Department for Work and Pensions

Independent Living Strategy projects

Find out how the Office for Disability Issues is delivering the Independent Living Strategy

 

Independent Living Strategy Demonstration projects reports

The demonstration projects sprang from a commitment in the cross-government Independent Living Strategy (2008) to show how to bring about, and embed, the changes required to increase choice and control for disabled people.

The projects consisted of two initiatives, the Support Planning and Brokerage project and the South East Regional Initiative for Older People with High Support Needs (SERI). As part of the commitment both initiatives were evaluated. The findings and lessons from the projects are available in the following reports:

Support Planning and Brokerage

The Support, Planning and Brokerage (SAB) project was set up to demonstrate how resources could be transferred from traditional, local authority care-management systems to user-led support, advocacy and brokerage. The aim was to enable disabled people to have more choice and control over the support that they need.

South East Regional Initiative for Older People with High Support Needs (SERI)

The SERI was set up to develop options and embed broader opportunities for independent living for older people with high support needs at a local level. Two target populations were identified as the main focus for this work: older people currently living in care homes, and older people living at home and at risk of moving into care.

These two demonstration projects fulfil commitments 2.1 and 2.2 in the Strategy.

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Choice and control practitioners project

In 2009, the Office for Disability Issues (ODI) commissioned a qualitative research study to understand front line practitioners’ attitudes towards independent living and how to influence them to change their working practices.

As a result, ODI created Choice and Control, a project which aims to improve the capacity of GPs and social workers to offer greater choice to disabled people. This a communications programme which promotes examples of how professionals can give disabled people more choice and control. It also encourages them to work with civil society organisations that support disabled people.

This project relates to commitment 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 in the Strategy.

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Network of Networks

ODI is working with Equality 2025 and 12 partner disabled peoples’ organisations to establish the Network of Networks. The Network creates a more efficient two-way communication between disabled people and government.

ODI asked the 12 organisations to consult disabled people on particular topics, then those organisations work with their wider networks to respond.

The Network is currently a pilot scheme. The pilot is consulting on two key policy areas: independent living and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled People.

The responses will help inform the Independent Living Scutiny Group’s Annual Report and the government’s report on the UN Convention, due in 2011.

The Network will be evaluated in March 2011 at the end of the pilot process. The results of the evaluation will be published on this website.

This project relates to a commitment to establish a consultation mechanism to monitor effectiveness of the Strategy.

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Independent living and older people

The Independent Living Strategy identified a need to increase choice and control for older disabled people in all areas of their life. ODI, working in partnership with the National Development Team on inclusion (NDTi) and the Centre for Policy Ageing (CPA), produced a new web resource for policy-makers and professionals in commissioning roles to help them understand what is meant by independent living and person-centred services.

Visitors can learn about the principles of independent living and how to create services based on them. The website includes practical tips on how to plan, commission and provide appropriate support for older people.

This project relates to commitment 9.1 in the Strategy.

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Making the most of partnership boards

All local authorities are advised by groups of local people and community groups organised into local partnership boards. 'Making the most of partnership boards' is a guide aimed at local authorities, disabled people and their organisations explaining how disabled people and groups can get involved.

Disabled people and their organisations have told us they need a stronger voice in local decision-making and that there should be better support to make this happen. As part of the Independent Living Strategy, 'Making the most of partnership boards' is intended to help make that voice heard.

This project relates to commitment 8.1 in the Strategy.

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Access to independent advocacy research

As a result of a commitment in the Independent Living Strategy, ODI commissioned a report investigating the costs, benefits and effectiveness of advocacy support for disabled people.

This review of evidence, published in October 2009, examined four situations where disabled people are particularly at risk of losing choice and control over their lives:

ODI also published a framework for research on costs and benefits of independent advocacy. The report describes how evidence can be collected to fill the information gaps identified in this review.

This project relates to commitment 8.2 in the Strategy.

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Page last reviewed: 24 May 2011

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