Easy Read
LDAG News
Number 5 Spring 2014
New social services law for Wales The Queen
On 1 May 2014 the Queen signed to say that a new law can be put in place for Wales. The law is called the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014.
It will change the way social services support people. It wants to give people more choice and control in their lives and help them to be more independent. Welsh Government hopes that the new law will make things simpler and clearer for:
people who use social services
their carers
people who work in social services and other organisations
the courts.
You can find out more about the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act on the National Assembly for Wales website.
Easy Read newsletter
Page 2
LDAG News Easy Read
What has the LDAG been doing? The Learning Disability Advisory Group (LDAG) met on 29 April 2014. The group talked about lots of different things. Information about people with a learning disability living in Wales Andrew Stephens from the Data Unit Wales came to the meeting to talk about the Learning Disabilities Minimum Dataset. “To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
In 2009 the Deputy Minister for Social Services Gwenda Thomas asked the Data Unit Wales to put together lots of information about people with a learning disability in Wales. This was because the old advisory group had told her that this information was needed to help services plan for the future. This information was called the Learning Disabilities Minimum Data Set. The information came from the local authorities in Wales. It was on the InfoBaseCymru website. The money from Welsh Government for putting together the information stopped some time ago. (More on page 3)
Page 3
Number 5 Spring 2014 (From page 2)
Data Unit Wales decided not to put together the information for 2012 to 2013 and took it off the website. Samantha Williams LDAG Information Officer had a meeting with people who work at Data Unit Wales to talk about the information. She told them how important it was and why she thought they should put it back on the website.
“To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
Welsh Government also had a meeting with Andrew Stephens from Data Unit Wales. Andrew told the LDAG about the information and showed them what it looked like.
?
He said the group should think about what information they want and how they want to be able to look at it. Roger Banks is the co-Chair of LDAG. He said that a small group of people from LDAG should meet with Andrew to talk about the information. You can have a look at the information here: http://www.infobasecymru.net/IAS/themes/ learningdisabilities(adults)minimumdataset. (More on page 4)
Page 4
LDAG News Easy Read (From page 3)
Learning Disability Transformation Project The Learning Disability Transformation Project worked with some local councils in Wales to look at ways to change services for people with a learning disability. The aim of the project was to make services cheaper and better.
?
“To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
At the last LDAG meeting, the group wanted to know what difference the changes to services make for people with a learning disability and their families. Steve Garland from Neath Port Talbot and Mark Wilkinson from Bridgend came along to talk about how the project had worked in their areas. Steve Garland said that Neath Port Talbot social services have changed the way they assess people. This means finding out what help and support people need. Social services use this information to make sure that the services they pay for are good value for money.
(More on page 5)
Page 5
Number 5 Spring 2014 (From page 4)
This means that more people are getting the right amount of support and not getting more support than they need. Steve also talked about some people with a learning disability who have had some good changes to their lives because of the project. 24 people have moved from care homes to supported living in the last 6 months. “To catch the reader's a en on, place an
The total cost of people living in care homes has come down by more than 1 million pounds.
interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
Steve said it is important to work with people, their families and carers. He also said that if you make sure people are getting the right support then you will save money in the end.
?
Mark Wilkinson talked about the changes that Bridgend social services have been making since taking part in the project. Roger Banks asked how we will know if the changes are making a difference to the lives of people with a learning disability?
(More on page 6)
Page 6
LDAG News Easy Read (From page 5)
There is no more money for the project so local authorities will have to find their own ways of checking what difference the changes are making. You can find out more about the project on the Social Services Improvement Agency’s website: http://www.ssiacymru.org.uk/home.php? page_id=8485. Sub-groups “To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
Then the LDAG heard about what the subgroups have been doing. The sub-groups are small groups who are working on different things like health or advocacy. One of the sub-groups is about making services better for people with a learning disability and challenging behaviour. They had a meeting to finish their report for the Deputy Minister for Social Services.
1. ________ 2. ________ 3. ________ 4. ________ 5. ________
The report is about the top 5 things they think should be done to make sure people with challenging behaviour in Wales get good support. (More on page 7)
Page 7
Number 5 Spring 2014 (From page 6)
There is another sub-group looking at how and why people with a learning disability have worse health than other people in Wales. They are writing a work plan to show what they plan to do and by when. They will make a list of ways to make health services better for people with a learning disability. 1. ________ 2. ________ 3. ________ 4. ________ 5. ________
They will put this list in a report and send it to the Minister for Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Services. “To catch the reader's a en on, place an
interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
There is also a sub-group on advocacy. They have made a list of the things they want to do like:
?
