Engagement Report

Summary of Findings from Stakeholder Engagement Events on the Development of Day Opportunities for Physical and/or Learning Disabilities in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust locality.

Venue: WIN Business Centre, Newry

Wednesday 17 June 2015

Foreword

Following the recent engagement events on the future of day services in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust I have pleasure in enclosing the attached report providing feedback from group discussions at each of the local stakeholder events. If you were unable to attend an event I hope this report gives you a flavour of the discussions which took place.

As Assistant Director of Disability Services in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust I particularly welcomed the opportunity to be involved in each of the engagement events and to hear first-hand from Service Users, Parents/Carers and colleagues from statutory and independent sector organisations on what is important to shape the future development of person centred Day Opportunities.

The development of Day Opportunities locally requires ongoing cooperation and partnership working with a range of stakeholders with an interest in Day Opportunities.

The feedback contained within this report from the engagement events is of immense benefit to the Trust and other organisations in agreeing an action plan for the progression of Day Services. I wish to thank everyone who attended local events and contributed to group discussions.

I also wish to acknowledge the support of Disability Action in assisting the Trust in organising these engagement events.

If you have further comments or queries in relation to the development of Day Opportunities within the Southern Trust locality I would encourage you to contact Bronagh McKeown, Head of Disability Day Services who will be taking the lead in the development of an action plan for progression of Day Opportunities for adults with a disability (), Contact telephone number 02830825149.

Micéal Crilly, Assistant Director Disability Services, SHSCT

Introduction

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust hosted a number of public engagement events across the Trust locality to discuss the development of Day Opportunities within the Physical and Learning Disability Sector.

Invitations were forwarded to all Service Users and their parents and/or carers known to both Community and Day Centre Teams across both areas of Disability. In addition, invitations were also extended to other relevant agencies in the voluntary, community and statutory sector, for example local carer groups, Disability specific agencies, local councils and Education colleagues.

The purpose of the engagement events was to inform interested parties of changes happening within Day Services and to seek views on how to shape future provision.

The Engagement Process

4 engagement consultation events were held across the Trust during June and early July:

-WIN Business Centre, Newry17.6.2015

-Seagoe Parish Centre, Portadown30.6.2015

-Bannvale SEC, Gilford30.6.2015

-Appleby SEC, Armagh01.7.2015

Events were ran both in the evening and morning to allow as many people to come as possible. Communication supports such as Signers and Note-Takers were available upon request. Events were scheduled to last approximately two hours and were conducted within the following structure:

Day Opportunities Engagement Event

Agenda

-Opening Remarks

Micéal Crilly, Assistant Director Mental Health and Disability Services, SHSCT

-Service User Experience of Day Opportunities

-Parent/Carer Experience of Day Opportunities

-Developments to Date

Bronagh McKeown, Head of Disability Day Services

SHSCT

-Guidance on Facilitated Discussions

Martina McElhone

Specialist Outreach Support Officer, Disability Action

-Facilitated Group Discussions focusing on engagement questions (information recorded).

-Group feedback of key points to Assistant Director and Head of Day Services.

-Questions and Answers from Delegates

The event held in the Seagoe Parish Centre, Portadown benefited from a presentation piloting the Mapping of Day Opportunities online from Chris Cassidy, Principal Community Resources Officer, Armagh, Craigavon and Banbridge Council.

In total 284 people attended the events. In some instances written feedback was submitted from those who couldn’t stay for the full meeting. The focus of the consultation was to seek answers to three specific questions:

  1. What type of Day Opportunities do you wish to see developed in your area in the future?
  1. What other organisations statutory/voluntary/

community should be included in the plans to develop day opportunities for people with physical and learning disabilities?

  1. How can the Trust support individuals with physical and learning disabilities to ‘have a good day’?

These questions were addressed during the group discussions which in most cases were facilitated by a member of SHSCT staff. It is important to note that in terms of openness and transparency that views shared during group discussions at all events were recorded and passed to Disability Action who collated it within this report.

Question 1
What type of Day Opportunities do you wish to see developed in your area in the future?
  • Drop In Centres
  • Church activities e.g. The Christian Fellowship
  • Bowling clubs
  • Motorbike racing
  • Car rallying
  • Walking groups
  • Bus Tours /Day trips
  • Central hubs
  • Home to venue supervision on transport
  • Shopping trips
  • Training for Service Users on using Apps, computers, Skype Facebook, internet shopping and other technology.
  • Sports
  • Dancing
  • Netball
  • Magic lessons
  • Intellectual stimulation
  • Cooking – ‘Foodie’ groups
  • Special interest groups e.g. steam trains
  • New skills e.g. joinery
  • Social events in evenings and weekends
  • A recognised job
  • Further education
  • Opportunities which promote self-esteem and self-worth.
  • Utilise Craigavon Hub more
  • Long term opportunities
  • Golf
  • Fly fishing
  • Adventure activities
  • Basketball
  • Gym
  • Life skills
  • Library – book clubs.
  • Supported placements
  • Supported work placements
  • Swimming
  • Challenging, motivating, fulfilling and purposeful.
  • Not tokenistic

