In Control NOW edition 11

8/8/2019 In Control NOW edition 11

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In Control Newspaper > www.in-control.org.uk > Issue 11

In issue

11National

personal budgetssurvey > p.11

www.in-control.org.uk> Issue 11

Striving or a

better 2020 >p.5

Personal

budgets hereto stay >p.4

Hes a star inthe making

Ryan Walker has everything to

smile about.

The eight-year-old rom Bury is

set to become the latest star o

CBeebies ater his charismatic

auditions at school won him arole in a new programme called

Mr Blooms Nursery.

But i Ryan, who has complex

needs, had not had a direct

payment he might not have been

able to attend the audition in

the rst place, says mum Debi.

Ryan may not have been able

to make the auditions i we had

not had the help, support and

opportunities [rom personalassistants] that direct payments

provided, said Debi.

Previously we had elt isolated as

a amily, and used respite care which

just wasnt working. Now we have

two personal assistants or Ryan and

are able to do much more, she said.Cont. p.4 >

Lets talk

about sex!Julie Stanseld, In Controls chie executive, explainswhy the recent controversial news coverage aboutpersonal budgets missed the point.Whether people should be allowed to

spend their personal budgets paying

or sex is not the issue, Julie said. Its

about whether people should have

the reedom to choose the care andsupport that best meets their needs.

Now Julie is urging councils not

to make knee-jerk reactions to

the headlines.

The negative reporting overshadowsthe real benets o personal budgets

and I now worry that councils will be

prescriptive over what people can and

cant spend their money on, she said.

But i local authorities do begin toclamp down on the use o personal

budgets it will come at a cost.

We know huge savings can be

made by giving people the reedom

and fexibility to spend their budgets

as they choose as well as, more

importantly, resulting in a signicant

increase in peoples quality o lie.

This is also what In Controls own

evidence supports.

People using personal budgetsspend their allocated money ar

more eciently by reducing wasteul

bureaucracy such as oce costs,

middle men and administration

but not cutting the rontline service

to that individual.

It is critical that councils do not

become restrictive with personal

budgets because they are scared

about receiving negative media

coverage. Cont. p.2 >

Burstow

pushes orreorm > p.3
http://www.in-control.org.uk/http://www.in-control.org.uk/


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Cont. from p.1 >

Julie, who has written her ull

response to the media coverage

on In Controls website, also said

we should not be prying into the

private lives o disabled people.

Do people check how incomesupport is spent? she asked.

Do people check how child benet

is spent? That is public money too.

The scrutiny into the private aairs

o disabled people shows a parental

culture that they are seen to belong

to the state rather than be citizens

in their own right.

What we all spend our income

on is entirely our business, as

long as its legal. The whole point

o personal budgets is that theyhelp people to achieve positive

whole lie outcomes. They do this

eectively because they maximise

choice, control, reedom and

responsibility. It would be hugely

disappointing i this recent

coverage spoilt the choice or

millions o people making a better

lie or themselves at a lesser cost

to the taxpayer.

Disabled people are too oten seen

as not being able to make choicesor be responsible. It is wrong and

unjust that it is still regarded as OK

to place people into more expensive

institutions i they need support.

In Control is calling or a shit rom

a paternal and dependency culture

to a rights culture where people

have the reedom and fexibility

to be responsible or their own

personal budgets.

What a great

budget holiday!As an example opersonal budget cost-eectiveness, JulieStansfeld detailsthe experience oKatherine, an 18-year-old with autism, whoused part o her budgetto go on holiday orone week in Spain withher extended amily.Previously, Katherinewould have spent theweek in an institution.

I she had not gone on the

holiday, Katherine would have

attended a residential autism

home, enabling Katherines

amily to get so-called

respite. Katherine would have

reluctantly agreed in orderto avoid being a burden.

Moreover, Katherines amily

would have worried intensely

about who else would be at

the home while Katherine was

there. Plus, they would have

elt guilty knowing Katherine

did not want to go.

Yet, while on holiday

Katherine elt part o the

amily. She was not the odd

one out. The holiday provided

Katherines extended amily

with a chance to get to know

her better, and Katherine

showed her positive side. For

example, as she is disabled she

was able to get the amilys

young children on themepark rides quicker! Katherine

accepted that during the

holiday other amily members

were to provide her support,

so enabling Katherines mother

to have a break.

It would have cost the tax-

payer 500 - 700 per week or

residential care or Katherine.

But Katherines one-week

holiday cost 300, saving the

tax payer 200 - 400! Anotherbroader societal benet is that

disabled people gain higher

expectations as to how they

should be treated and, as it

was or Katherine, the airline

and hotel were required to

meet the requirements o a

disabled person.

Julie Stansfeld

Publishinginformation

In Control NOW! is a

newspaper produced anddistributed by In Control, a

not-or-proft organisation

and registered charity

working or social change.

Registered ofce:

In Control, Carillon House,

Chapel Lane,

Wythall, West Midlands,

B47 6JX

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NOW! is ree.

For an electronic copy

please email:

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www.in-control.org.uk/

incontrolnow

ProductionEditor: Laura Bimpson

[email protected]: ICE

www.icecreates.comPrint: Quotemeprint

www.quotemeprint.com

Forthcoming events rom Hartlepool to LondonIn Control has a host o events coming up over the nextew months heres just a favour.Taking Control two-day

residential Manchester

9 and 10 November

Leadership and Induction

event Milton Keynes

16 and 17 November

The Personal

Response London

personalisation across all o

childrens services 25 November

Making it Happen

Hartlepool November to March 2011

Dont be fooled by

the Law 2 Manchester

date to be conrmed

There are also a number o citizen

leadership courses currently running,

including Kindred Spirits in Bristol andPartners in Policymaking in Lancashire.

For urther inormation on

all events that In Control is

running, please contact the

In Control Support Centre

at [email protected]

or on 01564 821 650.
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Press our oot on the gasCare Services Minister Paul Burstow writes exclusively or In Control

Now! on why councils and primary care trusts must be bold i theyare to deliver on the personalisation agenda.

A stark choice lies ahead or health and social care:

retrench or reorm.

All services must conront the twin eects o dealing

with the public debt legacy and preparing the way

or an ageing population.

Maintaining standards in the ace o tighter budgets

will be dicult, and some councils and health

authorities may be tempted to retreat to guardtheir budgets jealously and return to traditional,

one-size-ts-all models o care.

I can understand why this option may appear

attractive in times o challenge, we all naturally

grasp at the amiliar and sae options.

But in the current climate, slowing the pace o reorm

and harking back to old methods o delivery would

have catastrophic eects both on the quality o

care we aspire to, and on the cost-savings we need

to make.

It is encouraging to see the signs o personalisationbecoming a reality in parts o the country.

I know that many councils have already achieved

excellent results rom the outstanding prevention

and reablement work Ive seen in places like Sutton,

through to personal health budgets broadening

horizons or people with complex needs in pilot sites

such as Doncaster, Torbay and Central London. These

reorms have paid real dividends, securing better

outcomes, higher satisaction rates and lower costs,

as well as oering the fexibility to support amilies

and carers.

Yet the picture remains patchy, and many other parts o

the country are still playing catch-up, as recent surveys

rom ADASS and others reveal that 40 out o 152

councils have made good progress with personalisation.

Thats why we need to press our oot hard on the gas

as ar as the personalisation agenda is concerned.

Whilst the last Government extolled its benets

in words, it will be this Government that extends

this philosophy into a consistent and ocused plan

o action or patients and service users.

For proo o this, look no urther than our NHSproposals. The central maxim o no decision

about me, without me, speaks o this need

to shit the balance o power towards the

citizen and give people real infuence over their

treatment on the NHS.

And weve already backed this up by supporting

the personal health budgets pilot programme,

which I see as an instrumental part o putting

the patient rst.

More undamentally, we are also developing a new

outcomes ramework to govern how the NHS isjudged in uture a perormance structure based

not on tick-box targets and processes, but on real

outcomes or the individual.

