News From The Centre of Independent Living

Better Working with Disabled People Consultation

In July we reported on the Government’s Fulfilling Potential Making It Happen Action Plan which emphasises the need for innovative cross sector partnerships with disabled people and their organisations and new ways of working to deliver meaningful outcomes. Following the successful engagement with disabled people that co-produced Fulfilling Potential, the Disability Strategy and Action Plan, the Government now want to build on this and create new arrangements to strengthen the voice of disabled people in Government. The Government want to hear from disabled people about how best to do this in the following consultation exercise ( which finishes on 16th October )

Better Working with Disabled People consultation

Better Working with Disabled People consultation Easy Read

All documents relating to Fulfilling Potential are on the website of The Office for Disability Issues

Equality Objectives Consultation

Sheffield City Council is now consulting on the new Equality and Fairness Objectives for 2014 – 2018. These objectives have been designed to link into the City’s Fairness Commission, the Corporate Plan and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy. The objectives will replace the Single Equality Scheme 2010 -13. The deadline for responses is October 13th Find out more about the objectives and the consultation process. An easy read version is included.

Alzheimer’s Family Workshops

Following the successful Alzheimer’s family workshops held during Dementia Awareness week, Home Instead Senior Care will be running ground-breaking family workshops as an ongoing initiative. The next two workshops will be on 10th October and 14th November at 1.30pm. Early booking is advised but 2014 dates will be available.

Home Instead Free Alzheimer Workshops

Aspire2

Aspire2 is an online magazine produced by the Office for Disability Issues which focuses on the Paralympics Games legacy. Read interviews with Young DPULO (Disabled People’s User Led Organisations) Ambassadors, who were inspired by the games and will be encouraging young disabled people to get involved in their local DPULO. There are also interesting interviews with Lord Coe, Boris Johnson and the Minister for Disabled People on their views of the Paralympic Games legacy.

Download the newsletter here.

United Nations Disability Convention Questionnaire

The Commission has published a questionnaire to get disabled people’s views on the priority disability issues that need to be reported to the United Nations in their examination of the rights of disabled people. Please see the attached document for further information which includes links to background information and the participation questionnaire.

Voluntary Sector Grants Fund

Sheffield City Council’s Voluntary Sector Grants Fund provides grants to local voluntary sector organisations who are delivering services and activities in line with current Council priorities. The Voluntary Sector Grants Fund is open for applications until 16th October 2013. Awards from the Voluntary Sector Grants Fund will begin on 1st April 2014.

Voluntary Sector Grants Fund

European Network on Independent Living Newsletter

Articles include coverage of the Strasbourg’s Freedom Drive 10th Anniversary, the experiences of disabled people in Norway as public spending cuts begin to take effect and a summary of the UK Disabled People’s Manifesto.

European News on Independent Living

Events

8-14 October
Sheffield Mental Health Week Events

You are Not a ‘Scrounger’

This letter to a disabled reader written by Laurie Penny , contributing editor to The New Statesman magazine, was brought to our attention by a member.

Although the letter makes uncomfortable reading as it attempts to reach out to one individual in crisis it shows the despair, fear and anger felt from and at the portrayal of unemployed and disabled people as ‘scroungers’ and the impact on individuals of disability benefit cuts.

Review of Home Care Services

A quarter of home-care services provided in England are failing to meet quality and safety standards, according to a new inspection report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

One of the most common issues identified relates to late, rushed or missed visits. In addition, the CQC also highlight assessments that miss vital information, care records that are incomplete, and concerns about the way services are monitored and complaints handled.Among the CQC’s recommendations are that home care providers, many of which are private companies, need to work closely with local authorities to remedy the problems it identifies.

Click here to see the CQC Review of Home Care Services