Southampton Centre for Independent Living

35 Hours/week Salary £30,000 + pension contributions, 25 days annual leave plus national bank holidays

2 year fixed term (extension subject to successful fund raising)

Hampshire Coalition of Disabled People is an organisation owned and controlled by Disabled People which subscribes to the Social Model of Disability and campaigns for Disability Equality: the full inclusion of Disabled People into the social, political and economic life of society.

We seek to recruit a Disabled Person who can apply Social Model thinking to action, is committed to Disability Equality, has a proven record in the wider Disabled People’s Movement and can provide the necessary skills to implement its ambitious Business Plan; provide leadership; manage projects, finances and personnel; secure resources; and build HCODP’s capacity.

Do you recognise yourself in this description?

If so, then you are the person we are looking for! We believe that the Disabled People’s Movement has achieved a lot, but our rights and liberties are under more threat than ever before.  We believe that it is only through collective action that Disabled People can secure their rights.  We want to make local Disabled People a force to be reckoned with and to link into nationwide campaigns that can challenge the institutional discrimination Disabled People face.

HCODP is committed to the principle of equality of opportunity and welcome applications from Disabled People who are also members of other minority groups.

For application packs, or an informal chat, please contact:

Hazel Peasley, Chair HCODP,19 Blighmont Crescent, Southampton, SO15 8RH

Tel: 07775 741696 Email: hazelvpeasley@btinternet.com

Closing date for applications – Friday 18^th April 2008

Baroness Jane Campbell has called for Personalisation and Social Care to been seen as a human rights and equality issue. In a powerful speech to the Institute for Public Policy Research, she says that funding for older people, support for carers, and promoting independent living needs to be one debate.

Echoing CSCI’s recent report on social care, Baroness Campbell questioned the tightening of eligibility criteria by local authorities - ‘If disabled people cannot access services unless they have the highest level of need, then all the empowering transformed delivery in the world, will not change the inequality experienced by people and families who require public service support to participate equally in society.’ 

She added ‘When we debate the future of adult social care, we are talking about people’s human rights and equality, not just for the person requiring the support, but for those with whom they share their lives.’

Here at SCIL, we believe Self Directed Support can only be fully utilised if people receive support and advocacy in order to make informed decisions.

Jane seems to agree. She said ‘As Demos have pointed out, the very advantages that personalisation and coproduction potentially offers also contain the seeds of building further inequality and disadvantage: “there will be huge scope for self-directed services and personal budgets. These pay-offs will particularly apply where people can mobilise their own knowledge and resources to make the service more effective”.  “For those who do not — the most excluded in our society, the people who need it the most, will lose out”.

We highly recommend blog visitors read the complete speech on the Equality and Human Rights Commission Website.

The Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councilor Ken Thornber has launched a commission of inquiry to help shape future services for people in need of support and care.

According to Hampshire County Council’s website: ‘Adult social care services must be transformed over the next three years. This transformation will include moving to a personalised adult social care system which emphasises the individual’s dignity, right to self-determination, choice, control and power over the support services they receive.

Personalisation means moving away from traditional social care where people are fitted into a limited set of available statutory services. It involves considering a person as an individual with aspirations, as well as needs, and a circle of family, friends and other resources and support mechanisms around them. It introduces the requirement for greater personal responsibility and for individuals to use their own resources, as well as those available through statutory and other services, to meet their needs in the best way possible. 

We need to take into account the challenges of demographic changes and resource constraints. We need to adopt a more collaborative approach between agencies, including the voluntary and independent sector.’

Hampshire are planning four evidence sessions over the next five months and are requesting evidence at least one month before each session. Hampshire will then select some people to give evidence in person if they wish to.

The four sessions are as follows:

April 28 – People and Carers - For this session we would like information on people’s experiences of personalisation or the lack of it in adult social care services. We would like people’s ideas on how personalisation can be achieved and how the system can be paid for. We want to hear from individuals, staff, families, carers and interested organisations.

June 12 – Partners and Funding - For this session we would like information on the implications personalisation will have for our partner organisations in Health services, Government departments, Adult Protection, the Third Sector and Voluntary Sector, and Employment. We will want to explore in depth the opportunities for new ways of funding. We also want to understand how risks may change for individuals and organisations.

July 18 – The Care Market - For this session we would like information on the effects personalisation will have on the market place. We would like to know what it will mean for all care providers running residential and nursing homes, home care, day activities and meals services. We would like information on what it means for the voluntary sector, the leisure market, health and other partners.

September 19 – The Local Authority - For this session we would like information on the implications personalisation will have for Local Authorities. We would like to hear from all aspects of Local Authority provision including housing, transport, leisure, and community safety. We want to explore the impact on culture, workforce and systems.

The Commission will be chaired by Councillor Ken Thornber with Councillor Felicity Hindson. Other notable commissioners include Peter Beresford, John Dixon from ADASS, Peter White and George Young, MP for North West Hampshire.

More information including a list of Commissioners, briefing papers, and how to submit evidence is available at http://www3.hants.gov.uk/adult-services/commission-personalisation