Question 2
What other organisations statutory/voluntary/community should be included in the plans to develop day opportunities for people with physical and learning disabilities.
  • Christian Fellowship
  • Churches
  • Volunteer Now
  • Autism NI
  • ABA – provision for carers
  • Conservation volunteers
  • The Big Lottery
  • National Autistic Society
  • Jobs and Benefits Office
  • Social Security Agency
  • Disability Action
  • Mencap
  • MLAs
  • Large companies
  • Department of Rural Development
  • Education and Library Board
  • Culture Minister
  • Beacon
  • NIAMH
  • Community Centres
  • Gallbally Community Centre
  • Parish Hall
  • STEP
  • Women’s Centre
  • Willowbank
  • Parkanur
  • Benburb GAA
  • Rugby
  • Print It
  • Community Development Officers
  • Community Access Officers

Question 3
How can the Trust support individuals with physical and learning disabilities to ‘have a good day’?
  • “We object to the term good day. It sounds very patronising. What about good life or productive day?” - Carer
  • “I don’t like the term Service User – I am an individual.” - Participant
  • Provide a one-stop-shop offering information, activities, coffee and advice.
  • Develop existing opportunities.
  • “Why call them Day Opportunities, how about Life Opportunities?” – Carer
  • Provide Hubs dotted throughout the area within a 5-10 mile radius apart.
  • “Engage with MLAs – their lack of involvement is disgraceful.” – Carer
  • Shared transport scheme.
  • Provide travel training.
  • Use local unused facilities e.g. Courthouse
  • “Transport is a major issue. None if this will work if a good transport scheme is not in place.” – Carer
  • Flexibility – but imbedded in routine.
  • Opportunities need to be meaningful.
  • Create a safe and stimulating day.
  • Meaningful discussion not talks about talks.
  • Take good practice examples from other places e.g. Destined in Derry/Londonderry.
  • Actions not discussions.
  • Set up a sponsorship scheme.
  • Provide good communication to families.
  • Ensure appropriate staff ratios are met.
  • Provide appropriate supervision and personal care.
  • Opportunities should be outcome focused.
  • Greater use of social media.
  • Help identify grants and funding streams.
  • Support ageing carers.
  • The Trust need to take account of carers stress.
  • Accessible information.
  • Two hour opportunities per day doesn’t take working carers into consideration.
  • Remove the postcode lottery.
  • “Day Opportunities are not exclusively for young people. They must take in to consideration the needs of people who have been in Day Centres for years. People who have become institutionalised. No rapid removal of services it must be a gradual process.” – Carer

Additional Comments
  • The individual assessments don’t reflect the opportunities which are eventually offered. People are fitted into opportunities that don’t really suit as there is nothing else.
  • The Trust need to be fully committed to these changes.
  • The Trust needs to ensure continuity of Day Opportunities geographically. There is currently nothing in Kilkeel.
  • Some people with disabilities are afraid of other people with disabilities.
  • The biggest barrier this model faces is lack of transport provision.
  • Set an upper limit for taxi fares.
  • Accessible bus stops.
  • There’s a huge void of information when it comes to rare conditions. Staff need to be better informed.
  • Service Users were not informed of withdrawal of Community Access Officers. This is not good practice.
  • There is a need for a Service User Forum or focus group.

Further Questions Posed by Attendees
  • Will RQIA regulate the opportunities, if not who will?
  • What additional resources will be made available to put model in place?
  • “Are you robbing Peter to pay Paul?” – Service User
  • Problems with terminology – instead of good day what about fulfilling opportunity?
  • Why not integrate physical and mental health services?

Summary

In summary, all events were well attended with high levels of participation at each event. There was good representation from the voluntary and community sector across both learning and physical disability. This was also reflected in the number of parents and carers who turned up to support those directly affected by the development and implementation of Day Opportunities.

Although feedback to questions was extensive it was evident that there were a few key themes:

Question 1: Whilst most stated there should be a wide and varied choice of activities this was secondary to the importance of activities being person centred – tailored to the individual’s needs/interests. However paramount to this was a strong expression that Day Opportunities were offered in a safe, accessible environment with appropriately trained staff.

Another key theme coming through from this question was the need for the equal division of Day Opportunities both urban and rurally – “localised not centralised.” – Participant.

Question 2: Being creative and forming partnerships across both sectors was a recurring suggestion from group discussions i.e. better utilisation of opportunities which already exists e.g. Craigavon Hub, Church Halls, Libraries etc. There was a sense of, as well as creating new Day Opportunities, a desire to promote and develop what is already there e.g. Men’s Sheds. It was acknowledged that there is the potential to devise quality opportunities by developing better links with the voluntary and community sectors.

Question 3: This question generated two main responses – transport and transparency. All groups cited the need for transport provision. This crossed all geographical areas both rural and urban. Not only is there a need for transport provision but a service which offers travel training, travel escorts, accessible transport which has to be flexible and operates a straight forward booking system. There was also a strong opinion that without some form of quality transport provision the Day Opportunities model would face significant challenges.

Going forward – continued engagement and transparency are the main issues for future progression. Many of those who attended the events stated that they valued the opportunity to be involved in discussion and debate and to have their voice heard. There were some suggestions that a Service User Forum be established for future consultation and a desire for ongoing engagement in the development of Day Opportunities.

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