That signals a real shit in philosophy. It means the

NHS can no longer ocus solely on the quality o

services. It must now learn to infuence and shape

the quality o lie they can oer a patient through

greater choice and control.

This means working with local authorities and

the third sector to provide the right support, at the

right time, in the right places to help them returnto ull health.

And it brings new hope o breaking down

the long-standing boundaries between

health and social care, with more NHS money

nding its way into community-based,

preventative support.

O course, no one doubts there are considerable

tests ahead or care services not least the

question o how councils can meet the strain

o budget pressures without compromising the

standard o care or the quality o outcomes

experienced by communities.

We will address these points in a new vision

or social care published later this year,

alongside the work underway to design a

new, long-term unding model or social care

through the Dilnot Commission.

In the meantime, councils and PCTs must be bold

and ambitious in their uture. Budget pressures

are no excuse or returning to the bad old days

o like-it-or-lump it services. Many areas are

showing the way by pushing ahead with exciting

programmes o reorm. We need all parts o thecountry to ollow in their wake.


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Cont. from p.1 >

We are also able to ensure Ryan

is involved with mainstream lie.

Since starting with the payments

we have been able to expand our

community network. He is now

gaining real-lie experience and is

a valued member o society who

is able to give something back.

Having witnessed how dicult

support systems were to access

when Ryan was young, nurse

Debi realised that she had

something to oer other parents

o disabled children.

She said: Through attending a

Partners in Policymaking courseI gained the skills, condence

and strategies which encouraged

me to ocus my career on helping

empower other parents.

Debi is immensely proud o

Ryans success.

Everybody who knows him says

what a character he is and now he

actually has a licence to perorm!

she said.

Personal budgets here to stayThe idea o sel-directed support has

always cut across the political spectrum.

Although In Control pioneered giving

people the reedom to choose their

care, Labour was the government in

power and recognised the benets

and went on to launch personal

budgets in England.

Now we have the Coalition

Government, and the uture or

sel-directed support looks as strong

as ever. With their embrace o

people power, government ministers

have given every indication thatthey will drive personal budgets

orward harder and aster. Plus,

Care Services Minister Paul Burstow

has spoken publicly o his support

or what In Control is achieving.

Notably, while there had previously

been some trepidation about

extending personal budgets to health

care, the Coalition Government has

both welcomed it and expanded

the mission. The Department o

Healths White Paper, Equity and

Excellence: Liberating the NHS, itsel

states that personal budgets have

much potential to help improve

outcomes, transorm NHS culture

by putting patients in control, and

enable integration across health

and social care.

In light o this commitment,In Control looks orward to

opportunities or collaboration

and partnership. We will also be

monitoring progress every step

o the way.

While Octobers Spending Review is

expected to lead to big cuts across

government departments this should

not aect the expansion o sel-

directed support. Rather, it should

catalyse it. As In Control has always

pointed out, people on personal

budgets spend their cash more wisely

and with better outcomes than

traditional services.

In Control is set to launch its Vision

2020 document (see page 5)

which sets out our aspirations or

the next 10 years and how we will

achieve them.

Again, Vision 2020 shares common

ground with the ground swell o

demands rom both local and central

government. These include the belie

in transorming service delivery,

shiting knowledge and power

back into communities though

initiatives such as community und

holding, and allowing people to take

greater responsibility or themselves

and others.

In Control has been pioneering

or people having reedom

since we began in 2003, so we

welcome David Cameron stating

its about liberation.

Julie Stansfeld,

Chie Executive, In Control

Editorial

We are the champions!A personal budgets

peer-mentoring

initiative has been launched

by a council.

The scheme enables people

new to sel-directed support

and personal budgets to

get advice rom a pool o 14

personal budget users.

Wokingham Borough

Council, which runs the

Choice Champions scheme,

hopes it will enable people

to learn rom others aboutwhat its like to have

a personal budget.

The scheme will be or adults

who are either entering the sel-

directed support system or the rst

time,

or who are receiving support rom

the council but are about to switch

to sel-directed support.

For more inormation about Choice

Champions, contact CommunityCare Development Ofcer Marlena

ODonnell on (0118)974 6773

or email:marlena.odonnell@

wokingham.gov.uk

I you would like to share the

positive work being done by your

local authority, please email

[email protected]

Are you new to self-d ire cted support?Are you new to self-directed support?

Mike Keywood, left, and Philip Pearce in a role-playingexercise run by Wokingham Borough Council
mailto:marlena.o%E2%80%99donnell%40wokingham.gov.uk?subject=mailto:marlena.o%E2%80%99donnell%40wokingham.gov.uk?subject=mailto:laura.bimpson%40in-control.org.uk?subject=mailto:laura.bimpson%40in-control.org.uk?subject=mailto:marlena.o%E2%80%99donnell%40wokingham.gov.uk?subject=mailto:marlena.o%E2%80%99donnell%40wokingham.gov.uk?subject=


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Striving or a better uture in 2020In Control has launched a new

strategy Vision 2020, detailing its

plans or the next 10 years.

The document outlines the kind o

society In Control wants to helpcreate during the next decade, and

how it will achieve it.

At its heart, Vision 2020 is a call

or a undamental shit in practice

and attitudes to shape communities

where people eel empowered to

take control o their own lives.

Vision 2020 with a oreword

written jointly by In Controls chie

executive Julie Stanseld and Richard

Jones, President o The Association

o Directors o Adult Social Services

also details how In Control wants the

blueprint or the next decade to be

linked to three golden threads.

The rst is to ocus on peoples whole

lie. Everyone, particularly the most

marginalised in our society, must eel

their individual requirements and

circumstances are ully recognised.

Family relationships will play a vital

role in this whole-lie approach.

To encourage it, In Control is

advocating or support arrangements

which meet peoples needs and

which allow dierent agencies

and departments to work togethereectively.

The second thread ocuses on peoples

real wealth. Many things alongside

money can help people eel rich and

valued. Real wealth can be ound in

riends and amily connections, access

to advice and inormation, individual

talents and skills and peoples personal

sense o strength and resilience.

Thirdly, more inclusive communities

must be built. In Control believes the

ability to eel part o and contributeto a community is a undamental

right. Everyone has something

important to oer, and In Control

knows proound change can be

brought about when ordinary people

take the initiative. Through practical

tools, such as community und

holding which allows communities

to take control o resources, In

Control believes there are wonderul

opportunities to equip people with

the power to take responsibility or

their lives.

Vision 2020also does much more than

convey In Controls aspiration or a

more compassionate and air society.

It details eight tangible outcomes thatmust be reached to achieve this.

As Vision 2020 states, our present

system is in serious crisis. With budget

cuts, an ageing population and many

people still in urgent need o care or

support, the growing pressures on

this increasingly unaordable system

are evident.

So, In Control was encouraged when

in September the Liberal Democrat

Care Services Minister Paul Burstow

announced everyone who uses social

care services will be able to have

control o their own budgets which

have been proven to be cost-eective

while meeting outcomes.

Mr Burstow has said he wants a

total rollout o personal budgets

and is committed to extending

personalised budgets to non-criticalhealth care. This is vital. But In

Control aspires to achieving more,

as Vision 2020 explains.

Vision 2020 can be downloaded rom

www.vision2020.in-control.org.uk/

In Control is inviting everyone

to have their say on Vision

2020. To contribute to this

collective vision with your

thoughts, images and even

videos, please visit

www.vision2020.in-control.org.uk/

Let us give carers reedom to be creativeIn Control wants carers to have

the reedom to spend their

allocated money in a creative way

to meet their outcomes.

As part o our response to the

Governments plans to updateits Carers Strategy, we also

emphasised that we need to

provide real examples o what

is possible or carers through

courses such as Partners

in Policymaking and that a

signiicant culture change is

needed to deliver change.

The Governments update is with a

view to producing, beore the end

o the year, a clear plan o action

or 2011 to 2015.

