Making Connections - Making A Difference

New report shows huge variation in care charges

New figures collected by Jackie Baillie show that there is no rhyme or reason in how local authorities charge for home care services across Scotland. Complicated formulas mean no one can be sure what they should pay.

The social care green paper that is now part of the legislative programme contained in this week’s Queens Speech shows that there are significant problems across England with complicated and differential charging rates. The government’s proposal is that there should be a standard charge for services so that the proportion of your income that is paid for your care is consistent across England. This is what we need in Scotland.

This is what was trying to be achieved by the COSLA guidance of earlier this year but the information collected demonstrates that this is not working. The current situation remains complex, social workers do not understand and no one who is thinking about moving from one part of Scotland to another can know about what they will have to pay from area to area. This is recognised nationally as a problem and while “local government experts” might argue that there should be discretion, local variation and so, that is not the policy of the Scottish Government.

Changing Places - response to the petition committee

The Learning Disability Alliance Scotland submitted its petiion to the Scottish Parliament earlier this year and the committee invited some comments. We have drafted a response. If you would like to comment please read the following and email us with your thoughts.

Dear Members of the Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee.

We have received with interest the responses to our petition 1270 on Changing Places. We remain committed to finding ways of increasing the provision of Changing Places toilets in local communities throughout Scotland. There is ample evidence that this is a neglected area of provision but one that is easily tackled once an awareness and recognition of need is made locally.

Unfortunately the overall response to the Committee call for responses reflected this split. Those public bodies that had already achieved an awareness of the issue were keen to show their commitment to the issue while those who were not engaged with the community losing out uncertain of what priority or attention this issue deserved.

Local authority information

The Learning Disability Alliance Scotland regularly collects information from Local Authorities across Scotland. We aim to identify good practice in providing support and services for people with learning disabiliites.

It is our view that if one local authority can do it, they all can. It is not right that an individual's access to community support and getting the life they want is dependent on where they live. If local authorities can decide on local priorities then they should do this for people with learning disabilities. A decent life is a priority that shouldn't be ignored.

On the menu on the left you will find links to the following information sources.

Changing Place Toilets

In 2009 we asked local authorities to identify how many Changing Places Toilets they knew about within their local authority and where they were. Many of these have not yet been entered on to the Changing Places map, so we would welcome any comment from users as to their actual suitability. There is also an indication of opening times.

Charging for community care services

Edinburgh breaks promise on choice

When Edinburgh Council started its Care And Support tender the promise was made to service users, if you want to keep your existing providers you can apply for a direct payment.

Leading councillors Paul Edie and Norman Work (on behalf of the Administration) proposed the following motion in May of this year

“To note that any client unhappy with the service delivered could seek a direct payment and ... to ensure all service users were aware of this option and the services available to assist them in exercising this choice. “

176 people took them up on this but now without council approval council officials have made up a new policy and denied over half the people any choice about being able to keep their current providers. An email sent out on the 16^th of October said.

“We had hoped to be able to approve DP applications in advance of the start of the new contracts. However, it has not been possible to commit the resources to manage this....

To read more download our latest newsletter by clicking here

Getting A Job in 2009

With over 3 million people on the dole looking for work, every advantage that you have for getting yourself noticed can make a difference. However most people with a learning disability do not even have the basic information to tell employers about their skills and experience.

LDAS has been working with a group of young people from the ACE group in Perth to produce a comic pamphlet on what is needed to make a good CV and where you might get help to do this. You can download our pamphlet by clicking here.

More Articles...