough Not making assumptions based upon a person’s ‘label’ Is the same as self-determination Goes hand in hand with Person Centred Planning It is how you/I/we all live Should not be confused with just having a tenancy – it is far more than that

10. Helpful techniques in developing Supported Living Have as a primary focus of planning, finding out how people want to live Learn to think outside of the system and be creative in problem solving Use your own (and others’) connections, networks and resources in thinking through support Learn to understand the nature of relationships which people want

11. Creative Alternatives to Paid Support

12. Overnight Support Myth Most people with learning disabilities sleep at night Be honest about some waking night staff sleeping through the night, and some sleep-in staff not being called upon Understand the difference between immediacy of support and having access to it Develop a detailed understanding of present overnight support needs – based upon evidence Don’t waste valuable resources overnight if people do not need it Be creative in overnight support – make use of informal supports and technology

13. Emerging lessons about Providers Many providers (both small and large) of residential services are finding it difficult to make the transition to Supported Living Given the flexibility and speed of response necessary in Supported Living, many large providers are struggling because they maintain a lot of central control With larger providers, best progress is often made where they have devolved a lot of authority to a local level and where they have supported local diversity in provision and structure

14. Emerging lessons about Providers (cont) In any organisation, often the key features are: Flat management structures, local control Devolved financial management Knowledge of local communities Effective staff support A culture of trust and openness A can-do attitude Listening to and accountability to people who use the service Sensible approach to risk – balancing risk and happiness

15. Goals for supported living in Ealing We will do our best to make sure that housing and support are kept separate We will use Person Centred Planning We will determine quality through the real life experiences of people We will be creative and flexible in the use of funding – know all of the possibilities We will constantly think ahead We will maintain contact with people who are using services We will manage the market better

16. Tests for Supported Living How did the person come to live there? Is housing and support separate? Does the person have a tenancy or own the property? Can the person change it/move? Is there individualised funding? Who decides: Support, where person lives, how they live Do lots of support arrangements look the same? Is the person economically independent?