I have requested the toolkit mentioned on this site and will post details when I receive it. This a good oppourtunity for you to have your say, and you should take. Policy is informed by these responses.
PDF version
http://www.radar.org.uk/radarwebsite/RadarFiles/Right%20to%20Control%20Launch%20Report%20July%2010%2009%20(2).doc
http://www.radar.org.uk/socialcare.doc
http://www.radar.org.uk/radarwebsite/RadarFiles/Press%20Releases/Summary...
29 October 2009 – Publication of Office for Disability Issues research report: evidence review of access to independent advocacy
This report presents the findings of an evidence review investigating the costs, benefits and effectiveness of independent advocacy support for disabled people.
Independent advocacy involves a partnership between a concerned member of the community (advocate) and a person who may be feeling vulnerable, isolated or disempowered.
The completion of this research fulfils a commitment made by the Government in 2008’s Independent Living Strategy.
The review examined four situations where disabled people are particularly at risk of losing choice and control over their lives:
- During transition to adulthood
- When the children of disabled parents are subject to safeguarding procedures
- When entry to residential care is a possibility
- When disabled people are victims or alleged perpetrators of anti-social behaviour
Very limited evidence was found about the costs, benefits or need for advocacy in these four situations. Existing evidence is mainly from small-scale qualitative studies making it difficult to generalise findings.
However, the review found that whilst the outcomes achieved by the disabled person did not always match their wishes, the support provided by the advocate was positive. This included having a better understanding of the process a disabled person was going through and receiving emotional support.
A framework for research on costs and benefits of independent advocacy is also published today. The report describes how evidence can be collected to fill the information gaps identified in this review.
Notes to Editors:
- Three reports are published today by the Office for Disability Issues:
- Access to independent advocacy: an evidence review
- Access to independent advocacy: an evidence review – executive summary, including Easy Read
- A framework for research on costs and benefits of independent advocacy
They are available on the ODI website: http://www.odi.gov.uk/research/research-reports.php. Audio and Braille copies are available on request, details available on the website.
- This research was conducted independently by Norah Fry Research Centre at the University of Bristol. The report authors are Linda Davies, Ruth Townsley, Linda Ward and Anna Marriott.
- This research fulfils commitment 8.2 in the Government’s Independent Living Strategy. ‘Independent Living Strategy: A cross-government strategy about independent living for disabled people’ is available on the ODI website: http://www.odi.gov.uk/working/independent-living/strategy.php
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2009/october-2009/dwp055-0...
This document contains full responses to the Right to control consultation from organisations.
http://www.officefordisability.gov.uk/docs/wor/rtc/rtc-consultation-rev-...
On 12 October, the government responded to the consultation on the Right to Control Trailblazer regulations. The regulations are available as a separate document. Both are available for download here.
The regulations were laid in Parliament on 12 October. The Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and the Merits Committee will both scrutinise these regulations before they are debated in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
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Making Choice and Control a reality for disabled people: Government response to consultation on the Right to Control Trailblazers regulations (PDF, 29 pages, 141 KB)
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What you said about the government’s ideas for the Right to Control rules and the government’s reply (Easy Read) (PDF, 43 pages, 2.18 MB)
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Regulations for Right to Control Trailblazers (PDF, 26 pages, 490KB)
Consultation on Trailblazer regulations
The government ran a consultation on the Right to Control Trailblazers regulations from 25 February to 26 May 2010. The regulations provide a more detailed framework for how the Trailblazers will implement the Right to Control.
The consultation is now closed. However, the consultation documents are still available to download here.
Standard and Easy Read PDFs
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Consultation on the Right to Control Trailblazer regulations (standard) (PDF, 94 pages, 1.13 MB)
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Rules for running the Right to Control (Easy Read summary) (PDF, 19 pages, 1.06 MB)
Audio version
- Consultation index (mp3, 03:25, 1.4 MB)
- Consultation introduction (mp3, 13:36, 5.4 MB)
- Consultation chapter 1 (mp3, 5:24, 2.2 MB)
- Consultation chapter 2 (mp3, 51:50, 20.8 MB)
- Consultation chapter 3 (mp3, 10:51, 4.4 MB)
- Consultation chapter 4 (mp3, 08:19, 3.3 MB)
- Consultation chapter 5(mp3, 05:29, 2.2 MB)
- Consultation annexes A and B (mp3, 03:47, 1.5 MB)
- Consultation annex C (mp3, 43:03, 17.3 MB)
- Consultation annex D (mp3, 29:36, 11.9 MB)
- Consultation annex E (mp3, 05:45, 2.3 MB)
http://www.odi.gov.uk/working/right-to-control.php?gator_td=f3Dy39IfdlIZ...
Today sees the start of a radical shake-up of the way disabled people use state funding, allowing them to buy their own support services or equipment through the Right to Control.
For the first time, disabled people in the Trailblazer areas can combine money from different state funding streams, for example as a cash payment, to be spent on whatever they think most appropriate for their needs. This will allow a more personalised service, joining up housing, employment and community care.
There will be advice to help people choose services and decide how to spend their money, or if people are happy with the support they currently receive, they won’t have to change anything.
Minister for Disabled People Maria Miller, said:
"This is about increasing personalisation and putting disabled people in charge of their own decision making – instead of telling them what they can and can’t spend their money on.
