Empowering Disabled Individuals: The Role of User-Led Organizations in Social Care

1. What, when and how?: The context for User-Led Organisations Rich Watts Department of HealthJanuary 2010

2. Background • Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People. • Recommendation 4.3: “By 2010, each locality (defined as that area covered by a Council with social services responsibilities) should have a User-led Organisation modelled on existing CILs (Centres for Independent Living)”.

3. Wider policy context • A Stronger Local Voice Framework – Local Involvement Networks (LINks, 2006) • Independent Living Strategy (2008) • Carers Strategy (2008) • Social Care Green Paper (2009) • Right to Control (2009) • The key one: Putting People First – Transforming Adult Social Care (2007)

4. ULOs and Personalisation • Putting People First: the key agenda • A lot required of Local Authorities • A lot of opportunities for ULOs • Information, advice and guidance; support, advocacy and brokerage • People on Direct Payments / Personal Budgets • Universal Services • Local Authorities commissioning personalisation work from ULOs • Performance and delivery benefits from working with ULOs • (ULOs engaged beyond social care)

5. DH work on ULOs so far • Developed ULO Policy which sets out the values, organisational characteristics and services that underpin ULOs • These are the ULO Design Criteria • Commissioned ULO baseline research • Established ULO Development Fund – 2 waves of activity • Worked with different ULOs at different stages of development to develop solutions and resources to be used by others

6. “Working Together with ULOs” • Publication launched in March 2009, endorsed by ADASS, LGA, SCIE, IDEA, NCIL and Shaping Our Lives • Summary of what a ULO is • Information on co-production between Local Authorities and ULOs and what this can be like in practice (plus some example) • Outlines benefits for local authorities working with ULOs and encourages positive engagement

7. DH ULO project – current work • Continue working with User-led Action and Learning Sites • Disseminate resources produced by Action and Learning Sites to build capacity of other organisations (e.g. through new NCIL website) • Work with partners to coordinate capacity building initiatives available to ULOs (e.g. Disability LIB, NCIL, RADAR, Office for Disability Issues, Office for Third Sector) • ULO national conference, 12 March 2010 • Work with partners to take forward and embed ULO agenda • E.g. SCIE Commissioner tool • Embed in Putting People First programme (e.g. joint milestones document)

8. Regional Capacity Building • DH started working through the regions to support ULO capacity building work in 2009/10 • Funding made available to Deputy Regional Directors for capacity building work in 2009: • To support the delivery of Recommendation 4.3 • To support recognition of the important role ULOs play generally in the implementation of the Independent Living Strategy • Recognise expected role of ULOs in implementation of the Right to Control • The key outcome is to develop the capability and capacity of ULOs within the regions

9. Summary • At a national level, clear policy approach and organisations working together to embed ULO agenda • Delivery of capacity building of ULOs working through the Regions • Local Authority personalisation leads driving transformation of adult social care • ULOs have opportunity to contribute to several key areas and support LAs to successfully implement transformation • Build on long history of Disabled People’s Organisations to ensure transformation has the positive impact we are all aiming for