Adult social care & housing - advice/info and DFGs
Housing LIN members' input on the following points (ideally by Friday 25 June) will be much appreciated. Happy to respect any requests for confidentiality.
1. Local authorities with Adult Social Care Responsibilities (LASCRs) are responsible for ensuring joined up and universal services (e g housing and transport) are available to users and potential users of social care services.
Are local housing authorities and housing associations familiar with this responsibility?
Case study examples of how LASCRs are engaging with local housing partnerships and providers to enable delivery of universal services would be much appreciated.
2. A key element of the LASCR responsibility is to provide a universal information, advice and advocacy service for people needing adult social care and their carers, irrespective of their eligibility for public funding.
How are LASCRs linking into (existing or planned) housing advice, Home Improvement Agency or generic local authority information services?
3. Provision of aids and adaptations is critical in enabling people with physical care needs to live independently. despite recent changes to funding rules for Disabled Facilities Grants, funding is under constant pressure.
What barriers and obstacles have members encountered in the DGF process which impede greater cost effectiveness?
What recent actions are members aware of which have improved DGF processes or services locally?
In my experience, local authority cuts in some areas have slowed the DFG process to an almost standstill. In others, HIAs are struggling to maintain standards. It all depends on how much support there is within the local authority and how much they understand the links between supporting this work to reduce pressure on care budgets.
Pressure on housing advice has also been increased with cuts. Now other local advice services are being asked to step into the gaps without the skills to deliver adequately. Hard times.