It asked a range o organisations

to provide their views on what thekey priorities should be and on

what will have the greatest

impact on improving carers

lives in the next our years.

Our ull response can be viewed

at www.in-control.org.uk/

carersstrategyresponse
http://www.vision2020.in-control.org.uk/http://www.vision2020.in-control.org.uk/http://www.in-control.org.uk/carersstrategyresponsehttp://www.in-control.org.uk/carersstrategyresponsehttp://www.in-control.org.uk/carersstrategyresponsehttp://www.in-control.org.uk/carersstrategyresponsehttp://www.vision2020.in-control.org.uk/http://www.vision2020.in-control.org.uk/


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5 minutes

withCarole HaynesWhen I talk about inclusion, I dont think o

it as being the same or everyone. Inclusion

and equality are individual to each person.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I live in Southwark. Ive got a son, 15, and daughter,

24. I thought of training as a nurse, then became a

dental nurse, then went into management. Now Im

a carer or my son, Alex.

... and something about Alex

Hes studying or ve GCSEs. Hes now got his

oundation diploma certicate in construction rom

the college which he attends one day a week.

Hes interested in working in a nursery. He did work

experience in one and did well. He has a naturalability to get on with children who get upset or

sometimes behave in a dicult way.

Hes done cubs, scouts, and been a scout leader.

Now hes in the army cadets. Hes got three

sailing certicates. And also people have given

him a label autistic. I dont usually mention the

autism word. I preer to let people meet Alex as a

human being and special individual.

So school has been good for him?

Hes done a bit o a tour via Swindon and

Lincolnshire. Its a long story. In the end, we got

him a place in Bromley.

At his primary school, he did well and we knew hehad intellectual ability. But it was his behaviour that

schools ound dicult. It was going to take time,

money and support to make an ordinary school

place work and they werent keen to put those in.

He was excluded so many times the rst time

when he was our.

But we persevered. Ive had to tread very careully.

I didnt go in quoting the Human Rights Act or

anything but, secretly, I was willing to take it to court.

So youre an advocate for

inclusive education?

When I talk about inclusion, I dont think o it as

being the same or everyone. Inclusion and equality

are individual to each person. Not everyone likes

peas and equality shouldnt mean everyone has to

eat peas.

Im part o a research team at the Institute o

Education. We had speakers rom Canada and the

US talking about their inclusive education. It was

impressive but seemed a long way rom where we

are. A teacher wrote on my sons review he shouldnt

be here. To get across to them, I had to say This

is my son. Hes human. Cut him and he bleeds.

I had to be that blunt to get them to see him as ahuman being. To their credit, theyve moved a lot.

You did In Controls All Together

Better course. What was that like?

The school had said Do you really think Alex is

capable o GCSEs? It would be better or both

o you i he did the same thing day in, day out

in a actory. Youre setting him up to ail.

It had been hard to stick to my convictions.

All Together Better showed me I hadnt been

asking or the impossible that my ambitionswere reasonable. People said go or it. It was

very reassuring.

I I get emotional, people oten show me pity.

But at All Together Better, wed get emotional

and it was very dierent. We knew we were

all battling to get a say or our sons and

daughters. Pity didnt come into it.

Beore doing the course, I used to think it was

just me acing these problems. When youre

beaten down, people say the only way is up,

but sometimes you need support just to raise

up your eyes.

The power o people gets strongerMore and more people are joining In Controls

People Power movement by becoming public

members o In Control.

People Power is ree and is the start o a public

movement or change or those who want to help

change the health and social care system, believe

people and communities matter and think that

common sense should prevail.

Members o People Power get inormation, advice

and access to a ready-made network o people.

For more inormation or to sign-up, visit

www.in-control.org.uk/peoplepower
http://www.in-control.org.uk/peoplepowerhttp://www.in-control.org.uk/peoplepower


7/20 7


Praise or Government health budgets pledgeIn Control has welcomed the Coalition Governments

commitment to personal health budgets.

Rita Brewis, In Controls health lead, said the

Government White Paper, entitled Equity and

Excellence: Liberating the NHS, indicated ministers

appeared to be moving closer to In Controls

position on personal health budgets.

The Government has promised it will continue

piloting personal health budgets, and has conrmed

that 4m will be added towards the Department o

Health (DH) personal health budget pilots this year.

We are glad that the Government has shown its

commitment to personal health budgets, said Rita.

In Controls work in this area is distinct in its

emphasis, although it does complement the DHs

pilot research. We are really pleased to be working

collaboratively and to be part o the DH PersonalHealth Budget Pilot Board.

In Control pioneered work on personal health

budgets. In early 2008 it began collaborative work

with primary care trusts (PCTs) and local authorities.

This initiative produced the rst discussion

paper on sel-directed support in health, entitled

Citizenship in Health.

In Controls second phase o this work, Staying In

Control, involves it working throughout 2010 with

25 Health members, who are PCTs and strategic

health authorities.Rita said: The Staying in Control approach,

however, is to set a clear expectation o all key

perspectives needing to be part o this whole system

developmental change. So we work not only with

health commissioners but we also support the

development o local teams including social care

commissioners, people with direct experience o

using health care services and their amilies, health

proessionals and voluntary sector providers.

Jo Fitzgerald whose son, Mitchell, has a personal

health budget supports this approach and is

delighted to be involved in Staying In Control.

She says: Its essential that people with direct

experience are involved. Otherwise, how would

we know that the way personal health budgets

are being developed is right or the people most

aected. Health care proessionals need to hear

why having more choice and control matters to

people and how a personal health budget might

work best or them. Sharing real-lie success stories

is important too.

Most recently, In Control ran three successul Staying

in Control residential events with members, and is

now entering an exciting phase o working on site

across the country, in locally-ocused workshops.

It is still early days or personal health budgets and

every place is at a dierent stage o development,

commented Rita.

Above all, In Control wants the voice o

individuals to be more clearly heard than it has

been, and or individual preerences and ideas to

be respected. Engagement with people is vital,

while o course not replacing health expertise. It

is about people being considered alongside thatclinical knowledge.

On the issue o Government plans to replace PCTs

and strategic health authorities with GP consortia,

Rita recognised this will involve massive

organisational changes, but urged that the positive

work on personal health budgets continue.

The changes will make it a dierent work context

or everyone, said Rita. But we need to retain

the momentum o the vital work our members

have been doing in personal health budgets.

To this end, In Control is hoping to develop linkswith GPs who are set to launch consortia around

England to commission NHS health services.

In Control now wants to talk and engage even

more than beore with GPs, said Rita. Clearly

thats where the power is now moving to.

During In Controls joint conerence in July with the

DHs national personal health budgets team, Paul

Burstow, Minister o State or Care Services, ocially

thanked In Control or its work across the country.

Rita said: It was antastic that Mr Burstow has

praised our work, and he said some really helpul

things about why moving power and decision making

closer to people is useul and how the Government

supports movement towards no decision about me

without me. This is all very encouraging.

For more inormation about Staying In

Control see www.in-control.org.uk/health

Health budget story on flm

A DVD about a groundbreaking partnership

between Mitchell, a boy with complex

health needs, his amily and the NHS, has

been produced.

In the ilm, Mitchells mother Jo Fitzgerald

and NHS sta describe the lie-changing

beneits o having a personal health budget.

Jo says in the ilm: From the dark place

we were in our years ago, the biggest shit

in terms o our amilys process occurred

when we began to see that there was an

alternative to the way we were living.

Suddenly, there was a light at the end o

the tunnel.

