25.1 The Lead Member considered a report seeking agreement to make permanent changes to the service model for the Council’s Directly Provided Learning Disability Day Services, following a comprehensive consultation process.
25.2 The Lead Member RESOLVED to:
1. Agree to the permanent change to Service Model for Directly Provided Learning Disability Day Services with effect from 18th October 2021, specifically to provide:
• the service across three sessions per day, rather than as whole days.
• the service in ‘support bubbles’ of up to 15 clients.
• sessions based in the community that are independent of the building-based service;
3. note the summary of the outcome of the staff consultation (Appendix 1);
4. note the summary of the stakeholder consultation (Appendix 2);
5. note the report by POhWER, an independent advocacy service, as part of the consultation process (Appendix 3); and
6. note the summary of the Equality Impact Assessment (Appendix 4).
Reason
25.3 Making the current changes to the service model for the Council’s Directly Provided Learning Disability Day Services permanent will improve the service offered to clients and parent carers by providing a broader range of options, hours of delivery and locations. Whilst the vast majority of clients, parent carers and staff are supportive of the service model which has effectively been in place for over a year, support will be provided to those who find this change challenging.