Leicester continues to be at the forefront of developing services that respond to the needs of people with learning disabilities from minority ethnic communities. This has been recognised by the Department of Health’s Valuing People Support Team, who have selected us to carry out work in this area that will inform good practice nationally. The work has three main themes: developing a diverse and dynamic workforce, serving Leicester’s diverse population and Person Centred Planning (PCP).
Examples
of good work being carried out in Leicester City
include:
•
An innovative Fast Tracking Recruitment process has driven
the recruitment of Community Opportunity Assistants in the
Learning Disability Service’s Community Support Team over
the last 12 months. This process has reached out to all
communities in Leicester and has been developed in
partnership with Job Centre Plus and the Department’s Human
Resources Section.
• A Communication strategy has been implemented that
ensures all forms of communication is used to ensure people
with learning disabilities have the opportunity to
communicate in signs, symbols and preferred language. The
service employs staff that can speak the 4 major languages
of the city.
• Hastings Road Day Centre - Major building project to re -
develop the centre into a Centre of Excellence and a
community resource for people with profound and multiple
learning disabilities. Included in this will be the
creation a faith room for use by people of all religious
beliefs.
• In response to a recent survey changes are being made at
Hasting Road Resource Centre to enable people to eat food
that is appropriate to their religious / cultural needs and
also health needs.
• The Access All Areas service, a community resource for
people who have challenged services supports people to
visit places of worship in the community, to maintain their
cultural identity and faith.
• As part of Day Service Modernisation a new service has
been commissioned from the Voluntary Sector to provide
culturally appropriate services to people from the Asian
Community. Another Voluntary Sector organisation at East
Park Road continues to provide culturally appropriate
services to Asian community on the east side of the city.
• A new flexible short break service has been commissioned.
Black and Asian people have been identified as one of the
priority user groups, whose needs have been less well
served by traditional residential respite services.
• The strategic development of supported living strategy
and flexible community support services as an alternative
to residential care means that increasing use is being made
of housing and support packages that are tailored to
individual need and are sensitive to equalities issues.
• The Adult Placement Service has an ongoing recruitment
for carers from all faiths and communities. This has
enabled the team to deliver appropriate inclusive services.
In particular the expansion of flexible day service
provision, respite and long-term placements.
• Specialist advocacy services continue to include the
provision of a specific support element for people from
Asian communities. As well as individual advocacy the
service also runs a group for women of the Muslim faith,
‘We Think Too’ to enable them to contribute to the work of
the Learning Disability Partnership Board.
• The Learning Disability Service continues to commission a
specialist support service for carers of people with
learning disabilities from our Asian communities, and to
work with other community groups.
All services are
delivered in a Person Centred way promoting well being and
independence. Staff support people to visit places of
worship in the community and to maintain their identity and
faith.
Leicester has
recently been chosen by the Valuing People Support Team to
carry out work in relation to services for people from
Ethnic Minority Communities. This work will inform good
practice nationally. We are currently also part of two
National Pilots:
1.
Person Centred Reviews - A new approach to the transition
process, with active and meaningful input from the young
person and their circle of support throughout the
transition process.
2. In Control - A national programme to change the
organisation of social care in England so that people who
need support can take more control of their own lives and
fulfil their role as citizens.
April
2006 will see an Integrated Learning Disability Service,
which will include Health colleagues. This will mean that
quality services will be delivered in a more efficient and
cost effective way. It will also mean the introduction of a
Single Assessment Process and make it easier for service
users to access services and information.
Yasmin Surtim, Valuing People Support Worker
Trish Branson, Principal Officer, Community Support
Services
Social Care & Health Dept, 1 Greyfiars, Leicester
Tel: 0116 256 8379