Local Authority Adult Services - Community of Support 

Our Adult Social Care Community of Support programme provides support for local authorities working to personalise their adult social care services.

 

In Control pioneered self-directed support in public services. We are committed to offer support which helps to enable people of any age and their families to have control over their lives.

 

We are able to offer flexible support from our staff team, associates and partner organisations across a number of sectors. The Adult Social Care community of support programme and additional bespoke support offers councils a combination of practical development in all aspects of delivery with access to up-to-date advice and information about good practice which supports integration and the delivery of personalised services.

Disabled Father with his little son on the sidewalk

What is Community of Support for Adult Social Care?

  • A community of support, set up at the request of Directors of Adult Social Services to facilitate peer support and practical, themed assistance to help close the gap between
    where we are now and the social care we want
  • Regular, on-line, opt-in sessions open to multiple council staff and citizens
  • Opportunities for peer support – where people can come to problem solve and explore practical solutions to common issues – without judgment but with support to focus
  • Sharing ‘glimpses of the future’ and practical resources and things people have tried from around the country
  • Themed sessions supporting people to create the conditions and take steps forward, connecting co-production to changing practice and strategy
  • Support to people who draw on social care from member councils to be powerful coproducers with their councils
  • Opportunities to link to and influence the external forces shaping what we do – for example debating assurance issues with the Care Quality Commission Chief Inspector, helping shape national commissioner training, identifying the ‘Plumbing and Wiring’ issues inhibiting change to be negotiated with those responsible for them.

What does it look like practically?

The ADASS published Time to Act: a roadmap to reform care and support in England action areas will be the focus of the programme. In addition to core sessions to problem solve, share and connect across the Time to Act action areas, theme topics and resources for 24/5 will focus on:

  • Sharing power through coproduction at all levels
  • Person centred practice – including transforming assessment, support planning and focusing on self-direction
  • Early action and asset-based commissioning – ‘prevention’ and use of all local resources
  • Developing better support – with a focus on good support at home and when people need accommodation with support
  • People power – focussed sessions specially for people who draw on social care to help them coproduce local change
  • A web-based resource of materials relevant to community activity and themes and discussion forums

Sessions will include input from people able to share great approaches and examples. Council members can opt in to as many theme areas as they wish and spread attendance across staff and citizens.

How will the community work?

  • Each council will nominate a link who can connect colleagues to the program elements relevant to their focus of interest
  • Each theme will consist of a minimum of six two-hour on-line sessions to assist colleagues with their efforts to make change in the focus area via external inputs and facilitated peer support. Dates for the year are shared in advance.
  • The People Power theme will be targeted at nominated people who draw on social care working to coproduce local change. In addition to the sessions, we will link participants to wider Social Care Future people power activities and opportunities
  • Sessions will be recorded for sharing and materials and resources available via community web pages

Cost and sign up:

£2,500 plus VAT per year. Please contact admin@in-control.org.uk

How we've helped councils:

  • Improving personal budget strategies including streamlining process; checking results using the POET tool; direct payments uptake; developing Individual Service Funds, increasing take up with people; workforce development.
  • Resource Allocation System (RAS) support for developing personal budgets
  • Individual Support Funds (ISFs) strategy and development.
  • Community Fund Holdings
  • Awareness days
  • Basic training - legislation, personal budgets, personal health budgets, person centred planning, values, asset based working, change management etc.
  • Reducing the use of external placement.
  • Developing Local Accounts using the Think Local Act Personal Making it Real markers of personalisation progress.
  • Supporting provider development including use of the Progress for Providers personalisation tools, helping providers to reduce use of paid support, introducing Individual Service Funds for homecare.
  • Mapping and building community capacity.
  • Dispute resolution/mediation and mentoring
  • Leadership programmes with disabled people and families to develop local "Partners in Policymaking".

 

If you would like to have an informal chat about how our Adult's Community of Support programme could help you, please get in touch contact Admin@in-control.org.uk or call 0121 474 5900

community of support flyer