The flm can be viewed at

www.in-control.org.uk/mitchellsstory

or you can get copies o the DVD

by contacting

[email protected]

Citizenship in HealthA new version o Citizenship In Health Sel

Direction: theory to practice has been published.The report includes:

The background to sel-direction

Concise description o key concepts

Why thinking about people as whole people

in their whole social context is vital

The ve key issues that characterise In

Controls unique approach and what has been

learnt rom these issues

Actions in the second phase o Staying in Control

The paper can be downloaded atwww.in-control.org.uk/health
http://www.in-control.org.uk/healthhttp://www.in-control.org.uk/mitchellsstorymailto:admin%40in-control.org.uk?subject=http://www.in-control.org.uk/healthhttp://www.in-control.org.uk/healthmailto:admin%40in-control.org.uk?subject=http://www.in-control.org.uk/mitchellsstoryhttp://www.in-control.org.uk/health


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New online resource

or our membersIn Control has launched dedicatedweb pages or its organisationalmembers, including provider

agencies, community organisations

and businesses.

Members have their own password

to pages where they can nd guides,ready-to-use presentations, tools

and templates.

Clare Roberts, responsible or

In Controls organisational

membership, said: Provider and

community organisations have done

groundbreaking work and are keen

to share what they are nding out.

They have worked with us to create

very useul inormation and tools

and its all available to members on

their own In Control web pages.

Members are able to learn rom

each other, help solve each othersproblems and showcase their work.

Any assumption that organisations

would be reluctant to share

their experience with potential

competitors is, says Clare,

unounded: I think its quite rare or

members to be in direct competition

with each other and, i they are,

they are usually mature enough

to recognise there is enough work

to go around and to ocus on the

particular strengths that they bring.

Owen Cooper, director at IAS, one o

In Controls organisational members,

said: We sometimes mistakenly

believe we shouldnt be sharing our

best ideas and knowledge because

o the competitive world we operate

in. But its this very collaboration

that drives orward innovation and

best practice.

Ben Harrison, development manager

at United Response, another o In

Controls organisational members,

said: United Response is also

committed to the idea o co-

production and we can learn a lot

rom others, particularly people who

use our services and their amilies.

Welcometo thesecure zoneIn Controls organisational

membership scheme is or

provider agencies, community

organisations and businesses

that want support to help them

change how they deliver services.

Benets o membership include:

Access to a secure zone

within the In Control website,

which includes access to tools,

guides and documents and

real-lie stories

Support rom In Control to develop

a workorce that can deliver real

outcomes and choices or people

Discounted places at In

Control events and exclusive

member events

The opportunity to raise your

prole and demonstrate

good practice through your

association with In Control.

Membership costs rom 50 to

250, depending on the size o

the organisation.

To fnd out more about In

Controls range o membership

programmes, please visit

www.in-control.org.uk/membership

Youve got to be in it to win itIn Controls Partners in Policymaking courses help people to gain the skills and condence to campaign

or equality. Steve McGuiness was determined to be proactive ater participating in the course.

I am a person rst. Second,

I am someone with

high-unctioning autism.

The National Partners in Policymaking

course proved to be a most

intellectually stimulating and

personally satisying experience.

Participation in this dynamic and

visually-rich programme consisted

o exposure to exciting scholarship

and innovative policy ideas. It wasdicult to walk away ater the

graduation without seeing the

world in a resh light. During the

course, I saw people move rom

uncertainty about their disability

to being empowered to take action.

What I will take away with me rom

this course is the respect, support

and encouragement o my peers.

This course proved that we can all be

successul students; we can all pursue

our ambitions or education, advocacy

and more. Sel-expression was anessential part o my experience.

The National Partners course

eectively trains us in a new

eld o human rights advocacy

which is much needed by people

with disabilities.

I and other course participants were

able to see past our own disability

and resolve to take action. I would

recommend this course without

hesitation. So apply. You have to

be in it to win it.

Organisational membership is alow-cost

scheme orprovider agencies,community

organisations and businesses.

The Membership:

>> Enables>yourorganisationtobe>part>o>the>

movement>toensure>more>people>have>the>reedom>tobe>incontrol>o>theirlives

>> Gives>youaccess>tothe>support>youneed>to

make>the>changes>needed>inthe>ast>changing>

world>o>personalisation

>> Means>that>youwill>get>the>latest>cutting-

edge>inormationtoensure>youand>your

organisationare>ahead>o>developments

>> Allows>youtobe>part>o>a>fourishing>network>

o>people>that>passionately>believe>inimproving>

the>lives>o>people>they>support.

Membership benefts

Benefts to becoming amemberinclude:

>> Access>toa>secure>organisational>memberzone>

withinthe>InControl>website,whichincludes:

> Model>policies,procedures,terms>o>

reerence>that>youcanadapt>toyour specic

requirements

> Presentations>that>youcan use>to

raise>awareness>and>urtherdevelop>

understanding>o>personalisationinyour

ownorganisation

> Examples>o>real-lie>experiences>o>change>

orpeople>and>theirbusinesses

>> Tried>and>tested>tools>orplanning>and>service>

design

>> Access>tothe>organisational>members>network

>> Discounted>places>at>InControl>events>and>

seminars

>> Advice>and>support>rom>the>InControl>team

>> SubscriptiontoIn Control>NOW!>> Use>o>the>InControl>brand>whenreerring>to

yourmembership>o>InControl.

>> Access>toourspeaker-nderservice

>> Enables>yourorganisationtobe>part>o>the>

movement>toensure>more>people>have>the>

reedom>tobe>incontrol>o>theirlives

>> The>opportunity>toraise>yourprole>and>

demonstrate>good>practice>throughyour

associationwithIn Control.

Price (excluding VAT)

A 15. Individuals and families employing their

ownstaff

B 50. Userled and Community Organsiations

and local charities

C 100. Providers of services to 50or less people

D 150. Providers of services to 50-300people

E 200. Providers of services (300-500)

F 250. Providers of service (500+)

G 250. Nat ional charities.

Organisational Membership

Lead: Clare Roberts | Contact: Tel: 01564 821650 | [email protected]

More information: www.in-control.org.uk/membership

Steve McGuinness with Phoebe Caldwell,a practitioner working with children and adults
http://www.in-control.org.uk/membershiphttp://www.in-control.org.uk/membership


9/20 9


The uture o MS respite careSimon Gillespie, chie executive o the Multiple Sclerosis Society, explainswhy the organisation will no longer directly provide residential respite

care, preerring instead to oer more personalised support.

The MS Societys board o trusteesannounced in June that we would

no longer directly provide residential

respite care through our our centres.

Instead, the Society would look to

provide more personalised support

through giving better inormation,

infuencing services and campaigning,

giving cash grants and accreditation.

The decision ollowed a lengthy and

thorough review and consultation

process with people with MS and

their carers.

Overwhelmingly, the review told

us that people wanted choice.

They wanted control over how

and where they accessed short

breaks, they wanted a variety o

options and they needed more

inormation and support tomake choices.

People spoke o their preerence

or holiday-style breaks rather than

residential respite care. For those who

had used the Societys respite homes,

they rated them highly but responses

also identied our service wasnt

equitable. Thousands o people receive

no support rom the MS Society

because o where they live.

Our new approach has divided the

MS community some people havewelcomed the more personalised

approach to short breaks while others

have disagreed with it.

What we do know is that health and

social care is rapidly moving towards

personalisation; people are beginning

to expect more choice and controlover their care. This means change,

and we know that or some this

can be daunting.

For now, our eorts are concentrated

on working to help people through

this transition, and shaping the uture

o short breaks.

We hope that in the uture people

with MS, regardless o where they

live or their level o disability, will

have a choice.

Our website, www.mssociety.org.uk

has much more inormation available.

In Control is working withthe MS Society to support

the change from traditional

respite care to more

personalised services.

For more inormation email

[email protected]

Personalised support keepsme in the race against MSAs someone living with Multiple

Sclerosis advancing aster than an

Olympic gold sprinter it is crucial that

I have maximum choice and control

with regard to having my support

needs met.

Whilst the MS aects me personally,

the impact this has on my amily and

amily lie must be considered too.

Personalised support has enabled

us to carry on doing what we want,

when we want, in a way that we

want with fexible support that

we have chosen. We must never

underestimate how special it is to be

ordinary. Personalised support keeps

us ordinary.

