The Strategic Director for Social Care and Education will submit a presentation to the meeting on consultation findings with regards to the Learning Disabilities Strategy. Members will be asked to note the presentation and pass any comments to the Strategic Director for Social Care and Education.
Minutes:
The Strategic Director for Social Care and Education submitted a presentation to the Commission on consultation findings with regards to the Learning Disabilities Strategy and is attached to the minutes for information. Commission Members were asked to note the presentation and pass any comments to the Strategic Director for Social Care and Education.
Kate Galoppi (Head of Commissioning) and Tom Elkington (Business Change Commissioning Manager) were present to deliver the presentation. Points highlighted during the presentation were:
· Extensive consultation took place over the three months February to April 2019. Officers wanted to make sure priorities identified were right, but also to give people the opportunity to identify anything missing before the final version.
· The survey results to strategic priority areas were overwhelmingly positive.
· Next steps included a final strategy document and development of a detailed action plan and governance for sign-off by the Learning Disability Partnership Board in December 2019, with the launch planned for January 2020. The full consultation report would be published on the Council’s website.
· The National Autism Self-Assessment was completed every two years and was measured against eight domains. There had been a slight downward trend for overall compliance, particularly in the planning domain.
In response to Members’ questions the following points were made:
· There had been over 50 responses from individuals and those who attended organisations. It was asked if it was the organisations who had responded and out of those, who many were from the BAME communities. It was noted the Learning Disability Strategy consultation had used different methods which included online and postal responses, consultation meetings with a mix of attendees which had provided in-depth conversations about experiences. Officers responded that a breakdown of the respondent data would be circulated to Commission Members.
· Members asked if there was any information on how many numbers of people with autism there were across the city, and how many had been helped into employment. It was noted that it was a key priority to get people who were autistic into work, and training was delivered to staff to give them a greater understanding of the spectrum.
· It was noted that nearly 1,000 staff members had undertaken training on autism via an e-learning package developed by Leicester Partnership Trust.
· In terms of creating better awareness in the general population, part of the Strategy was creating better connection with health and sporting colleagues, better access for people, making services aware so they could provide better support. There was potential for a communications strategy as a partnership board.
· The Learning Disabilities Partnership Board was multi-agency and included health, social care, education (SEND) representatives. Information was sent out to schools, colleges, GPs on appropriate systems that people could be referred into so that they could access the right process.
· The authority worked closely with organisations supporting those new to the city. Also, a lot of staff in schools were bi-lingual and had hired additional support staff.
· Members asked if a one-stop shop to raise awareness and receive referrals could be put in place. It was noted that as different advice and support was required depending on an individual’s circumstances, it was not sure if a one-stop shop would be appropriate, however, the suggestion would be taken to partners to be talked about.
The Deputy City Mayor noted that, although under discussion was adults learning disabilities, she shared the frustration for young people seeking a referral, and those children over 11 years who had not been diagnosed were treated as having a mental health problem, which was an issue. She agreed that grouping people with autism under learning disabilities was dangerous, and that it was important to understand the different needs of people. It was further noted that across the council there were positions ring-fenced to offer to people with learning disability work with support.
The Chair thanked the officers for the presentation and information, and asked for an update on the Autism Strategy be brought to the Commission at an appropriate time, that data breakdown of respondents to the consultation, particularly BAME communities, be circulated to members of the Commission, and an update on the strategies to be brought to a future meeting
AGREED:
that:
1. The information provided be noted.
2. An update on the Autism Strategy be brought the Commission at an appropriate time.
3. The data breakdown of respondents to the consultation, particularly BAME data be circulated to the Commission.
4. The final strategy and action plan be brought to a future meeting of the Commission.