Finding out what advocacy services there are in Wales for people with a learning disability
Finding different ways to get money to pay for advocacy services
Getting real stories about how advocacy has helped people.
The LDAG talked about starting a new subgroup to look at where people with a learning disability live. (More on page 8)
Page 8
LDAG News Easy Read (From page 7)
People often have to stay living with their family even if they want to move out because there is not enough good supported housing. National Partnership Board for Mental Health The last thing the LDAG talked about was the National Partnership Board for Mental Health.
“To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
This is a group of people who check that mental health services are following the plan ‘Together for Mental Health’. This plan was written to make mental health services in Wales better. You can read the plan here: http:// wales.gov.uk/topics/health/nhswales/healthservice/ mental-health-services/strategy/?lang=en. Ray Jacques is worried that the group are not looking at how people with a learning disability get help from mental health services. People with a learning disability are more likely to need mental health services than some other people. Penny Hall from Welsh Government will try to find out how the LDAG can work with the National Partnership Board to make sure they think about people with a learning disability.
Page 9
Number 5 Spring 2014
Getting help from mental health services The Foundation for People with a Learning Disability in England has written a report about making mental health services better for people with a learning disability. People with a learning disability are 3 times more likely to have mental health problems like feeling down or sad than other people. People with a learning disability often find it very hard to get help and support from mental health services. “To catch the reader's a en on, place an
interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
Here are some of the problems people with a learning disability have when they try to get help:
People only see their learning disability – they do not see them as a person
Information is not easy to understand
People do not believe them, listen to them or support them when they feel down or sad.
The report has a list of ways to help people with a learning disability to have better mental health. You can read the report and the easy read guide on the Foundation’s website: http:// www.learningdisabilities.org.uk/our-news/14-05-12feeling-down/.
Page 10
LDAG News Easy Read
What has the CB CoP been doing? The Challenging Behaviour Community of Practice (CB CoP) met on 30 April 2014. They talked about good ways to support people with a learning disability and challenging behaviour.
? “To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
They also talked about some new policies in England and Wales that may be important for people with challenging behaviour. Louise Denne from Bangor University talked about work she is doing with a group of researchers. Researchers try to find out about something in lots of different ways, like asking people what they think, doing tests or finding information. They are looking at what staff who work with people with challenging behaviour should know about and be able to do. They want to make sure that staff can support people with challenging behaviour in the best ways possible. The group looked at some of the ideas that Louise and the other researchers had written down. The group then wrote down what they thought about the ideas and added some new ideas of their own.
Number 5 Spring 2014
Page 11
Real Opportunities ‘Real Party’ Real Opportunities project Real Opportunities is a project that helps young people with transition. Transition is when you change from children’s services to adult services. The money for the Real Opportunities project comes from the European Social Fund.
“To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story
This money runs out later this year so the project will finish unless they can find some more money to keep it going. here.”
The project works with young people between 14 and 19 years old who have a learning disability, high support needs or autism. It helps them to become as independent as possible. The project uses lots of different ways to help the young people through transition. Project staff work with the young people, their families and other people to write personcentred transition plans.
(More on page 12)
Page 12
LDAG News Easy Read (From page 11)
They help them to reach their goals in lots of ways like training, taking part in activities and giving support. The project works in 9 local areas:
Caerphilly
Bridgend
Carmarthenshire
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Neath Port Talbot
Swansea
Merthyr
Pembrokeshire
Torfaen.
“To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
The project supports young people in lots of different ways:
Planning for transition
Person centred planning
Getting ready for work and support in work (More on page 13)
Number 5 Spring 2014
Page 13
(From page 12)
Skills for living independently like catching a bus, shopping, washing or opening a bank account
Having friends and becoming a peer mentor. A peer mentor is someone around the same age as you who can help you make friends or be someone to talk to.
Support with feelings and how to cope when you feel sad or angry.
“To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
Dr Steve Beyer from the Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities at Cardiff University has been looking into how well the project has helped young people and their families. Real Party On 25 April 2014 Real Opportunities had an event called ‘Real Party’. ‘Real Party’ was about celebrating all the things that the young people who have taken part in the project have done. It was also about having a fun day with their families and the staff who have supported them.