Personalised support is not about

saying this is the only way, it is about

the right to choose what works or

you. It does not solve all problems,

it is not always easy and it is crucial

to remember that with rights comes

a degree o responsibility. However,

this is no dierent than traditional

support which also was not perect

with less choice and control. There

are still developments to be made

and certain things need to happen

to enable all people to make the

right choice. Good, accurate, easy-to-

understand inormation is a must.

The market needs to develop urther

in terms o personal assistance and

what is has on oer to buy. I there

is no variety in what to buy how do

people know what is possible?

People need to see real examples

o what can be done and achieved

with personalised support. Simple

low-cost support systems need to

be developed as many people do

not initially want responsibility

or managing certain elements o

personalised support e.g. nance

and recruitment, although or usthis did change as we became more

condent and realised that what

was initially daunting could, with

some support, be relatively simple.

Personalised, fexible support

has stopped the door closing on

ordinary lie and while I am not

competing with MS or the

Olympic gold I am, at least, an

active competitor in the race.

Gavin Crot
http://www.mssociety.org.uk/mailto:andrew.tyson%40in-control.org.uk?subject=mailto:andrew.tyson%40in-control.org.uk?subject=http://www.mssociety.org.uk/


10/2010


Councils up or awardHarrow Council and shop4support

reach nals o the NHS Health and

Social Care Awards

An innovative partnership o shop4support and

Harrow Council has reached the regional nal o

the NHS Health and Social Care Awards.

Harrows Citizen Portal, created through

shop4support, is up or the prestigious award

alongside two other regional nalists in the

Support or Independence category.

The portal was created to support the drive to oer

a personal budget to the majority o 5,000 people

the council supports by April 2011.

It enables people to access an online catalogue

o community-based and paid support services

rom dance classes and sports activities to moretraditional services. The portal also oers advice,

thus giving citizens more choice and control over

their own support.

Over 250 community organisations and service

providers already eature on the portal. Some

personal budget holders have used shop4support

not only to book support but also to manage

their budgets.

David Bowes o shop4support comments:

The important thing is we make a dierence on the

ground. So, to watch a young man who had wanted

to play ootball but never had the opportunity,

suddenly taking part in a match he booked through

the portal well, that says it all. But the recognition

rom the NHS Institute or Innovation and

Improvement means an awul lot ater all the hard

work put in by ourselves, the council and people

in Harrow.

Harrow Councils portolio holder or adults, social

care, health and well-being, Margaret Davine

adds: To be the rst council in the country to

have gone live with shop4support is an example

o the work that is underway to ensure our

services are always people-ocused. Our aim is toput people at the heart o everything we do.

The awards are billed as an unparalleled

opportunity to highlight and celebrate innovation

and excellence in the provision o rontline health

and social care, recognising people who dont let

organisational and proessional boundaries get in

the way o providing the care and services needed.

The winner will be announced later in October.

* Visit www.shop4support.com, and

www.healthandsocialcareawards.org.uk.

New look or

shop4supportshop4support takes on a new look,based on customer eedback.Regular visitors to shop4support.com will

have noticed that the site has a new look.

The re-design is a result o customer eedback

sessions, where users were asked how they

wanted shop4support to look. The workshops

generated great ideas, many o which have

been incorporated into the new-look website.

The newly-designed site makes it easier

or people to shop online or services and

products and take control o their support.

shop4support now includes even more stores

selling products and services, additional

tips on how to plan support and up-to-date

inormation on activities, events and news.

A choice o ont sizes, less text and more

pictures have been incorporated into the site,

making the shopping experience more simple

and enjoyable. New help sections havealso been added which show users how to

navigate each area o the site. Plus theres a

new illustration that shows how easy it is to

use shop4support.

See the new-look shop4support at

www.shop4support.com

Easy to use and sel-explanatoryArvinda Patel and her mother used

shop4support to buy support and manage

Arvindas mothers personal budget.

I have just started to use shop4support and

already I can see that this is also going to

make our lives easier, said Arvindas mother.

Having an online shop or care and services

is an excellent idea - and its easy to use. Its

sel-explanatory. You can browse through

what is on oer and see what is available.

Everything is in one place and it also gives

you ideas or things you might not have

thought o.

When you request a service or product,

the cost o that comes straight out o your

personal budget.
http://www.shop4support.com/http://www.healthandsocialcareawards.org.uk/http://www.shop4support.com/http://www.shop4support.com/http://www.healthandsocialcareawards.org.uk/http://www.shop4support.com/


11/20 11


A national evaluation opersonal budgets to launch

In Control is helping introduce a revolutionary approach

to measuring the perormance o personal budgets. At

its heart will be peoples own experiences, explains John

Waters, In Controls lead on research and evaluation.In Controls work has been shaped

over the years by a precise view o

what the social care system should

achieve or individuals who need

support. Our work has been gearedtowards ensuring the social care

system is organised in a way that

enables people who need support to

lead ull and active lives as citizens

in their own communities.

With this in mind and in order to

understand how well sel-directed

support is being implemented we

have needed to introduce a new and

revolutionary approach to measuring

perormance, one that rejects simple

measures o task and activity in avouro peoples own reported experience.

Working with local authority members,

people who need support, their amilies

and with guidance rom Proessor Chris

Hatton at Lancaster University we created

and applied an evaluation ramework.

Designed to gathers the views and

experiences o people who need supporttheir amily members, and those who

work in the social care system.

The work was underpinned by a

series o aspirations that:

The evaluation methods should

be low-cost (including the cost o

the measures themselves, the cost

o collecting inormation and the

cost o analysing the inormation);

The questions being asked in the

evaluation should be recognised

as important by every group

involved in the evaluation;

The evaluation methods should

impose a minimal burden in terms

o time on the people being asked

to provide inormation;

The inormation provided should

be analysed and reported in ways

that can be used by the groups

o people taking part and others

interested in sel-directed support;

The evaluation methods should be

reely available or use by others.

The evaluation ramework itsel

is comprised o a series o simple

questionnaires capturing inormation

in three core areas:

Demographic inormation,

(age, gender, ethnicity etc)

Process inormation (the

experience o taking control

o a personal budget)

Outcomes (the eect o

the personal budget on the

persons lie)

The questionnaires simply ask people

to identiy how their lie or their

work-role has changed in a number

o domains since having a personal

budget, using simple three-point

scales. This allows people to report

whether things were worse, the same

or better, ollowing the introduction

o a personal budget.

Many local authority members o In

Control have worked with user-led

organisations to apply the ramework

locally. In Controls phase 3 report

aggregated the ndings o this work

and noted that:

More than two-thirds o peopleusing personal budgets reported

that the control they had over

their support (66%) and their

overall quality o lie (68%) had

improved since they took up a

personal budget.

The majority o people reported

spending more time with people

they wanted to (58%), taking

a more active role in their local

community (58%), eeling that

they were supported with more

dignity (55%), and eeling in

better health (51%) since they

took up a personal budget.

In the areas o eeling sae

(58%) and standard o living

(52%), more than hal o people

reported no change ater they

took up a personal budget. In all

areas, less than 10% o people

reported any domain o their lie

getting worse ater they took up

a personal budget.

In Control is building on this work

and, together with ADASS (The

Association o Directors o Adult

Social Services), is launching a

national personal budgets survey.

