Right to Control

1. Right to Control Justin Hammond

2. Right to Control • Leicester is a Trailblazer • One of 7 appointed by the Office of Disability Issues • Competitive Process • It’s not a pilot (names in the title) – it’s to test what approaches work best rather than whether this will work or not • It is a partnership across the city • Partners include: • Leicester City Council (inc Housing and Adult Social Care) • Jobcentre Plus • Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living • Independent Living Fund • Access to Work

3. Key Changes • Statutory Changes for the Trailblazers have been laid before Parliament: • Notifying a disabled person about their Right to Control and the other funding streams included, including where this is done by a service provider • Providing the disabled person with the likely value of the services they are eligible for • Providing the disabled person with information about organisations who can provide advice and assistance • Working with a disabled person or representative to develop an outcomes-focussed support plan, ensuring that their wishes are considered • Ensuring that a support plan includes all the specific details that are required. • Providing services in accordance with the support plan, including the provision of direct payments to a disabled person or suitable person on their behalf where applicable • Having processes in place for reviewing of support plans • Ensuring robust processes are in place for the provision and monitoring of direct payments • Ensuring existing review and complaints procedures are extended to cover the Right to Control

4. Who can use the Right to Control • Eligible People are • 18 Plus • Live in a trailblazer area (Within Leicester City Local Authority Boundary) • Are disabled (under the Equalities Act, so includes those with long term conditions) • New application from the 13th December or Needs reviewed after the 13th December • Are eligible for one of the funding streams

5. Who’s Involved – Funding Streams • Jobcentre Plus • Work Choice • Access to Work • Leicester City Council • Adult Social Care • Disabled Facilities Grants • Long Term Floating Housing Related Support • Others • Independent Living Fund • Leicester Centre for integrated Living (User Led Organisation)

6. Leicester Strengths • A real commitment to deliver amongst all the partners • Close working relationship between Adult Social Care and Jobcentre Plus • Forward thinking in how to deliver Choice and Control to disabled people– including strong Support Planning • Close working with Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living, to ensure the views of disabled people are integrated into the changes and to support disabled people

7. Important Changes • Concentrating on delivering improved outcomes for disabled people • Joining up and sharing • Helping and advising disabled people to receive the support they need • Giving disabled people direct control over their support, whether employment, housing or care related • Joining up the support (integrated support planning) • Giving people money to buy their own support • Having a clear and transparent method of calculating the value of the support we can provide (RAS) and being upfront about how much this is • Joining up and sharing our reviewing of progress against the outcomes

8. When! • Legal changes went through Parliament • New duties on the trailblazer commenced 13th December 2010 • Trailblazer is 2 years long • Everyone who is eligible must be offered the Right to Control

9. Right to Control - Context • The introduction of Right to Control builds on changes put in place by Putting People First and Personal budgets (formerly Individual budgets) • They are all part of a wider culture change that relates more directly to the social model of disability where the barriers faced by disabled people are viewed as being due to the way society is organised rather than the disabled persons impairments

10. Case Study Meera

11. Background • Meera is 28 and has a moderate learning disability. • Meera lives with her mother and father and has a sister working in Glasgow. • Meera’s family are very protective and under-estimate her abilities. • Meera’s family are very concerned about her financial welfare and this may impact on Support Planning if not handled sensitively. • Meera has previously done some work experience and voluntary work but has never had a paid job. • Meera has received support in the past from employment support agencies but not been satisfied with the service she received. • Meera wants to work and use her time productively. She wants to “go out more” and “make friends with people her own age”.

12. How did Meera enter Right to Control? • Meera was a new customer to Adult Social Care and had been referred by her family. • At her assessment for Adult Social Care she was eligible for services as she had “substantial” needs under FACS criteria. • Meera was allocated a RAS of £34.20 per week • The Assessing worker used the RtC Eligibility screening tool and identified that a referral to Work Choice would be appropriate. • Jobs First was discussed with Meera and she agreed to be part of the cohort. • Consent to participate was gained. • The assessing worker referred Meera to Work Choice via the RtC referral form and GCSX • The assessing worker referred Meera to the Support Planning and Brokerage team for help to create a joint Right to Control Support Plan. • Meera had a financial assessment to assess her requirement to contribute to her Adult Social Care Personal Budget under Fairer Charging. Welfare Rights advice was available to Meera and her family. Meera was not required to contribute.

13. Support Planning and Brokerage • The referral was received by the Support Planning and Brokerage team who made sure that the ASC RAS matched the assessment. • The case was allocated to a Support Broker. • The Support Broker telephoned Meera to arrange a meeting. • Meera’s family were keen to be involved and Meera was happy for this to happen. • The Support Broker met with Meera and her family at her home. • The role of the Support Broker was explained and questions answered. • The Support Broker confirmed with Meera that she wanted to get a job. • The Support Broker explored with Meera her wishes around employment and established that she wanted a paid job of more than 16 hours per week

14. Support Planning and Brokerage • The Support Broker discussed with Meera about meeting a Disability Employment Advisor at the Job Centre. • Meera chose to be accompanied on this visit by the Support Broker. • Meera and the Support Broker discussed availability for this appointment. • After a number of attempts the Support Broker arranged the appointment with the DEA and let Meera know. • Meera and the Support Broker visited the DEA • The DEA advised at this appointment that Meera was eligible for Work Choice.

15. Disability Employment Advisor • DEA carried out an assessment interview with Meera. • Identifying potential job goals and support needed to access them • Customer identified as eligible and suitable for Work Choice • Customer given impartial information on services provided by Prime Provider, Remploy. • Right to Control explained and details of indicate budget given.

16. Visits to potential service providers • Meera and the Support Broker discussed all the options and potential providers. • Meera chose two providers she would like to meet. • Meera and the Support Broker visited each provider, discussed her needs and wishes and explored with them the services that may be appropriate. • Meera decided that she would like to use both providers and pay for these via Direct Payments from her combined Adult Social Care and Work Choice funding. • The two providers were able to meet her eligible needs for both funding streams

17. Developing the Support Plan • To increase flexibility the Support Plan will include both funding streams and outcomes. This is due to be finalised in early July. • Meera’s Support Plan will clearly include: • The value of support from each funding stream • her financial contribution • her agreed outcomes • How the support is going to be delivered • How the money will be managed and delivered to her (including any arrangements with 3rd parties) • What the review arrangements are • The joint support plan will need to be authorised by each funding stream. • One of the providers has already allocated Meera the free service of an Information and Guidance Advisor who is developing a provider action plan with Meera. A copy of this will be attached to the RtC Support Plan. • The Support Broker discussed with Meera and her family how to administer the Direct payment. Meera will need to decide how to manage her money this may be via an agent (possibly family member) or the Direct Payments Support Service.

18. Monitoring and Reviewing • A lead reviewer will be named on the support plan. • A pre-review questionnaire will be sent out to assist Meera in preparing for her review • Any review will have a light touch review of all funding streams, with any comments or issues fed by the review lead to the other funding streams via the secure email. • Review outcomes will be shared with the RtC team and stored in the secure area

19. Contact detailsJustin HammondProject Managerjustin.hammond@leicester.gov.uk