The Direct Payments and Independent Living Consortium: Peer Support Project

Lead Partner: Cheshire Centre for Independent Living

Description

This action research project carried out quantitative and qualitative research with a sample of 362 disabled people in receipt of Direct Payments to contract their own care provision living in Cheshire.

It is determind that 64% of disabled people throughout the county would like to be involved in (or find out more about with a view to joining) Peer Support i.e. mutually supportive learning environments to help them with some of the perceived complexities of effectively becoming a micro-emplyer.

However many potential members (26%) considered their own lack of confidence and social skills would be a major inhibitor to theoir attendance.

Prior to this project, very little Peer Support existed for Direct Payments in Cheshire, and what did was to be found mainly in the towns.

With so little existing activity to support, the Peer Support Network will face a challenging start. Once the funding is assured and its longevity secured, it should seek more members using other organisations as a conduit: the aim being to have, in time, a self-sustaining and self-funding network.

In addition, engagement of carers outside of the disabled peoples' immediate circle, proved challenging. People (both the disabled and their potential emplyee PAs) would benfit from knowing more aout engagement opportunities, and from having the ability to 'package up' jobs from more than one person for the benfit of all parties.

Recommendations

As a result the Project determind a series of 20 recommendations for CCiL (listed in the full report attached.) It calls upon others to take action also, namely:

For Carnegie UK Trust

1. Carnegie UK Trust should call upon central government to adobt the proposals contained in the Chartered Institite of Taxation's Low Incomes Tax Reform Group's report 'Independent Living; Direct Payments and the Tax System' (January 2008.)
   

For Cheshire County Council

1.  Cheshire County Council and its successors should reconsdier their decision to allow extra time for PAs to accompany disbaled people to Peer Support meetings, and include it as part of their care package assessment on a case by case basis
2. Cheshire County Council and its successors should give consideration to understanding and addressing the different take-up rates around different parts of the county with a view to improving year on year subject to the overriding expressed preference of individual customers.

For the National Centre for Independent Liviing (NCIL)

1. NCIL should advocate the development of Peer Support activities, especially in rural areas.
2. A measure and attempt to benchmark independent living as being able to live apart from one's parent (s) in line with the general population should be researched further, and any conclusions and recommendations acted upon. 

Contact Details

Cheshire Centre for Independent Living

Central Office,

Hartford Business Centre,

Chester Road,

Northwich,

Cheshire,

CW8 2AB

Tel: 01606 888255

Website: http://www.cdf-northwest.org.uk/

Attachment	Size
CCiL Final Report July 2008.pdf	860.04 KB