To take part in the survey,

please visitwww.in-control.org.

uk/nationalpersonalbudgetsurvey

or contact

[email protected]

*In Controls evaluation

ramework is available at


evaluationreportsand


phase3reportand or urther inormation

on the ramework, visit


Researchandevaluation
http://www.in-control.org.uk/nationalpersonalbudgetsurveyhttp://www.in-control.org.uk/nationalpersonalbudgetsurveymailto:john.waters%40in-control.org.uk?subject=http://www.in-control.org.uk/evaluationreportshttp://www.in-control.org.uk/evaluationreportshttp://www.in-control.org.uk/phase3reporthttp://www.in-control.org.uk/phase3reporthttp://www.in-control.org.uk/Researchandevaluationhttp://www.in-control.org.uk/Researchandevaluationhttp://www.in-control.org.uk/Researchandevaluationhttp://www.in-control.org.uk/Researchandevaluationhttp://www.in-control.org.uk/phase3reporthttp://www.in-control.org.uk/phase3reporthttp://www.in-control.org.uk/evaluationreportshttp://www.in-control.org.uk/evaluationreportsmailto:john.waters%40in-control.org.uk?subject=http://www.in-control.org.uk/nationalpersonalbudgetsurveyhttp://www.in-control.org.uk/nationalpersonalbudgetsurvey


12/2012


We need actionto build all ourcommunitiesIn Control has pioneered manycommunity-building projects both in the

UK and abroad, explains Alicia Wood,

In Controls lead on stronger communitiesTalking about the importance o community is easy.

But actions speak louder.

At In Control, we want to press ahead with apractical programme o community-building

initiatives so people who were previously isolated

in services can play a ull role in society.

We have something to build on:

In 2003, we tested Small Sparks, a small-grants

programme that encourages individuals to

involve neighbours in small local community

projects. 10,000 stimulated about 40 projects

in our council areas. Pioneering councils like

Newcastle have been running Small Sparks

programmes or several years.

In Control has promoted the work o the

Manavadoya Institute in India, which uses

sophisticated acilitation o sel-help and

empowerment, and the simple and powerul

Timebanking, in which community members

can give and get something back.

In Controls Stronger Communities programme

works with eight local authorities to nd ways

that councils, community organisations and

businesses can give up control o money and

resources and nd ways or older and disabled

people to direct how community money is

used or, better still, to oer communities direct

control o money and resources earmarked ortheir benet. There are exciting developments

in the Participatory Budgeting programme

and we want to ensure that councils,

community organisations and businesses have

a ramework that permits them to let go o

money and decision-making so that disabled

and older people, alongside other community

members, can develop better communities.

Community und holding is an essential part

o our mission to promote stronger, more

inclusive communities. Working with our

members, weve developed an approachwhich is allowing local communities to take

direct control over resources previously

controlled by government. The model details

seven steps to gaining community und

holders. Weve also developed an outcome

ramework to enable real evaluation on

whether the above is successul both or

the individual and the commissioner.

In Controls new public membership

programme aims to connect directly with

people and communities. We are promoting

People Power with members o the public

and want to encourage and acilitate

grassroots community development.

At a recent, small event we asked communitymembers what they thought they could

contribute to their communities and what

small, achievable steps people could take to

connect with other local people. Most said they

wanted to use their talents and skills to make a

dierence. There was plenty o will and passion.

But it was evident that most people need to be

asked, connected and supported.

Ater this event, a group o people in Islington got

together with support rom Islington Consortium

or Independent Living to raise unds or a community

asset-mapping project to be carried out by disabledand older people and carers or disabled people, a

Small Sparks project and a buddying project.

How about you?

Have you got what it takes to make a dierence

to your community? Have you done something

big or small that you can tell others about so

they are inspired? Do you want to connect with

other people who are doing it themselves?

I so, wed love to hear rom you,

please [email protected]
mailto:admin%40in-control.org.uk?subject=mailto:admin%40in-control.org.uk?subject=


13/20 13


A leadership eventwith a real touchIn Controls national induction and leadershipevent is set to return this November with a new

and cutting-edge approach.

The event An Introduction To Sel-Directed

Support takes place on 16 and 17 November in

Milton Keynes and will involve the participation

o teams o people rom dierent localities co-

ordinated by adult services. The approach refects

the ethos o co-production and whole lie.

The course covers technical aspects o

personalisation. But what participants seem to enjoy

most is hearing about real outcomes or people real stories rom real people in laymans terms as

one participant put it. There is some taught content

but much o the material is absorbed through

discussion and exercises.

The last event, in April and also in Milton Keynes,

was a hit with participants who praised

it or providing a deeper understanding opersonalisation and the ways to achieve it.

Organiser Adrian Smith explained how

the popular twice-yearly event (part o In

Controls Adult Social Care Programme)

has evolved: As personalisation becomes

more embedded, an increasing number o

local authorities are sponsoring community

representatives and we get a wider

cross-section o proessionals.

This progress is similarly refected in the eclectic

line up or the November event. Participantswill hear rom Julie Stanseld, In Controls chie

executive, key ocials rom the Department o

Health and the Moveable Feast theatre company

amongst others.

Booking or this event can be made

by [email protected].

What do youwantreally,really want?Were in the process o designing a brand new

website or In Control and wed love you to tell

us what you want rom it.

The new site will have a completely dierent

design and structure and will be easier to navigate.

Were also hoping to include new exciting eatures

such as an online orum, web chats, a secure

members-only zone and dedicated events portal.

As well as developing our website, were also

reviewing other communication material,

including In Control NOW! and our electronic

bulletins to make sure that were giving you

what you want and need.Wed be really grateul i you could spend

a couple o minutes completing our brie

online survey at www.in-control.org.uk/

commsurvey2010. Alternatively, you

can email your comments or ideas to

[email protected]

I now love my lieBeore having a personal budget Will Case, 21, was on the verge o homelessness.In a remarkable transormation, he is now an ambassador or the Council ForDisabled Children. Sue Harris, o the Partners in Policymaking team, tells Wills story.

Will lives in Bury. His aunty asked us at Partners

in Policymaking or help because Will was so

isolated. The word isolated doesnt really cover it.

Will was introverted, had no work or riends and

very little contact with the outside world. To make

matters worse, his parents were about to leave

the area. Will was going to stay but would becomehomeless. Will said: I elt my lie was going

nowhere and I was just waiting. I was invisible.

I could see there was a antastic young person

behind the aade o shyness and we began to help

with practical things that would enable Will to get

on his eet nding a fat, getting urniture, sorting

out physical adaptations and dealing with some

serious nancial obstacles.

And then there was the support. Will had never

lived on his own beore. The key ingredient was the

personal budget. It was a tricky at the beginningbut the Sel-Directed Support Team in Bury was

brilliant. The budget was ront-loaded with support

that could tail o ater the rst weeks. Will used a

support broker to manage his money and we did

a PATH (planning alternative tomorrows with hope)

and arranged Carelink or overnight support.

Meanwhile, Will was not sitting idly by. He had

enrolled on Sharing the Knowledge and othercourses. He was ully involved in all the planning

and interviewed his own sta (all men aged under

30). Now he wants to take control o some o the

budget himsel.

Wills lie has changed. His sel-esteem has grown

and he is always out with his personal assistants

doing what 21-year-olds do meals, gym, shopping,

clubs and checking out the girls! He is a sel-

advocate and works with a number o organisations

raising awareness about personalisation. He is also

one o 12 ambassadors in the UK who represent

young people or the Council For Disabled Childrenand is currently working with ministers to write a

maniesto on change or young people.

As Will says: I now eel valued as a person.

I can use my experiences to help others. I love my

lie now. Its dierent every day! I love travellingaround the country working. Its more than I ever

dreamed o.
mailto:admin%40in-control.org.uk?subject=http://www.in-control.org.uk/commsurvey2010http://www.in-control.org.uk/commsurvey2010mailto:laura.bimpson%40in-control.org.uk?subject=mailto:laura.bimpson%40in-control.org.uk?subject=http://www.in-control.org.uk/commsurvey2010http://www.in-control.org.uk/commsurvey2010mailto:admin%40in-control.org.uk?subject=


14/2014


Personalisation is like a RolHarris paintingyou dont know

what its like until its fnishedLancashire County Councilwas an early adopter o

sel-directed support and

is continually innovating.The rst thing you need to know about

Lancashire, says In Controls Caroline Tomlinson,

is its massive. I Lancashire is to hit the Putting

People First target o 30% o people using socialcare having a personal budget by 2011, were

talking about 11,000 people. Thats a big change

to organise!