(More on page 14)
Page 14
LDAG News Easy Read (From page 13)
Young people talked about how the project had helped them. Everyone really enjoyed the day. There were lots of activities like dancing, craft, drama and even animals! There was also a cake and a disco. “To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
The most important part of the day was saying ‘thank you’ and ‘well done’ to all the young people who have taken part in the project. Claire Williams gave the young people certificates and goody bags. Claire won a bronze medal in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. You can find out more about the Real Opportunities project on their website www.realopportunities.org.uk.
Number 5 Spring 2014
Page 15
Macmillan Learning Disability Project Macmillan Cancer Support helps people when they find out they have cancer or that someone they love has cancer. They are running a project in Wales to make things better for people with a learning disability who are affected by cancer. Tracey Lloyd is a nurse who has worked with people with a learning disability. Tracey is leading this project. The project wants to help cancer services get better at supporting people with a learning disability. There is a group of people called a steering group who are helping Tracey run the project. The people in the steering group work in health, social care and other organisations that work with people with a learning disability. Ruth Northway from the University of South Wales is a member of LDAG and she is part of the steering group.
(More on page 16)
Page 16
LDAG News Easy Read (From page 15)
Samantha Williams LDAG Information Officer has also been asked to join the steering group to help make information easy to read and understand. The project plans to:
Find out what staff working in cancer care services need to help them support people with a learning disability
Give training to staff who work in cancer care services
Find out what changes can be made to make it easier for people with a learning disability to get information and support from cancer care services
Find out what information and support is already out there for people with a learning disability
Find out what information or support is missing and what could be done to put it right.
“To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
?
(More on page 17)
Number 5 Spring 2014
Page 17
(From page 16)
We hope that by doing all of these things, people with a learning disability affected by cancer will: 1. Get diagnosed early. This means finding out as soon as possible that you have cancer so that you can start getting help straight away. 2. Understand what is happening to you so that you can make good decisions.
“To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
3. Get the best treatment and care for your cancer and for your life. 4. Know what you can do to help yourself and who else can help you. 5. Be treated with dignity and respect. 6. Feel that the people around you are also well supported. 7. Be able to enjoy life. 8. Feel like part of a community. 9. Be able to die well.
Page 18
LDAG News Easy Read
Young people who break the law and have problems with communication The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists had an event on 14 May 2014 in Cardiff. The event was about how hard it can be for young people with communication problems when they get into trouble with the police. “To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
Welsh Government Minister Lesley Griffiths welcomed everyone to the event. She said how important it was for young people to get help with communication when they break the law so that they understand what they have done and what will happen to them. There were talks from people who work with young people who break the law and people who have communication problems. Christine Griffiths is a member of LDAG and Head of Speech and Language Therapy at Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board.
(More on page 19)
Number 5 Spring 2014
Page 19
(From page 18)
Speech and language therapy helps people who have communication problems like not being able to speak, read or understand what people are saying. Christine talked about how hard it is for young people with a learning disability if they break the law or have to go to the police or to court. Young people with a learning disability often need special help and support with communication.
“To catch the reader's a en on, place an interes ng sentence or quote from the story here.”
There was also a talk about a training programme for staff working with people who break the law. The training is called ‘The Box’. It helps staff to know which people need help with communication and how to support them.
Everyone at the event had the chance to try out parts of ‘The Box’ training programme on the computer. You can find out more about ‘The Box’ on the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists’ website http://www.rcslt.org/news/ events/2014/wales_box_launch.
Page 20
LDAG News Easy Read
New LDAG website The LDAG has a new website www.ldag.info. On the website you can find out about what the group does and who its members are. You can also find policies that are important for people with a learning disability in Wales. You can read the LDAG newsletters in Easy Read. There is still some more work to do on some parts of the website. In the future there will be a Welsh website www.gcad.info and Easy Read pages. You can have a look at the website and let us know what you think by sending an email to Sam Williams: samantha.williams@ldw.org.uk . You can also find out more about LDAG on Facebook and Twitter.
For more information or to let us know what you think, phone Sam Williams on 029 20681177 or e-mail: samantha.williams@ldw.org.uk. Look at the website www.ldag.info or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @LDAdvisoryGroup