Excellence and Choice in Learning Disability Services
Excellence and Choice in Learning Disability Services
Excellence and Choice in Learning Disability Services
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This supports the concept of <strong>in</strong>dividualisation <strong>and</strong> allows people to mix <strong>and</strong> matchfrom a range of activities to suit their own needs.The follow<strong>in</strong>g services are <strong>in</strong> place. (They are not mutually exclusive).Service typePeople supportedDay centres 620Employment 100<strong>and</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gservicesCommunity 110day services3.2.2 Future Plans for Lead<strong>in</strong>g Fuller LivesThe focus for the future will be to move away from large congregated day centres<strong>and</strong> to cont<strong>in</strong>ue to build on the more flexible model provided through communityday services. This relies less on build<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>and</strong> more on the provision of<strong>in</strong>dividualised support to access a range of activities <strong>and</strong> opportunities available<strong>in</strong> local communities.The Trust does acknowledge however, that that there are a significant number of<strong>in</strong>dividuals who are used to receiv<strong>in</strong>g day services <strong>in</strong> a day centre <strong>and</strong> who at thistime would be reluctant to consider more <strong>in</strong>clusive community based options.Whilst many <strong>in</strong>dividuals who currently attend day centres value the supportprovided there, as do their families, the Trust does not believe that a majority ofadults with learn<strong>in</strong>g disabilities, hav<strong>in</strong>g the choice, would choose to spend theirdays <strong>in</strong> a day centre.In the first <strong>in</strong>stance the Trust will focus these developments primarily to meet theneeds of school leavers, bear<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d that these young people are leav<strong>in</strong>gschool with different expectations <strong>and</strong> aspirations than those who have beenreceiv<strong>in</strong>g traditional forms of day service.The provision of centre based day support has already been reviewed by thelegacy Belfast Trusts <strong>and</strong> plans exist to re-provide exist<strong>in</strong>g out dated centres withsmaller, purpose built facilities provid<strong>in</strong>g no more than forty places at a time. Thisdevelopment is however, dependant on capital be<strong>in</strong>g made available.There is an underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g that some people with complex needs who are unableto mean<strong>in</strong>gfully participate <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegrated community opportunities may still requirea build<strong>in</strong>g based solution. Plans have been designed to ensure that any newcentres can accommodate such <strong>in</strong>dividuals, provid<strong>in</strong>g them with an enhancedservice at the same time as facilitat<strong>in</strong>g high levels of socialisation <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>clusionfor them. This means that <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly people with learn<strong>in</strong>g disabilities can be <strong>in</strong>receipt of day services that are not provided through the traditional model ofattendance at a day centre.10