Day services for adults with a learning disability or autism could be reshaped based on feedback from users and their families.
Over the past few months, Staffordshire’s Adult Learning Disability 2022 Community Offer programme has been speaking to people who use day services to get their opinions on what currently works and how services could run in the future.
The resulting report to the county council’s cabinet on June 19th outlined several proposed options for day services, building-based day opportunities and other services directly provided by the county council for people with learning disabilities or autism. These options could see the day services for people with complex needs redesigned to increase capacity, ensure they can meet the needs of local people, and better match people’s assessed care and support needs.
Alan White, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing, said: “In January 2019, we undertook extensive consultation with people with a learning disability and autism, asking them their opinions about the options for building based day services as part of our Adult Learning Disability Community Offer. We wanted their opinions on what currently works, and how services could potentially work in the future.
“More than 300 people responded, and from the feedback we gained, it became clear that our community offer needs to change so they are fit for the future.
“We want to redesign the day services the council provides for people with complex needs and work better with the independent marketplace, so we can ensure people’s eligible care and support needs are being met. This means looking at the number of options available to us to design services that really make a difference to people’s lives, helps them achieve the independence they have told us they want, and prevents the need for long-term reliance on social care services.”
