1. Physical Disabilities and Sensory Impairment Network Ruth Sutherland: Executive Director of Services Marc Bush: Head of Research & Public Policy

2. Who are we? Scope is a charity that is working towards a world where disabled people have the same opportunities to fulfil their life ambitions as non- disabled people. We work with society and local authorities to bring about changes that make it possible for all disabled children and adults to make their own contribution to their communities, and to realise their full civil liberties and human rights.

3. We go about this through a combination of service development and delivery, campaigning, research and information provision:  Working alongside disabled adults and children, and their families, to offer information, education, support and care that leads to greater freedom of choice and personal control  Working with disabled people and their organisations on the issues that are most important to them to raise awareness, change attitudes and influence government policy  Working with decision-makers, commissioners, influencers and across society to challenge assumptions, create understanding and build sustainable change What do we do?

4. What we set out to do?  Thousands of disabled people and families told us they are concerned about cuts to local services.  We commissioned Demos to take a snapshot of the impact that 2011/12 budgetary decisions for were having on local disability services and disabled people.  We know every council may need to make cuts and there’s no simple solution to protect frontline services disabled people use, so asked Demos to look at the innovative things councils were doing to mitigate the impact.  We hoped the final report would stimulate discussions at local levels and highlight the positive things that councils can do to promote choice, control and independence in the current economic climate.

5. What we found: The report found that:  Councils were under significant pressure due to their funding settlements from Government.  Spending cuts do not necessarily have to lead to front line cuts, higher charges, or poorer quality services.  There are common strategies used by forward- thinking councils to limit the impact on local disabled people and disability services and these should be shared. Demos produced a report ‘Coping with the cuts?’ and an online map.

6. What were the forward-thinking strategies councils used?  Coproducing services: involving service users in designing and planning their services, and in some cases delivering it  Taking a capabilities approach to disability: looking at people’s strengths and promoting what they can do, rather than a deficit model that focuses on what people cannot do for themselves  Adopting a strategy of progression: where people gradually rely on less formal services and more community-based support  Moving towards more integrated services: bringing in care, health, advice and often housing and leisure  Making a commitment to personalisation: not as a cost-cutting measure, but as a foundation around which these other strategies can be built.

7. Research questions? If you have any questions about how the results were produced you can talk to the team at Demos: Claudia Wood Head of the Public Services and Welfare Programme Demos claudia.wood@demos.co.uk 0207 367 6325.

8. What people did with the findings:  Disabled people, their families and organisations spoke to councillors and council staff about their concerns and started positive conversations about local changes  Local MPs discussed the findings with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government  Rt Hon. Paul Burstow MP (Minister for Care Services) used it talk about positive things councils could do to mitigate the impact at the National Children and Adult Services (NCAS) conference  Councils proactively re-examined their plans and looked again at the impact (i,e. West Sussex)

9. What we are going to do next:  Continue to work with disabled people and their families when they come to us about their concerns or want to use our services  Hold national decision makers to account by getting them to understand the impact that the cuts are having to disabled people at a local level, but also the things that can be done to mitigate this  Work with councils to highlight and explore the strategies you are using, and offer our support to deliver innovative solutions in this difficult climate