Issue - meetings

24.1     The Strategic Commissioning Manager for Learning Disability introduced the report. She advised the Committee that access to public transport is a key issue alongside work opportunities and significant support is provided to clients in relation to specific routes making any changes potentially difficult.

24.2     The following points were made in response to the Committee’s questions:

·         Employment performance indicators are based on all people with a learning disability known to the Council (c1,400). There will always be a proportion of people with more profound disability who are not seeking employment and some who don’t have a desire to work. The focus is on those who have expressed a desire rather than on an assessment of capability.

·         The majority of jobs undertaken are part-time, partly reflecting a link to benefit entitlements.

·         Ongoing monitoring is undertaken in relation to ChoicES. As at end of October 2016 35 people were being supported in paid employment. In the last 12 months six paid placements were lost for a variety of reasons including people moving out of area. Placements ending are reviewed to see if there is any learning in relation to the appropriateness of the placement.

·         The main impact from 2016/17 savings has been a reduction in staff. This has been managed by focusing the service more specifically on finding employment, using day services to provide more of the earlier skills development work, and through other support workers providing ongoing support to those in placement.

·         Public transport is raised consistently as an issue at the Learning Disability Partnership Board as its impact is wider than employment. Bus concessions are highly valued by people with a learning disability but concessionary times don’t always fit with work times. In some cases the service has been able to work with employers to agree alternative work times to support travel arrangements. It was suggested that links with community transport providers be maximised.

·         The service is able to link with other areas and seek out best practice via the British Association of Supported Employment and a national network of learning disability commissioners. This has not identified any clear alternative approaches but the highest performers are likely to have more social enterprises active locally which is not generally the case in the south east.

24.3     The Lead Member commented that the long term work of ChoicES has positively changed attitudes amongst employers and some employers have taken measures such as transport sharing.

24.4     The Committee RESOLVED to note the report.