Lancashire County Council was one o the early

adopters o sel-directed support. Since then, it

has been an In Control Total Transormation site

and taken a lead in a number o areas especially

helping support providers to make the change.

In April 2010, sel-directed support became the

deault way o working in the county. In Carolines

opinion: Lancashire has done a damn good job.Theyre not just doing it or the sake o it, theyre

trying to do things properly.

Despite this proactive approach and relative success,

Lancashire had become impatient about progress.

Ofcers leading the change enlisted Carolines help

to create a stronger understanding among sta o

the benets o personalisation. The idea, says

Caroline was to communicate a deeper sense o the

reason or making the change. Otherwise, you can

have sta going through the motions. At worst,

they get the idea its just a cost-cutting exercise.

The penny dropsCaroline acilitated many sessions in the county

as part o her programme to stimulate change.

But she remembers one in particular, with a group

o managers who were unconvinced about the

point o changing: It was amazing. You could see

something happen to people in the room. They

made contact again with the reason they came

into the job. Suddenly, the penny dropped. They

could see tangible evidence o the benets. Talk o

values was no longer abstract. It moved beyond

the intellectual to a sense o the importance orelationships in peoples lives. We could all see

the importance o the knowledge that people are

healthier when they are connected to others and

not just on a conveyor belt o care.

Honesty is the

best policy

One o the reasons or the success o the sessions

was that participants elt able to say they didnt

understand or were unsure o what to do. Honesty

is denitely the best policy, says Caroline. No-

one knows exactly what to do. Personalisation is

an emerging picture. Its like a Rol Harris painting:

you dont know what its going to be like till its

nished. Being open about ears and uncertainties

made this emergent way o working a possibility

and many said they elt relieved. A common

eeling was captured by one participant who said:

I believe one o the impediments to progressing

sel-directed support is a lack o condence at

times within the management teams and this can

lead to an inconsistent approach which generates

additional work and conusion or sta. I eel much

more condent now around some o the practical

issues and, hopeully, this will heighten condencewithin my team.

More to doThough the work has been successul, Lancashire has

no intention o resting on its laurels. Working with

mental health services is a priority. There are plans

or a mental health conerence with top speakers.

Lancashire is also engaged in creating a community

pathway, working with community organisations to

enable them to create plans or individuals.

Caroline Tomlinson comments: In many ways it was

the worst time to do this work. Many sta have huge

caseloads and were saying sel-directed support takes

longer but has better outcomes. They were in themiddle o a restructure and people were reapplying

or their jobs. But, together, we made contact again

with the point o the work the humanity o it. Then

everything seemed possible.

The next step in Lancashires transormation is to

restructure its entire workorce to take on board the

demands o personalisation and create a structure

that will result in more people having the opportunity

to take up personal budgets. The journey continues...

Contact Caroline or more inormation:[email protected]
mailto:caroline.tomlinson%40in-control.org.uk?subject=mailto:caroline.tomlinson%40in-control.org.uk?subject=


15/20 15


Were not kidding,

were changingKIDS has provided services to disabled children or our decades. Nowthe charity is implementing sweeping reorm to enable children

and their amilies to buy its services using personal budgets. Kevin

Williams explains the challenges.

KIDS has delivered services to disabled children

and their amilies or 40 years. Like manycharities we began with a programme o

voluntary eort, charitable donations and

grants rom local authorities.

Gradually as the work grew, those grants became

service-level agreements and then contracts.

They also came to account or an ever-increasing

proportion o our unding.

KIDS, like many charities, had to learn some hard

lessons about ull cost recovery, tendering and

contract negotiation. Those pioneers who started

KIDS would not recognise the contractual andoutcomes-ocused relationship we now have

with our local authority partners.

KIDS is now about to undergo a change just as

proound as the move rom grants to contracts.

We are starting to provide services to disabled

children and their amilies who choose to purchase

them individually. Ater 40 years o developing

close working relationships with local authorities,

these relationships will become, although not

unimportant, less important. The relationship

with the individual paying amily will become

(as it always has been or our best sta) the mostimportant relationship or KIDS.

A change as proound as this has big

consequences or our charity. Briefy they areas ollows:

A new national database o every child we

work with so that we can relate to every

amily and eciently eed into national eCAF

Sta training to emphasise meeting the needs

o the amily

Raising the prole o KIDS amongst amilies

with less ocus on local authorities

New accounts sotware system and setting up

a credit card booking system

A new web-based booking system www.

directshortbreaks.org.uk or amilies to book

KIDS one-to-one support when ever they

want it, at the time they want.

A new E-learning package or KIDS sta

Each o these changes is substantial and we are

urther orward with some more than others.

Our Direct Short Breaks Service is the most

advanced with 1,500 hours o short breaks

being delivered each month via our web-basedbooking system, being used by 200 amilies.

One o the challenges has been getting the right

amount o support or amilies in the right place

at the right time. Initially we hoped ater an initial

introduction to the system that amilies would use

it without support. This quickly proved to be over

optimistic and we increased the hours o the localsupervisor. We ound however that this was not as

eective as hoped and we are having more success

with an improved and proactive telephone helpline,

calling and supporting amilies who appear to be

not booking breaks as requently as we expected.

As KIDS goes through this change programme

there will inevitably be unexpected consequences

and blind alleys. We are committed to making

direct payments and individual budgets work as

we believe they have the potential to dramatically

improve the lives o disabled children and their

amilies. But 40 years on, our ounders could neverhave oreseen the shape that KIDS would evolve into.

Two new act sheetsIn Control has two additions to its series

o act sheets Short Breaks, and Personal

Health Budgets.

The act sheets provide straightorward,to-the-point inormation and have been created

as part o the In Control and Me project.

To see the recent additions, visit

www.in-control.org.uk/actsheets

For more inormation on theIn Control and Me project, visit

www.in-control.org.uk/icandme
http://www.in-control.org.uk/factsheetshttp://www.in-control.org.uk/icandmehttp://www.in-control.org.uk/icandmehttp://www.in-control.org.uk/factsheets


16/2016


Only thinking big cangive us a Big SocietyBoth public servants and our communities mustrise to new challenges i the harnessing o the

capacities o our citizens is to be realised, says

Andrew Tyson, Policy Lead, In Control.Writing in the September issue o Prospect magazine,

David Halpern, the new leader o the Governments

behavioural insight team says that the Big Society

means three things: community empowerment, social

action and public sector reorm.

Those public sector innovations which have

successully improved outcomes and reduced costs

have, he says, almost all ound a way o harnessing

the latent capacities o citizens and communities.

In Control says precisely this about personal

budgets. More than two-thirds o people using

personal budgets report that the control they have

over their support and their overall quality o lie

improves (or 66% and 68% o people respectively)

when they take a budget; 58% report they spend

more time with people they want to, and the

same percentage say they take a more active rolein their local community. What is more, the most

courageous councils those that have stuck to

In Controls ethical principle o the reedom to use

personal budgets on anything legal have ound

the system is no more costly than the old one,

because it has unlocked the social capital lying

idle in our communities.

The considerable challenge or todays public

servants is to take this to the next level: to break

down the silos o children, adults, social care,

health care and community development.

The challenge or our citizens and or our communities

may be even greater: to re-discover the compassion,

reciprocity and ellow-eeling o a past age and re-

invent it, together with new institutions t or a colder,

brasher, global era.

I we succeed then David Halperns (i not David

Camerons) vision o the Big Society may do what

it says on the can.

Londons doing Finn workStudents rom Finland impressed bybudget achievements

Fiteen Finnish students

visited London to hear

people and carers give rst-

hand inormation about the

benefts o personal budgets.

The social studies

students, rom Sovonia

University in Iisalmi,

heard one person describe

how his mental health had improved. He had let

a traditional day-care centre and completed a ne

arts degree.