"Disabled people should have the same choices and opportunities as everyone else and I am convinced that this will help to deliver the greater independence that disabled people tell me they want.
"I need to make it clear that Right to Control does not change eligibility for these services, but means that disabled people can use their funding more flexibly."
For example, someone with a learning disability may get help from Supporting People to learn skills like cooking and budgeting. They may also get support from Work Choice, which helps people find a job. They could choose to combine their support by paying for a local college course, where they learn life skills and job skills.
Trailblazers, partnerships between local authorities, Jobcentre Plus and disabled people’s organisations will work with disabled people to develop individual support plans. Each plan will make effective use of all the funding available to an individual, to meet their goals.
In total, Trailblazers received £7m to make the changes necessary to deliver the Right to Control and to identify the best way to deliver the new service.
Notes to Editors:
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The support services included in the Right to Control Trailblazers are:
- Access to Work
- Work Choice
- Independent Living Fund
- Non-statutory housing related support (also known as Supporting People)
- Disabled Facilities Grant and
- aligned with Adult Community Care
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Disabled people taking part in the Right to Control Trailblazers will be able to choose to:
- continue with their existing services if they are happy with them
- let a public body arrange for a different support service or equipment;
- take a direct cash payment and buy services or equipment and support themselves; or
- have a combination of these.
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Five Trailblazers are launching on 13 December:
- Essex County Council
- Leicester City Council
- London Borough of Barnet
- London Borough of Newham
- Part of Surrey County Council (the 2 parts are Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, and Reigate and Banstead Borough Council).
- Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and Sheffield City Council will start on 1 March 2011. Greater Manchester (including Manchester City Council, Oldham Council, Bury Council, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council and Trafford Council) will start on 1 April 2011.
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Disabled people in the above Trailblazers will have a legal right to:
- Be told the monetary value of the services available to them;
- Have choice and control over how this funding is used to meet agreed goals;
- Be entitled to receive direct payments or to have services commissioned on their behalf, or to have a mixture of both
- The Right to Control has been developed in partnership with disabled people and their organisations, through the Right to Control Advisory Group, chaired by Baroness Jane Campbell. Government departments and service providers are also members of this group.
- The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) has led the development of this policy. ODI is a cross-government organisation that is working towards equality for disabled people. Its website is http://www.odi.gov.uk
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2010/dec-2010/dwp177-10-13...
Right to Control
The right to control will be a major step toward achieving disability equality by 2025.
Consultation on the Right to Control
The ODI has launched a consultation to ask disabled people how to make choice and control a reality in their lives.
The consultation, launched on 11 June, invites stakeholders to give their views on the best way to deliver the Right to Control.
The ODI encourages responses from disabled people, their organisations, public bodies, commissioners and service providers.
The consultation runs from 11 June – 30 September 2009.
To request a copy of the consultation in Braille, audio CD or BSL DVD email right.control@dwp.gsi.gov.uk or telephone 020 7449 5093.
ODI is creating a toolkit, to enable disability organisations to involve disabled people in their consultation response or organise their own consultation event.
The toolkit will be available on this website from 30 June. Register your interest by emailing right.control@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.
About the right to control
A message from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about Right to Control
What is the right to control?
The Right to Control is about shifting the balance of power from the state to the individual and recognising that disabled people are the experts in their own lives.
Why is the right needed?
At the moment, many disabled people do not have the sort of choice and control over their lives that non-disabled people take for granted. The Government is therefore committed to providing greater choice and control over the support they receive from the State.
How will the right be introduced?
From 2010, we will test how the Right to Control will work. We will do this by trying out the Right to Control for disabled adults in a number of local authority areas in England. These will be called trailblazer sites.
More information on the trailblazers and what they will mean for local delivery agencies is contained in our guide for local agencies:
Right to control: a guide for local agencies (PDF, 14 pages, 120KB)
How does the right fit with the Welfare Reform Bill?
The Welfare Reform Bill currently before Parliament enables the Secretary of State to make regulations to give disabled people greater choice and control over support provided by the state. The Right to Control is part 2 of the Bill.
The Bill has completed its passage through the House of Commons. There was strong support across the House, with members on both sides warmly welcoming the increased choice and control this policy will deliver. As of June 2009, the Bill is before the House of Lords.
The Hansard page on the Welfare Reform Bill can be found on the Parliament website and includes the full text of the Bill, explanatory notes and reports from the debates.
Right to Control consultation events
Events for disabled people and their organisations
The consultation was launched on 11 June 2009 at an event hosted by RADAR.
Breakthrough UK is hosting another consultation event for ODI, in Liverpool on 9 July. Please email right.control@dwp.gsi.gov.uk to find out more.
More events will be added to this page during the consultation period.
Organise a local consultation event
ODI is creating a toolkit, to enable disability organisations to involve disabled people in their consultation response or organise their own consultation event.
The ODI may be able to support events organised by disabled people. More information will be available in the toolkit.
The toolkit will be available on this website from 30 June. Register your interest by emailing right.control@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.
Events for local authorities
If you are interested in applying to become a trailblazer for the right to control, more information will be made available at the following events:
Please email right.control@dwp.gsi.gov.uk to book a place.
Download Documents
free of charge.
http://www.odi.gov.uk/working/right-to-control.php