City o London Corporation sta reported that it had

reached an important target 50% o people using

its services now direct their own support. All-in-all,

15 have direct payments, 46 have personal budgetsand 54 have received one-o payments.

Making a namedown underAustralia has turned to In Control

or advice on how to implement

disability reorm.

South Australia is working on a strategy

to support people with a disability, their

amilies and carers.

To this end, Monsignor David Cappo AO,

Commissioner or Social Inclusion or

South Australia, asked In Controls chie

executive Julie Stanseld to contribute to

their strategy.

He sees In Control as a leading innovato

in the UK on disability reorm.

The strategy will present

recommendations around legislation,programs, policies and services as well as

access issues and community attitudes.

Further inormation about the Social

Inclusion Board in South Australia can

be ound at

www.socialinclusion.sa.gov.au

Czech matesCaroline Tomlinson and John Waters have

traveled to Prague to inorm disabled people,local authority managers and government

ocials rom the Czech Republic about

In Controls work in transorming social

care services.

In Control had been invited by Quip,

The Association or Change in the

Czech Republic.

Following a one-day workshop, Quip

committed to joining the growing

international In Control community.

Lecturer romJapan drops inA social work lecturer rom Nagoya,

Japan, has visited In Control to learn

about issues o citizenship in the UK.

Miss Naoko Kawaguchi spent time

with In Control, Merseyside Partners

in Policymaking and also learnedabout inclusive education.

International growth

In Controls international community now consists

orepresentatives rom Australia, New Zealand,

Tasmania,Finland, Czech Republic, USA, Italy,

Russia, Scotland and Wales.

The vision o the international group is to help

build a world where everyone is valued as citizens.

All members sign up to and are committed to In

Controls ethical statement and the groups role

is to:

Act as a place o reerence, sharing inormation

and raising awareness

Oer critical refection

Encourage dialogue and exchange

between international communities

Collaborate on work

Encourage leadership and

international infuence
http://www.socialinclusion.sa.gov.au/http://www.socialinclusion.sa.gov.au/


17/20 17


Include our childrenPersonalisation must be or all ages i the Governments Big Society

idea is to hold true, argues Nic Crosby, In Controls childrens leadShould personalisation only apply to

people over the age o 18? Would any

reasonable person argue yes? But,

while Putting People First launched

a programme o personalisation

in the adult world, we have yet to

hear o any serious programme o

personalisation in social care or

children and young people. Where

is the positive promotion by the

Government o individual budgets

or all disabled children?

Meanwhile, there are some green

shoots o development across the

country. In Control is working

with 40 childrens services to make

choice and control a reality or

children and their amilies. There

are 500 or so individual budgets

being used in In Control childrens

service member areas. People who

have an individual budget say

how important they are. Jan, a

mum in Newcastle says, it gives

her a chance to have my amilylie back.

Another mother in a London

borough told In Control about her

teenage son who can have very

challenging support needs. Beore

having an individual budget, he

was oten admitted to hospital

having hurt himsel or others. Since

having an individual budget and a

support system in place her son

has not once been admitted to

hospital. The savings over the

long-term set against the cost o

supporting this young mans needs

or specialist mental health care

are dicult to calculate.

Personalisation enables amilies to

bring their son or daughter up in a

healthy and supportive home they

can arrange support in ways that

make sense to them. The recently

launched consultation on the

orthcoming Green Paper or SEN

and Disability oers a chance or

the voice o amilies and services

involved in In Controls work to be

heard and paid attention to. Please

contact mysel i you would like to

add your views to this consultation.

Personalisation or children ts

well with the Governments idea

o the Big Society because it

oers children and amilies the

ability to participate, be included

and be active citizens.

The Big Society is surely about

the inclusion o all (recognising that

some may need more support to

be included than others) and giving

these children and amilies the ability

to nd their own way, as we all do,

in lie.

Without personalisation being

extended across all ages, the

Governments Big Society has little

credence! In Control continues to

support the spread o personalisation

and, in particular, the take up o

sel-directed support and individual

budgets or children, young people

and their amilies, enabling them to

take part in the Big Society.

More inormation:

[email protected]

www.in-control.org.uk/children

In Control oers Osborne spending adviceIn Controls Caroline Tomlinson

has been advising the Government

on how sel-directed support is

cost-eective and ecient.

In recognition o In Controls

innovative approach to public

service delivery, Chancellor George

Osborne invited Caroline to a

consultation session on reducing

the budget decit.

The event in Reading was part

o the Governments Spending

Review process.

Caroline, In Controls consumer

support director, discussed

sel-directed support,

government spending and the

budget decit with the Chie

Secretary to the Treasury,

Danny Alexander.

Caroline said: Contributing to the

review gave mysel and In Control

the opportunity to highlight the

value and cost-saving solutions

achieved with personalisation

and sel-directed support.

The session proved valuable and

was a productive and enjoyable

experience. I was extremely

pleased to be able to express

In Controls views directly to

the Chie Secretary.

The Treasury subsequently invited

In Control to produce a think

tank piece or the Governments

Spending Challenge website.

In its piece, In Control highlighted

the eectiveness and eciency o

sel-directed support.

Caroline said: The piece gave

In Control the chance to publicise

the work o ourselves and

shop4support in improving health

and social care, in a public,

high-prole and positive way.

The Government is to announce

the results o the Spending Review

on 20 October.

In Controls piece or the

Spending Challenge website

is at www.in-control.org.uk/

spendingthinkpiece
mailto:nic.crosby%40in-control.org.uk%20?subject=http://www.in-control.org.uk/childrenhttp://www.in-control.org.uk/spendingthinkpiecehttp://www.in-control.org.uk/spendingthinkpiecehttp://www.in-control.org.uk/spendingthinkpiecehttp://www.in-control.org.uk/spendingthinkpiecehttp://www.in-control.org.uk/childrenmailto:nic.crosby%40in-control.org.uk%20?subject=


18/2018


Make law clearer and airerA reorm o adult social care legislation must emphasisepeoples rights and entitlements, says In Control

In Control has been helping the Law Commission to

review adult social care law in England and Wales.Respondents to an In Control questionnaire and

those who attended two consultation meetings were

clear about their support o In Controls submission

to the Commission.

In Control told the Commission that current law

puts excessive emphasis on the duties o local

authorities and other statutory bodies to carry out

restrictive processes instead o stressing citizens

rights and entitlements.

Just over hal o those who responded or attended

the meetings (34 in total) were disabled, amilymembers o someone with a disability, or represented

a user-led organisation.

Inadequate andoutdated

No-one is in doubt about the need or legal

reorm. The rules about eligibility and services

are spread across 38 separate acts o parliament

and most services are delivered under an act

o 1948. The Law Commission itsel says the

current law is inadequate, oten incomprehensibleand outdated.

People taking part in the consultation backed In Controls

view that the law needs to change so that it:

Is coherent

Is easily understood

Encapsulates rights and entitlements

Provides a ocus on outcomes not processes

Is actively supportive o the government policy

o personalisation.

As well as this general proposal, people had plenty to say

about the detail, not least about Fair Access to Care (FACS),

the system or deciding i someone is eligible or a service.

People supported In Controls view that FACS is unhelpul

and needs to be replaced by the kind o resource allocationsystem developed by In Control and tried and tested in

many local authorities.

New law in 2011

The Commissions consultation ended on 1 July. The

Government will bring together the conclusions o the

Law Commission and its own commission on unding

o long-term care into a White Paper in 2011, with a

view to introducing legislation in the second session

o this parliament.

The Law Commissions Frances Patterson spoke to the Big

Event in Liverpool about the project. Hear her speech on an

audio le at: www.in-control.org.uk/Bigeventaudio

That was mind-blowing!Graduates praise In Controls rst All Together Better courseMore than 40 people graduated rom In Controls rst All

Together Better course at Loughborough University

Documents

In Control NOW edition 11